The wooded hillside became steeper before it levelled out and for a while, neither Sorrel nor Little Cloud spoke as they concentrated on following the raven.

When the bird finally stopped and settled in a tree, Cloud straightened himself up and rubbed his back. "All that climbing can't be good for you."

Sorrel smiled at him and then looked around at the clearing. The daylight was fading but everything seemed to glow. Bluebell blooms were just beginning to dwindle and soft ferns swayed in the breeze. She could see the moon in the sky and realised for the first time just how late it must be.

She turned her attention to the raven. The majestic bird perched on a smooth grey rock and preened its feathers with its thick bill. She scanned the clearing but could see no sign any Elani had ever been there before.

"Where's Running Bear?" she said.

Cloud shrugged. "Perhaps we should just wait here for him? The raven seems to know the place."

Sorrel snorted. "Wait for him? I've got no time to stand around and wait for anybody, I've got to go and rescue Mum."

Cloud glanced across at her. She felt his eyes on her and knew he was checking to see if she was all right after the fight and the hill climb. He was one of the few Elani who wouldn't ask her if she was okay unless something was truly wrong and she loved him for it. She was tired and her arms and legs ached but she wouldn't show it. Her own stubbornness wouldn't allow her.

She pulled her shoulders back and kept her chin up. Her right hand rested on the broadsword she had taken, which she'd thrust into her belt unsheathed.

She saw Cloud glance away from the weapon. He didn't like swords. They were Lamya weapons, cold, hard and dangerous.

Cloud sighed wearily and said, "You know what Synan would say, 'patience, young Sorrel, is a virtue.'"

She grinned. "You know," she said, "I would never have thought it, but I actually miss that old fuddy duddy's lessons."

Cloud frowned. "That old fuddy duddy you're talking about is my grandfather, Sorrel." Then he added, "Still, I know what you mean."

They both laughed; and Sorrel was glad they had each other. A cough caught her attention and she tightened her hand on the sword. An old man stood before them.

"We didn't see you there," she said, taking a cautious step back. "Wait, where did you come from?"

The old man was not unlike Synan in appearance, though he didn't have a beard. He wore spectacles, carried a walking staff and wore the same simple clothing; a long brown tunic tied at his waist with cord, loose–fitting fox–fur trousers and brown leather shoes decorated with beads. His long black hair was tied behind his head in a thick braid.

The man smiled at them both, his homely face creasing up into a thousand wrinkles, and held out his arm towards what looked like a simple mound of earth.

"I am Running Bear of Oaken Wood," he said. "Come into my home and we will talk."

Sorrel looked at Cloud and he shrugged. She eyed the mound of earth. Running Bear chuckled and lifted the mound with a quick sweep of his knobbly staff. It was just a clever trick – a simple flap of fabric covered with leaves and earth as camouflage was all that stood over a flight of stone steps leading down into the ground.

"Are you coming?" Running Bear asked. He had a twinkle in his eyes. "I thought you had better things to do than stand around and wait, brave Miss Sorrel?"

She smiled and stepped forwards to start the climb down the stone steps into the dark passage far below the ground.

#

Somewhere, an owl hooted into the night and a fox barked twice. The boy walked a few paces farther before he veered off the beaten track to go and slump beneath the shelter of the trees. He drew his knees up to his chin and rested his head on them, heaving a great sigh as he did so.

Mariko Kint watched him from a safe distance, wondering if he had anything on him worth taking. She took a loaf of bread – freshly stolen from a vagrant Elani traveller – from her pack and tore a thoughtful bite from it as she eyed her target.

She had been following him through the towns of Langshire for some time now and she noticed with interest that, like her, he avoided public places.

He looked like a young Lamya, thin and unkempt with thick black hair, but he wore the simple home–spun clothes of an Elani.

Mariko couldn't see him carrying any possessions, but that meant very little. He could have Lamya coins sitting in his pocket, ripe for her to take.

She finished off her bread and crept forwards, pulling her long–bladed dagger from inside her tatty leather coat. She circled round behind the boy, intently watching his back.

A twig snapped underfoot and she halted, held her breath and waited for a reaction from the boy. Receiving none, she carried on.

As she drew nearer, she realised he was sound asleep. Perfect! No need to wake him - just pick his pockets and leave. She stopped opposite him and studied his face. Definitely a Lamya, none of those marks the Elani bore. She inched closer and reached towards his jacket pocket.

The boy's eyes snapped open and he raised his head to look at her. Mariko gasped. His eyes were jet black and showed not a hint of white. She raised her dagger and struck him hard across his face with the pommel, knocking him flat to the ground where she quickly knelt on his back to keep him there.

The boy drew his hands beneath him to raise himself up but she gave him a sound clout with her dagger.

"Stop that!" she snapped. She threw her pack from her shoulder and fished inside for a piece of rope to bind his hands behind his back. Once she had done that she hauled him roughly to his feet and prodded him none too gently in the ribs. "Well now. You are interesting! Get moving, back to the track wiv ya or you'll feel the blade of Mariko Kint."

She pushed the boy ahead out of the trees and back onto the track. She considered going back to Langshire with him before deciding that she'd follow the track and see where she'd end up. It probably wasn't a good idea to risk seeing anybody she'd stolen from again.

The boy took another step before he groaned and fell to the ground with a soft thud. He rolled onto his side and looked up at her with his black eyes. "Please, I must rest. Please..."

She gave him an impatient kick, twirled her long coat out behind her and sat by the roadside, leaning back comfortably against a moss-strewn rock. She opened her pack and drew out a canteen of water, taking a long drink as she eyed the boy suspiciously.

"What do you want from me?" he asked, struggling to his knees. "I am worth nothing to you. You must let me go!"

Mariko snorted softly. She wasn't stupid. She knew well enough that this was no ordinary Lamya boy and that there may well be people who'd pay handsomely for an oddity such as him. She gazed at him, shook her head and said nothing.