‘Nothing,’ I said. ‘At least, I feel like there is something out there in the darkness, watching us. It is probably just my imagination.’

‘Not necessarily,’ the empath said. ‘This seems to be the sole source of clean water about and doubtless many small creatures usually come here to drink, but instead here we are with our noise and our fire.’

I heaved a sigh and shook my head at my foolishness. ‘You are probably right. It is some small thirsty thing longing for us to be on our way.’

We walked back to the fire together and I announced to the others that we would not leave until the moon rose, whether or not the wolves had come. We sat staring into the dying fire and listening to the soft pop and hiss of the firenuts.

‘They will come,’ Analivia said suddenly, and rising decisively she moved a few steps away and began to sand scrub the bowls. She sounded more like her old self and I had no doubt this was the result of her being able to help Dragon. I had noticed true healers were always strengthened by the exercise of their calling.

‘You sound very sure,’ Swallow said, moving to help her, the teasing note to his voice suggesting he, too, had noticed the easing of her manner.

But she gave him a serious look that wiped the smile from his mouth, saying, ‘The bird would not have sent Elspeth here to die with her quest undone.’

It was true, I thought, and as if it had been awaiting the thought, the moon rose, waning now but very bright. Under it the seemingly endless white plain glowed to life and seemed to shimmer. We all gazed at it in silence for a time, then I stood up, less swiftly than Analivia, but no less decisively. The others rose too, and began to make their final preparations. Dragon was asleep in the travois already, as we had deemed it better for her to travel that way to begin with, but the rest of us were to ride. The horses had insisted and I had concurred, seeing that the first part of the way was largely flat.

Finally we drank our fill one last time at the lake, which Ahmedri told me he had decided to call Tear of the Moon. He seemed to be seeking my approval and when I told him I liked the name, he smiled and gave a slight bow. I realised as we mounted up and set off east that I had never seen him smile before. It made him look more like his brother, and I wondered whether it would please him or not to be told so.