There was silence around their fire. Armun knew where they had gone and her disapproval was obvious in her every movement. This one time Kerrick did not attempt to talk to her, to make her forget their visit to the island: he was just as silent as she. Arnwheet, tired from the day, was asleep even before the first stars appeared. Kerrick kicked sand over the smoldering fire then went to the stream to wash his hands and arms. He rubbed them thoroughly, then did it all a second time. Though if he had brought the disease to the hèsotsan it was far too late for this. He shook them dry and went down the path to Herilak’s tent.

When he came into the clearing he saw that Merrith had moved her tent until it was just beside that of the sammadar. Darras sat now in the open flap of the tent holding a doll woven of straw. She was still a silent little girl, but she did smile at him even though she did not speak. The flap of Herilak’s tent was closed and he heard laughter from inside. He was going to call out when he realized that it was woman’s laughter. He had not known about this before. It was a good thing. He sat down on the fur beside Darras.

“I never saw that doll before.”

“My grandmother made it. I watched her do it. Isn’t she nice? Her name is Melde. That was my mother’s name too.”

“It is a very nice doll.”

He added some dry branches to the fire and stirred it until the wood crackled and the flames grew higher. The flaps of the other tent were opened and Merrith came over and sat next to him.

“Darras was telling me about her new doll. She is very happy with it.”

Merrith smiled and nodded agreement. “She is not the only one who is filled with pleasure.”

Herilak called out greetings and Kerrick went to join him. They sat in darkness before the tent looking at the woman and the little girl in the flickering firelight. Herilak seemed as happy as Merrith was. Kerrick was reluctant to spoil all this; Herilak had been grim and unsmiling for far too long. They talked of hunting, the other sammads, and of the Sasku valley. They did this until Merrith took the girl into the tent and the flap was closed.

“It may be very hot here in the summer,” Herilak said. “But it is never cold in the winter. This island is a very good place for the sammads.”

“Will we ever go back to the mountains? That was what old Fraken talked of when dying.”

“Old Fraken was an old fool. I have heard you say that many times. There is still the winter that does not stop to the north.”

“I think that my death-stick has the sickness.”