Hardbread’s nephew turned in the gap and gave Craw the fuck yourself finger. ‘We’ll be back here, you sneaking bastards!’ His uncle cuffed him across the top of his scratty head. ‘Ow! What?’

‘Some respect.’

‘Ain’t we fighting a war?’

Hardbread cuffed him again and made him squeal. ‘No reason to be rude, you little shit.’

Craw stood there as the lad’s complaints faded into the wind beyond the stones, swallowed sour spit, and eased his thumbs out from his belt. His hands were trembling, had to rub ’em together to hide it, pretending he was cold. But it was done, and everyone involved still drawing breath, so he guessed it had worked out as well as anyone could’ve hoped.

Jolly Yon didn’t agree. He stepped up beside Craw frowning like thunder and spat into the fire. ‘Time might come we regret not killing those folks there.’

‘Not killing don’t tend to weigh as heavy on my conscience as the alternative.’

Brack tut-tutted from Craw’s other side. ‘A warrior shouldn’t carry too much conscience.’

‘A warrior shouldn’t carry too much belly either.’ Whirrun had shrugged the Father of Swords off his shoulders and stood it on end, the pommel coming up to his neck, watching how the light moved on the crosspiece as he turned it round and round. ‘We all got our weights to heft.’

‘I’ve got just the right amount, you stringy bastard.’ And the hillman gave his great gut a proud pat like a father might give his son’s head.

‘Chief.’ Agrick strode into the firelight, bow loose in his hand and an arrow dangling between two fingers.

‘They away?’ asked Craw.

‘Watched ’em down past the Children. They’re crossing the river now, heading towards Osrung. Athroc’s keeping a watch on ’em, though. We’ll know if they double back.’

‘You reckon they will?’ asked Wonderful. ‘Hardbread’s cut from the old cloth. He might smile, but he won’t have liked this any. You trust that old bastard?’

Craw frowned into the night. ‘’Bout as much as I’d trust anyone these days.’

‘Little as that? Best post guards.’

‘Aye,’ said Brack. ‘And make sure ours stay awake.’

Craw thumped his arm. ‘Nice o’ you to volunteer for first shift.’

‘Your belly can keep you company,’ said Yon.

Craw thumped his arm next. ‘Glad you’re in favour, you can go second.’

‘Shit!’

‘Drofd!’

You could tell the curly lad was the newest of the crew ’cause he actually hurried up with some snap. ‘Aye, Chief?’

‘Take the saddle horse and head back up the Yaws Road. Not sure whose lads you’ll meet first – Ironhead’s most likely, or maybe Tenways’. Let ’em know we ran into one of the Dogman’s dozens at the Heroes. More’n likely just scouting, but …’

‘Just scouting.’ Wonderful nibbled some scab off one knuckle and spat it from the tip of her tongue. ‘The Union are miles away, split up and spread out, trying to make straight lines out of a country with none.’

‘More’n likely. But hop on the horse and pass on the message anyway.’