Sorrel had nodded off. When she and Cloud had charged after the raven out of the woodland they had found themselves in open moorland full of purple heather and gorse. Through a light veil of mist they had seen the angular shapes of granite outcrops, dark and grey and some completely covered in lichen. They had inspected one of these outcrops, but found that they were just plain old granite rocks, good for climbing but little else.

Feeling rather disappointed, Sorrel had decided to stop. She'd grumbled and complained a bit but was soon too weary to do anything but lay her head down and rest.

When she woke, yawning and stretching, she saw Cloud had kept himself occupied by starting a small fire and roasting some roots and plants he had found. He poked the cooking vegetables with a stick thoughtfully and gazed around at their surroundings.

"I've made us something to eat," he said. "There was a pack on the horse with bits and pieces in too. Hope you like it."

She took the bowl of food from her friend and offered him a grateful smile. She tucked in. "Sorry I was short with you earlier," she said. "I s'pose I was hoping to find Winter as soon as we left the wood. You know how impatient I am."

Cloud grinned and blew on a spoonful of food to cool it before replying. "I know. I was kinda hoping we'd see Winter soon too. Then maybe we can go home."

She looked up from her dinner to see the horse grazing nearby, the creature almost invisible, just a silhouette in the mist. She frowned and said, "I had the weirdest dream, it was about the castle in the Kingdom of Malinas."

Cloud nodded. "I've been having strange dreams too," he said. "We're homesick, that's all."

"How do you know your dreams aren't premonitions?" She put her spoon down. "I mean, you're a seer, they could be telling you something."

Cloud pulled a face. "I see things differently," he said. "No, dreams are just dreams."

They carried on with their meal, exchanging glances every so often and Sorrel couldn't help but giggle, feeling strangely elated. When they had finished, she put out the fire and went to collect the horse. Bartram the raven was perched up on the saddle and he clacked his beak together as she approached.

"Look at you sat up there," she said, smoothing the bird's feathers. "I wish you could tell us how much farther we have to go, you know how impatient Cloud gets!" She laughed.

"Hey, Sorrel! I think you better come see this!" Cloud called. "Quick!"

She left the two animals and hurried to her friend's side. Together they gazed across the moorland. Something big – a dark, writhing shadow, grunting and kicking up dust – was heading their way. Fast.

#

All the remaining Elani had come together again in Silence Gorge and stood gathered around Leif and the newcomers. The cave where the Elani spent their nights was littered with bedrolls and sleeping bags and possessions the trainees had managed to salvage from their homes. Someone had lit candles that were fixed into position on the rocks by their own wax and made the air smell faintly of primroses.

Leif held the boy in his arms and lowered him to the ground, grabbing a pillow to place under his head.

Old Synan shooed people out of his way and peered down at the strange boy. "Hmm. He is interesting. What did you say he was called?"

"He said his name was Gaeshi Sarkany, just before he passed out. We carried him straight here to you," Leif explained.

The old man looked at the expectant faces of the gathered Elani and smiled. "We cannot work with such a crowd. I'm sure you all have work to do. Could all those except Leif, Maemi, Lachlan and the Lamya please leave us?"

Reluctantly, the trainee warriors shuffled backwards out of the cave and resigned themselves to making weapons or the less warlike task of cooking dinner.

Mariko fidgeted about, clearly uncomfortable. "What do you need me 'ere for?" she asked.

Lachlan menaced her with his staff. "We'll want to ask some questions so just shut up and sit down out of the way for now."

The Lamya did as Lachlan told her, and Leif turned to Synan. "Well, sir?"

Old Synan smiled at Maemi. "You were one of my brightest young pupils, miss. Do you not know the name of Sarkany?"

Maemi gazed at Gaeshi and shook her head. "I recognised it when he said, but I couldn't remember. Sorry, Synan."

Synan raised his eyebrows and looked at the other two in turn. "Leif? Lachlan?"

Leif shook his head, as did Lachlan. Old Synan smiled and said, "Oh dear! Did nothing I teach you stay in your minds? Sarkany is the name that only a dragon carries. Our friend Gaeshi here is not Lamya, nor is he Elani, he is Sarkany – a dragon!"

"Ha! I knew it!" Mariko cried, rising triumphantly to her feet. "I knew he wasn't worthless."

Lachlan turned on her. "So that's what you were doing with him?" he said. "You were going to sell him?"

Mariko composed herself and looked down her nose at Lachlan. "A girl's gotta make a living," she said.

"It doesn't matter now," Leif said. "What matters is, will he be okay?"

Old Synan knelt down by the young boy's head and touched his cheek gently. "He's exhausted. He must've travelled far to get here. All that rough treatment from you, Mariko, hasn't helped."

"He was looking for Sorrel," Leif said, remembering what the boy had said when they found him. "How... why does he want Sorrel?"

Synan just shrugged and shook his head. "Questions that can only be answered by himself, Leif. We'll have to wait. Maemi, I'll need my herb pouch, run along and get it for me, my dear. Hurry."

Maemi left the cave but soon returned with not only the herb pouch but Jia too. She gave an apologetic shrug. "She said she could help."

Old Synan smiled. "Good, good. Jia, here please, you can help me. Uh, I'm afraid I'll have to ask the rest of you to leave now. You can stay for a moment, master Leif."

Leif nodded and waited for his friends to leave before looking back to Synan and the boy. Synan turned first to Jia and then to Leif. The old man's eyes were wide in wonderment. "He is Sarkany! Jia, a dragon!" Synan chuckled happily. "A dragon, Leif!"

But Leif simply smiled. Sarkany were rare and perfectly safe in their human form, but he was worried what would happen when they made this boy better.