Analivia was the first to nod decisively and begin packing up the cooking utensils. As the others began to make their preparations, I went to the packs piled under the trees and dug out of mine clean underwear, socks and a comb. I noticed that the other packs were saddlebags, made to be slung across a horse’s back and to hang down either side. They were a deal bigger than my pack, and bulging with provisions.

I checked on the stone sword, deciding I would show it to the others when I had told enough of my tale to make sense of it.

I slipped away to put on my clean underclothes and shirt and then returned to the fire to comb out the matted ropes of my hair. Swallow was stirring a pot with a ferocious look while Ahmedri was filling a net with firenuts. By the mound before him, he had spent the time while I slept gathering them. Suddenly I thought of Gavyn and Rasial, but when I asked about them, Swallow said Ahmedri had seen the boy splashing about in the stream some time before the wolves had appeared.

Analivia added, ‘He wanders constantly, yet Rasial always seems to return with him if we have need of him.’

I felt less sanguine about the absence of the boy and the dog, for even though Rheagor had said the wolves would not harm them, what would they do if Rasial decided to attack them for the sake of the boy or out of sheer wildness? After all, I thought, she told me that she wanted to die. I tried to find the white dog, but my farseeking probe would not locate. That meant they had left the valley or, more likely, they slept.

I found Darga and bade him look for them, and he padded off without complaint. Maruman looked across the flames at me.

‘You were brave,’ I sent. ‘How did you resist the wolf musk?’

‘Stupid wolves did not notice clever, quiet Marumanyelloweyes creeping in a tree when they came and when they released their scent,’ the old cat boasted.

‘So they can decide who the wolf musk will affect?’

‘Of course,’ Maruman sent scornfully. ‘Else how would they travel with us if we cannot move when they are near?’