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Shaking； he lowered himself to the ground slowly。 He tried to speak； but his mouth was too dry。 After a minute he managed to work up some spit。 〃Was that what you were afraid of？ Why didn't you say something？ Why didn't the wolves see them？〃
〃Wolves don't look up in trees much；〃 Elyas growled。 〃And no； I wasn't looking for this。 I told you； I didn't know what 。。。〃 Far to the west a black cloud rose over yet another grove and winged southward。 They were too far off to make out individual birds。 〃It isn't a big hunt； thank the Light。 They don't know。 Even after。。。〃 He turned to stare back the way they had e。
Perrin swallowed。 Even after the dream； Elyas had meant。 〃Not big？〃 he said。 〃Back home you won't see that many ravens in a whole year。〃
Elyas shook his head。 〃In the Borderlands I've seen sweeps with a thousand ravens to the flock。 Not too often … there's a bounty on ravens there … but it has happened。〃 He was still looking north。 〃Hush； now。〃
Perrin felt it； then； the effort of reaching out to the distant wolves。 Elyas wanted Dapple and her panions to quit scouting ahead； to hurry back and check their backtrail。 His already gaunt face tightened and thinned under the strain。 The wolves were so far away Perrin could not even feel them。 Hurry。 Watch the sky。 Hurry。
Faintly Perrin caught the reply from far to the south。 We e。 An image flashed in his mind … wolves running； muzzles pointing into the wind of their haste； running as if wildfire raced behind； running…flashed and was gone in an instant。
Elyas slumped and drew a deep breath。 Frowning； he peered over the ridge； then back to the north； and muttered under his breath。
〃You think there are more ravens behind us？〃 Perrin asked。
〃Could be；〃 Elyas said vaguely。 〃They do it that way； sometimes。 I know a place； if we can reach it by dark。 We have to keep moving until full dark anyway； even if we don't get there； but we can't go as fast as I would like。 Can't afford to get too close to the ravens ahead of us。 But if they're behind us； too 。。。〃
〃Why dark？〃 Perrin said。 〃What place？ Somewhere safe from the ravens？〃
〃Safe from ravens；〃 Elyas said； 〃but too many people know 。。。 Ravens roost for the night。 We don't have to worry about them finding us in the dark。 The Light send ravens are all we have to worry about then。〃 With one more look over the crest； he rose and waved to Egwene to bring Bela up。 〃But dark is a long way off。 We have to get moving。〃 He started down the far slope in a shambling run； each stride barely catching him on the edge of falling。 〃Move； burn you！〃
Perrin moved； half running； half sliding； after him。
Egwene topped the rise behind them； kicking Bela to a trot。 A grin of relief bloomed on her face when she saw them。 〃What's going on？〃 she called； urging the shaggy mare to catch up。 〃When you disappeared like that； I thought 。。。 What happened？〃
Perrin saved his breath for running until she reached them。 He explained about the ravens and Elyas's safe place； but it was a disjointed story。 After a strangled； 〃Ravens！〃 she kept interrupting with questions for which； as often as not； he had no answers。 Between them； he did not finish until they reached the next ridge。
Ordinarily … if anything about the journey could be called ordinary … they would have gone around this one rather than over； but Elyas insisted on scouting anyway。
〃You want to just saunter right into the middle of them； boy？〃 was his sour ment。
Egwene stared at the crest of the ridge； licking her lips； as if she wanted to go with Elyas this time and wanted to stay where she was； too。 Elyas was the only one who showed no hesitation。
Perrin wondered if the ravens ever doubled back。 It would be a fine thing to reach the crest at the same time as a flock of ravens。
At the top he inched his head up until he could just see； and heaved a sigh of relief when all he saw was a copse of trees a little to the west。 There were no ravens to be seen。 Abruptly a fox burst out of the trees； running hard。 Ravens poured from the branches after it。 The beat of their wings almost drowned out a desperate whining from the fox。 A black whirlwind dove and swirled around it。 The fox's jaws snapped at them； but they darted in； and darted away untouched； black beaks glistening wetly。 The fox turned back toward the trees； seeking the safety of its den。 It ran awkwardly now； head low； fur dark and bloody； and the ravens flapped around it； mote and more of them at once； the fluttering mass thickening until it hid the fox pletely。 As suddenly as they had descended the ravens rose； wheeled； and vanished over the next rise to the south。 A misshapen lump of torn fur marked what had been the fox。
Perrin swallowed hard。 Light！ They could do that to us。 A hundred ravens。 They could …
〃Move；〃 Elyas growled； jumping up。 He waved to Egwene to e on； and without waiting set off at a trot toward the trees。 〃Move； burn you！〃 he called over his shoulder。 〃Move！〃
Egwene galloped Bela over the rise and caught them before they reached the bottom of the slope。 There was no time for explanations； but her eyes picked out the fox right away。 Her face went as white as snow。
Elyas reached the trees and turned there； at the edge of the copse； waving vigorously for them to hurry。 Perrin tried to run faster and stumbled。 Arms wind…milling； he barely caught himself short of going flat on his face。 Blood and ashes！ I'm running as fast as I can！
A lone raven winged out of the copse。 It tilted toward them； screamed； and spun toward the south。 Knowing he was already too late； Perrin fumbled his sling from around his waist。 He was still trying to get a stone from his pocket to the sling when the raven abruptly folded up in mid…air and plummeted to the ground。 His mouth dropped open； and then he saw the sling hanging from Egwene's hand。 She grinned at him unsteadily。
〃Don't stand there counting your toes！〃 Elyas called。
With a start Perrin hurried into the trees； then jumped out of the way to avoid being trampled by Egwene and Bela。
Far to the west； almost out of sight； what seemed like a dark mist rose into the air。 Perrin felt the wolves passing in that direction； heading north。 He felt them notice ravens； to the left and right of them； without slowing。 The dark mist swirled northward as if pursuing the wolves； then abruptly broke off and flashed to the south。
〃Do you think they saw us？〃 Egwene asked。 〃We were already in the trees； weren't we？ They couldn't see us at that distance。 Could they？ Not that far off。〃
〃We saw them at that distance；〃 Elyas said dryly。 Perrin shifted uneasily； and Egwene drew a frightened breath。 〃If they had seen us；〃 Elyas growled； 〃they'd have been down on us like they were on that fox。 Think； if you want to stay alive。 Fear will kill you if you don't control it。〃 His penetrating stare held on each of them for a moment。 Finally he nodded。 〃They're gone； now； and we should be； too。 Keep those slings handy。 Might be useful again。〃
As they moved out of the copse； Elyas angled them westward from the line of march they had been following。 Perrin's breath snagged in his throat； it was as if they were chasing after the last ravens they had seen。 Elyas kept on tirelessly； and there was nothing for them to do but follow。 After all； Elyas knew a safe place。 Somewhere。 So he said。
They ran to the next hill； waited till the ravens moved on； then ran again； waited； ran。 The steady progress they had been keeping had been tiring enough； but all except Elyas quickly began to flag under this jerky pace。 Perrin's chest heaved； and he gulped air when he had a few minutes to lie on a hilltop； leaving the search to Elyas。 Bela stood head down； nostrils flaring； at every stop。 Fear lashed them on； and Perrin did not know if it was controlled or not。 He only wished the wolves would tell them what was behind them； if anything was； whatever it was。
Ahead were more ravens than Perrin ever hoped to see again。 To the left and right the black birds billowed up； and to the south。 A dozen times they reached the hiding pl