The others had begun to set up camp in a hollow to the right of the gate, while I stood gazing at the view. Ahmedri was already lighting a fire in readiness for cooking the meal he had promised. It was always the way with expeditions that people would swiftly fall into roles and routines that suited their skills. No one had elected Ahmedri fire lighter, yet he was better at it than anyone else, and he and Swallow cooked most often, because they were better at it than the rest of us. I bestirred myself and went to help Swallow unpack the horses so that they could graze unencumbered.

Gavyn took no part in any preparation of food, although he often had something in his hempen bag that he had found while foraging. Today it was birds’ eggs, Analivia announced with delight when he had carelessly handed a sack to her. I thought the birds whose nests he had raided would be a good deal less delighted, but Maruman had vanished the moment we reached the plateau and I had no doubt he too was seeking eggs and the birds that had laid them. Now the boy was lying asleep on the bare stone, hands outflung, palms facing the sky so that the fingers curled loosely upward. He looked very young and I found myself wishing I had been able to prevent him coming. It was bad enough to bring the others into danger, but they were adults, beast and human, and had chosen to come. Gavyn had chosen only to accompany Rasial. He could not possibly understand the significance of what I had to do, or the dangers inherent in the journey I was undertaking.

‘The boy understands more than you know,’ Darga sent.

I turned to look at the big solemn dog, but Analivia was coming towards me. She looked down at Gavyn and said softly, ‘He is very strange. Do you notice how the wolf cubs quest at him when the adults don’t stop them, as if he were a long lost brother?’

‘I have noticed,’ I said. ‘He has a wild enthralling ability that is probably affecting them. No doubt they can’t block it as the adult wolves can, who strive to keep the young ones away from him.’