The beast paused and looked back at him, ears cocked, eyes askew.

‘By the confusion of your vision, friend, I name you Providence. Is that too long a name for a scrawny thing like you? No matter. Perversity pleases me, unless it is too perverse, upon which I am known to bark a laugh. You can join me in this, if you care to. But I call you not to call you names, friend, but to tell you that I am tired and hungry and in my sack is a fish, or two, and I see certain herbs that entice my eyes. In short, since I see you fret impatient, we shall make camp in some suitable glade or clearing in the forest upon the left. Thus: keep an eye out for a likely roost.’

When the animal resumed its trot, Grizzin smiled and continued walking.

A short time later the dog loped into the line of trees and vanished from sight.

The Azathanai shrugged, not expecting to see its return. He was thankful for the brief companionship, however, and thought the animal well named for that brevity.

The creature suddenly reappeared, tail wagging. It halted just outside the forest’s ragged edge.

Grizzin stood on the road and squinted at the dog. ‘Can it be you gleaned my desire? Your stance is most expectant, yet you draw no nearer. Very well, show me a place to sleep and show me, indeed, that Providence can do no less.’

He moved down from the road and approached. The animal spun round and bounded back into the forest.

A short distance in waited a glade, the grasses thick and soft, barring in the centre where the blackened stones encircled an old campfire.

Grizzin ventured into the clearing, up to the old hearth, where he set down his sack. ‘You alter the course of this night’s conversation, friend,’ he said to the dog, now lying near the stones. ‘I did anticipate the pleasure of not being understood, thus freeing me to heights of appalling honesty and blue confession. Instead, I now fear fleas will carry the tale, and so must be circumspect. And I fear more the matching of wits with you, and losing the game, O Providence. Now, rest here while I collect wood, herbs and the like. We shall feast tonight, and then pick clean our teeth with fish spines, and make fresh our breaths with the twigs of bitter juniper. What say you?’

But the dog was already asleep, legs twitching as it swam through dreams.

* * *

Hish Tulla watched Gripp Galas gingerly lift himself on to the saddle of his horse. She met his eyes and he nodded. They rode out from the small courtyard, ducking as, Hish in the lead, they passed beneath the gate’s heavy lintel stone. The street they trotted onto revealed similar gates lining its winding length, and stationed before a number of them were guards, their eyes shadowed by the visors of their helms.