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all this, I'll want to set it down in a journal for others to see." He began
asking questions,, seeking more detail about Cotton's venture, and Perry's
Weak mood ebbed as he and the other Warrow marched north and
east with the Host.
And both Warrows soon fell to speculating as to the outcome of Brytta's
mission. Each worried that the Harlingar had met up with a Swarm; yet Cotton
surmised, "Oh, I believe the Valonners did their job, Sir, 'cause Gnar's army
wasn't waiting at the Dusk-Door when it opened. In fact, nobody was. Not even
you. But I knew you'd be alright. And since the maggot-folk weren't there,
well, that means Gnar
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hadn't got the word, so as the Valonners must have succeeded in stopping the
Rucken spies."
"I'm not sure of that, Cotton," mused Perry, "not sure at all. I mean, I'm not
sure that some Spawn didn't get through to Gnar. After all, if they did get
through, there would have been only a bit more than a day for Gnar to muster
his forces. And perhaps he has has mustered them, that is. Perhaps there's a
great ambush awaiting us ahead and we're walking into an enormous trap."
Cotton's heart gave a lurch at these ominous words. "Wull, if that's true,
Sir, then that means that Marshal Brytta may have met up with more than he
bargained for; and that would be news I'd rather not know about." Yet, in
spite of his remarks, Cotton fretted over the fate of the riders of the
Valanreach, and would have given much to know their state of health and their
whereabouts.
At that very moment, it was early morning in the Ragad Valley, and Brytta, at
the fore of the Harlingar, had just ridden in to find the vale empty of all
but his kinsman Farlon and the Dwarven wounded, preparing to embark on the
journey south to the grassy valley.
Farlon was overjoyed to see the Vanadurin arrive, for he had longed to know
their lot; and now he could see that most were safe, though his searching eyes
failed to find some of his comrades in the column. Too, he felt relief, for
now he would have escort in moving the wounded. And now, also, the herd could
be driven south, and not left to wander the wold. The horses had been loosed,
yet in their lameness had not gone from the valley.
At Brytta's query, Farlon explained that it was he who had fired the recall
beacon atop the great spire of the Sentinel Stand after the Door had opened
and the Host had entered. Brytta then ordered that more wood for yet another
signal fire be laid high upon the towering spike to call the riders back
should Wrg come fleeing out of the Dusk-Door; the top of the spire was the
best place for the beacon, for, as reported by Farlon, a fire upon the tall
spire should clearly be visible from the southern pasture. Three scouts,
Trell, Egon, and Wylf, were named to this balefire duty. Taking turns, one of
the trio always would be atop the stand to set the beacon
120
DEMMI5 L McKIERhAH
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ablaze if the Rutcha came. As Brytta said when he gave over the guard duty to
the three, "I'm certain you would rather ward against a danger that never
comes, than to wait with the rest of us in a pasture watching horses crop
grass."
Then Brytta and the Harlingar rounded up the horses and waggons bearing the
wounded and began- the drive south, following Farlon's lead. And Farlon was
pleased, for not only was he reunited with his fellow Vanadurin, he also was
fulfilling the pledge he had made to Prince Rand and to that fiery little
Waldan, Cotton: a pledge to guide the wounded Dwarves to safe haven.
But neither Perry nor Cotton knew of those events then occurring in the Ragad
Valley, and so they fretted over the unknown fate of the Harlingar; yet in
spite of this uncertainty, Perry had nearly regained his former pluck. Even
so, when they came to the Bottom Chamber, where last he had seen the missing
trio of companions, Perry's high spirits crashed.
The Chamber was empty of Spawn; the word of a Dwarf army had passed ahead of
the Host, and the Rucks and Hloks had fled before them. As the Legion marched
across the arch over the stream and into the huge round room, Perry looked
toward the notch in the north wall; no light came through it from the cavern
beyond. "There, Prince Rand," said the Warrow, pointing, "mere's where Lord
Kian, Shannon Silverleaf, and Ursor the Baeran misled the Rucks."
Rand looked on bleakly as they tramped by. Suddenly the Prince ran to the
cleft and down its length, and peered into the black cave beyond, and whistled
a shrill call that echoed and shocked along the cavern to be lost in its dark
distance. Twice more he whistled, and each time at echo's death he was
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