I was so tired, I wondered blearily if I would have the energy to get up again. I forced myself to say, ‘We cannot ride lying down for a whole day, and in any case, Gavyn will not ride. We will alternate running with walking, but the horses can go ahead with Dragon and Maruman and the wolves, and get well clear of the end of the pipe.’

‘Can you lead us at a run, Empath?’ Ahmedri asked Dameon.

‘No,’ I said firmly. ‘Dameon will ride on Faraf. Being smaller she can carry you so that you will just clear the top of the pipe. You can remain with us until we get close to the end, but if it is nearing sunset, you will ride on and we will light a torch and follow at a run. How many do we have left?’

‘Three remain but I will mend some of those we burned today when we stop,’ Ahmedri said. ‘The wood is hard and the wax and sap in the bandages I use burns at a low enough heat that the wood is barely singed.’

‘Done then,’ I said. I noticed that Gavyn was staring as if mesmerised at the torch flame. I had been worried the boy would be curious about the rhenlings, and would endanger himself and Rasial trying to investigate them, but Darga had sent to me that he had walked meekly between them and had not once appeared to think of stopping or wandering off. Hearing the exchange, Rasial assured me that she would not allow him to risk himself or us. I suppressed the impulse to ask how she planned to do that, for her manner had been less cold lately and the last thing I wanted was to push her back into her shell.

I noticed the white ridgeback watching me steadily, and I sent, ‘When you and the boy/cub slept alongside MornirDragon in the mountain cave, what did you/ Gavyn see?’ Despite my weariness it was not difficult to beastspeak her when we were so close. It would have been easier still if I had touched the white dog, but I did not think she would welcome the intimacy.

‘We / I flew with MornirDragon,’ Rasial sent. ‘Now she does fly the dreamtrails with Maruman.’

The dreamtrails, I thought, wondering if I had made a mistake in putting the old cat back in the bier with Dragon. The others began getting up, groaning and sighing, as Gahltha sent that he and the other horses would go on ahead with the wolf. When Swallow offered his hand, I gave it to him wordlessly and let him heave me up. Ahmedri extinguished the torch after we had arranged ourselves behind Dameon and we walked on in watchful silence until we saw light ahead.

Chapter 29

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