I rose, rubbed my eyes with the backs of my hands, stared up the road. Sure enough, two figures were coming south, one taller than the other. But at that distance they could have been any adult and child. We packed and readied the horses hurriedly, descended the hill. Silent wanted to wait down the road, around the bend. He told me to get on the road behind them, just in case. You never knew about Raven.

He left. I waited, shivering still, feeling very lonely. The travelers breasted a rise. Yes. Raven and Darling. They walked briskly, but Raven seemed unafraid, certain no one was after him. They passed me. I waited a minute, eased out of the woods, followed them around the toe of the hill.

Silent sat his mount in the middle of the road, leaning forward slightly, looking lean and mean and dark. Raven had stopped fifty feet away, exposed his steel. He held Darling behind him.

She noticed me coming, grinned and waved. I grinned back, despite the tension of the moment.

Raven whirled. A snarl stretched his lips. Anger, possibly even hatred, smoldered in his eyes. I stopped beyond the reach of his knives. He did not look willing to talk.

We all remained motionless for several minutes. Nobody wanted to speak first. I looked at Silent. He shrugged. He had come to the end of his plan.

Curiosity had brought me here. I had satisfied part of it. They were alive, and were running. Only the why remained shadowy.

To my amazement Raven yielded first. Whatre you doing here, Croaker? Id thought him able to outstubborn a stone.

Looking for you.

Why?

Curiosity. Me and Silent, we got an interest in Darling. We were worried.

He frowned. He was not hearing what he had expected.

You can see shes all right.

Yeah. Looks like. How about you?

I look like Im not?

I glanced at Silent. He had nothing to contribute. One wonders, Raven. One wonders.

He was on the defensive. What the hell does that mean?

Fellow freezes out his buddies. Treats them like shit. Then he deserts. Makes people wonder enough to go find out whats happening.

The Captain know youre here?

I glanced at Silent again. He nodded. Yeah. Want to let us in on it, old buddy? Me, Silent, the Captain, Pickles, Elmo, Goblin, we all maybe got an idea....

Dont try to stop me, Croaker.

Why are you always looking for a fight? Who said anything about stopping you? They wanted you stopped, you wouldnt be out here now. Youd never have gotten away from the Tower.

He was startled.

They saw it coming, Pickles and the Old Man. They let you go. Some of the rest of us, wed like to know why. I mean, like, we think we know, and if its what we think, then at least you have my blessing. And Silents. And I guess everybodys who didnt hold you back.