‘He crossed here, then,’ Rafe said. It wasn’t a question. Hoof prints had churned the mud, then led off north. Halion hadn’t ridden the horse, though. His footprints led right up to the water’s edge. And even if they hadn’t been there, Scratcher and Sniffer’s behaviour was enough for Rafe.

‘Aye,’ Braith said.

‘Why did he turn his horse free?’ Still got a long way to go once he gets to the other side, if Rhin was right. Better to swim his horse across.

‘He must know the Darkwood. Too dense and overgrown to take a horse through. Nearer to the giantsway it’s easier going, more open. But not here. He could’ve crossed further upriver, but every step takes you closer to Uthandun, and that’s one place he’d want to stay clear of. They’ll have patrols out. He made a decision, chose caution over speed. Besides, he can always steal another horse once he’s in Ardan.’ Braith shrugged. ‘It’s what I’d have done.’

I thought my da was a good huntsman, but Braith, he lives it.

Rafe looked dolefully at the river. It was wide and slow, only a league or so before it spilt into the sea. ‘We’re going to get wet, then.’

‘Ah, that’s where you’re wrong,’ Braith said with a grin. ‘Follow me.’

They rode only a short way east along the riverbank before Braith dismounted and made his way down to the river. He disappeared where the bank was eroded into an overhang.

‘Come lend a hand,’ Braith called.

Rafe found him tugging at what looked at first glance to be the broken branch of a willow. It turned out to be a cleverly made screen that was draped over a dozen coracles.

‘Used these to cross the river, back when I was a brigand in the Darkwood,’ Braith said with a grin to Rafe’s questioning look. ‘Best get the horses stripped down and turn them loose.’

Soon Rafe was paddling across the river, and it wasn’t long before he was wading onto the far bank, the muscles in his shoulders and back feeling as if they’d been filled with lead. Sniffer splashed ahead of him and gave Braith’s hand a lick; he’d already dragged his coracle into a worn-out overhang. He helped Rafe do the same and then they were up the bank and stepping amongst the first trees of the Darkwood. It took less time for the dogs to find Halion’s scent again than it had taken to cross the river.

‘Good boys,’ Rafe whispered as they slipped into the twilight of the forest.

Rafe pulled a strip of salted pork from his pouch and chewed, the meat tough and stringy.

Looking forward to a fire and some hot food.