“Yes,” agreed Volias. “Which is what worries me.”

“Tumna’s healing in the lofts. She’ll do her own hunting once her wing is better.”

“If Nallo survives so long.”

When Volias glared at him, waiting for the sarcastic retort, Joss felt shame for snapping at the other reeve just because he himself was brooding. “Everyone should be keeping such a close eye out for her, it’s true. Nevertheless, if she’s gone to ground there’s not much we can do. She’s stubborn.”

Volias sat, elbow propped on bent knee and forehead resting on the back of a hand as he gazed out the open doors, as if hoping to see her walk in.

Aui! This was something.

Joss sat.

Verena rubbed an arm, smiling wryly. “You look tired, Marshal.”

“So do we all, I am sure. How’s your shoulder?”

“Healing more quickly than Tumna’s wing.”

“What’s new since this morning, then?”

“I am at the end of my wits,” said Askar. “So many unjessed eagles descending all at once, looking for new reeves. Who must all spend months being trained. We can’t do it all in this one place.”

“It’s true,” said Verena. “It’s never happened before. Some of those eagles must have spent years in the mountains waiting to return.” She turned to the other two fawkners. “Did you see Sweet? That sly old bird! I thought sure she was dead. I last saw her eight years ago, if a day.”

“Marshal Joss,” said Arda, the trainer sent from Clan Hall. She’d lived in the hall all her life and knew nothing but eagles and reeves. “We must set up a camp elsewhere to keep the raptors out of each other’s way until they’re settled in and their new reeves have finished training. Until we get the rest of the eagles jessed.”

“We don’t have the resources,” said Joss. “And what about the safety of the new reeves and their eagles? How can we protect them until they’re trained?”

“Three or four months for basic training,” said Arda. “At last count we’ve got twenty-two new reeves—”

“—and at least forty more unjessed eagles passing by every day,” added Verena.

Askar said, “Some of the eagles will simply not come in with so many other unjessed raptors, and with such a mob of folk churning about. We need that temporary camp, Marshal.”

Arda had known Joss a long time, and had besides never shown the slightest sexual interest in him, so it was easy for her to slip into the hectoring ways she had felt free to use when they’d both been at Clan Hall. “It’s not as if we haven’t been telling you for the last many days. I admit, I hoped the eagles would choose faster, but there’s no reason to think they haven’t looked over this crop and taken what suits them. Can’t you get rid of these useless hangers-on?”

Govard, the steward, broke in, rubbing the short hair atop his head with a hand. “And if I may speak to that, Marshal. I don’t have room for all these cursed lads, the wrack and leftovers that have washed up in the hall. The young ones are the worst. Two fights today! Perhaps if you’d encourage them to give up and go back to their homes.”