‘And … three feathers from my coat.’ He drew his sleeve across the side of the tree, letting the feathers brush against it.

There was an indifferent rustle.

‘And I will touch your roots with my own blood …’ He glanced up at the tree for a sign. When it gave none, he sighed. ‘And when I return I will do so thrice more, to show my gratitude.’

There was another rustle, not exactly happy, but when Sa-at looked at the roots again, he saw they had parted slightly to reveal a small hollow. ‘Thank you,’ he said. He had to call Crowflies down to help cut his hair.

‘Sa-aat,’ it said, looking at the tree and then back at him, disapproving. The tree was getting far too good a deal and the Birdkin was not happy about it.

‘I know,’ he murmured, ‘but we’re in a hurry.’

Despite those words, he did not rush tying the hair, choosing the branches where they could be displayed to greatest effect. He examined his coat, and when his eyes alighted on a feather he didn’t want to lose, he swallowed the sadness down and plucked it, repeating the process three times. These he tucked into the branches of the tree. Lastly, he pricked his finger on his Birdkin’s beak, and touched it to the roots, before holding it out to Crowflies again.

He felt the nip, painful, as it resealed the wound, and gave a nod of thanks.

That done, he turned back to his friends and pointed at the hollow. ‘In you get.’

Tal regarded him with an expression of horror. ‘In there?’

‘Yes.’

‘No.’

Sa-at nodded encouragingly. ‘Yes. You first.’

As he approached it, the Gatherer got slower and slower. ‘We’ll never all get in there.’

‘Just you and Rochant.’

‘Lord Rochant,’ amended Tal.

‘Yes.’

‘But what about you?’

‘I have a –’ he looked at Rochant ‘– plan.’

Rochant’s eyes were shut but it didn’t surprise Sa-at that he was still awake and listening to them. ‘Tell me.’

He tore a strip from the rags Rochant was wearing and held it up. ‘I’ll make a new trail for your enemies and lead them far away.’

‘It might work. You’ll need his boots.’

Tal had crouched down by the tree but still hadn’t managed to climb into the hollow. ‘What?’

‘If they find our trail they’ll know I’m not alone. The new trail needs two sets of boots if it’s to match the old one.’

Sa-at nodded, smiling in appreciation. ‘Yes.’

‘Take your time coming back. If they see you, they might use you to find us.’

‘Yes.’

It took some cajoling to get Tal to trust the tree but eventually, he was stuffed into the hollow and Sa-at bent down to pull off his heavy boots. ‘I’ll bring them back.’

‘Do you promise?’