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ed up； and to the south。 A dozen times they reached the hiding place of a grove or the scant shelter of a slope only moments before ravens swept into the sky。 Once； with the sun beginning to slide from its midday height； they stood in the open； frozen as still as statues； half a mile from the nearest cover； while a hundred of the Dark One's feathered spies flashed by a bare mile to the east。 Sweat rolled down Perrin's face despite the wind； until the last black shape dwindled to a dot and vanished。 He lost count of the stragglers they brought down with their slings。
He saw more than enough evidence lying in the path the ravens had covered to justify his fear。 He had stared with a queasy fascination at a rabbit that had been torn to pieces。 The eyeless head stood upright； with the other bits … legs； entrails … scattered in a rough circle around it。 Birds； too； stabbed to shapeless masses of feathers。 And two more foxes。
He remembered something Lan had said。 All the Dark One's creatures delight in killing。 The Dark One's power is death。 And if the ravens found them？ Pitiless eyes shining like black beads。 Stabbing beaks swirling around them。 Needle…sharp beaks drawing blood。 A hundred of them。 Or can they call more of their kind？ Maybe all of them in the hunt？ A sickening image built up in his mind。 A pile of ravens as big as a hill； seething like maggots； fighting over a few bloody shreds。
Suddenly the image was swept away by others； each one clear for an instant； then spinning and fading into another。 The wolves had found ravens to the north。 Screaming birds dove and whirled and dove again； beaks drawing blood with every swoop。 Snarling wolves dodged and leaped； twisting in the air； jaws snapping。 Again and again Perrin tasted feathers and the foul taste of fluttering ravens crushed alive； felt the pain of oozing gashes all over his body； knew with a despair that never touched on giving up that all his effort was not enough。 Suddenly the ravens broke away； wheeling overhead for one last shriek of rage at the wolves。 Wolves did not die as easily as foxes； and they had a mission。 A flap of black wings； and they were gone； a few black feathers drifting down on their dead。 Wind licked at a puncture on his left foreleg。 There was something wrong with one of Hopper's eyes。 Ignoring her own hurts； Dapple gathered them and they settled into a painful lope in the direction the ravens had gone。 Blood matted their fur。 We e。 Danger es before us。
Moving in a stumbling trot； Perrin exchanged a glance with Elyas。 The man's yellow eyes were expressionless； but he knew。 He said nothing； just watched Perrin and waited； all the while maintaining that effortless lope。
Waiting for me。 Waiting for me to admit I feel the wolves。
〃Ravens；〃 Perrin panted reluctantly。 〃Behind us。〃
〃He was right；〃 Egwene breathed。 〃You can talk to them。〃
Perrin's feet felt like lumps of iron on the ends of wooden posts； but he tried to make them move faster。 If he could outrun their eyes； outrun the ravens； outrun the wolves； but above all Egwene's eyes； that knew him now for what he was。 What are you？ Tainted； the Light blind me！ Cursed！
His throat burned as it never had from breathing the smoke and heat of Master Luhhan's forge。 He staggered and hung on to Egwene's stirrup until she climbed down and all but pushed him into the saddle despite his protests that he could keep going。 It was not long； though； before she was clutching the stirrup as she ran； holding up her skirts with her other hand； and only a little while after that until he dismounted； his knees still wobbling。 He had to pick her up to make her take his place； but she was too tired to fight him。
Elyas would not slow down。 He urged them； and taunted them； and kept them so close behind the searching ravens to the south that Perrin thought all it would take would be for one bird to look back。 〃Keep moving； burn you！ Think you'll do any better than that fox did； if they catch us？ The one with its insides piled on its head？〃 Egwene swayed out of the saddle and vomited noisily。 〃I knew you'd remember。 Just keep going a little more。 That's all。 Just a little more。 Burn you； I thought farm youngsters had endurance。 Work all day and dance all night。 Sleep all day and sleep all night； looks like to me。 Move your bloody feet！〃
They began ing down off the hills as soon as the last raven vanished over the next one； then while the last trailers still flapped above the hilltop。 One bird looking back。 To east and west the ravens searched while they hurried across the open spaces between。 One bird is all it will take。
The ravens behind were ing fast。 Dapple and the other wolves worked their way around them and were ing on without stopping to lick their wounds； but they had learned all the lessons they needed about watching the sky。 How close？ How long？ The wolves had no notions of time the way men did； no reasons to divide a day into hours。 The seasons were time enough for them； and the light and the dark。 No need for more。 Finally Perrin worked out an image of where the sun would stand in the sky when the ravens overran them from behind。 He glanced over his shoulder at the setting sun； and licked his lips with a dry tongue。 In an hour the ravens would be on them； maybe less。 An hour； and it was a good two hours to sunset； at least two to full dark。
We'll die with the setting sun； he thought； staggering as he ran。 Slaughtered like the fox。 He fingered his axe； then moved to his sling。 That would be more use。 Not enough； though。 Not against a hundred ravens； a hundred darting targets； a hundred stabbing beaks。
〃It's your turn to ride； Perrin；〃 Egwene said tiredly。
〃In a bit；〃 he panted。 〃I'm good for miles； yet。〃 She nodded； and stayed in the saddle。 She is tired。 Tell her？ Or let her think we still have a chance to escape？ An hour of hope； even if it is desperate； or an hour of despair？
Elyas was watching him again； saying nothing。 He must know； but he did not speak。 Perrin looked at Egwene again and blinked away hot tears。 He touched his axe and wondered if he had the courage。 In the last minutes； when the ravens descended on them； when all hope was gone； would he have the courage to spare her the death the fox had died？ Light make me strong！
The ravens ahead of them suddenly seemed to vanish。 Perrin could still make out dark； misty clouds； far to the east and west； but ahead 。。。 nothing。 Where did they go？ Light； if we've overrun them 。。。
Abruptly a chill ran through him； one cold； clean tingle as if he had jumped into the Winespring Water in midwinter。 It rippled through him and seemed to carry away some of his fatigue； a little of the ache in his legs and the burning of his lungs。 It left behind 。。。 something。 He could not say what； only he felt different。 He stumbled to a halt and looked around； afraid。
Elyas watched him； watched them all； with a gleam behind his eyes。 He knew what it was； Perrin was sure of it； but he only watched them。
Egwene reined in Bela and looked around uncertainly； half wondering and half fearful。 〃It's 。。。 strange；〃 she whispered。 〃I feel as if I lost something。〃 Even the mare had her head up expectantly； nostrils flaring as if they detected a faint odor of new…mown hay。
〃What 。。。 what was that？〃 Perrin asked。
Elyas cackled suddenly。 He bent over； shoulders shaking； to rest his hands on his knees。 〃Safety； that's what。 We made it； you bloody fools。 No raven will cross that line 。。。 not one that carries the Dark One's eyes； anyways。 A Trolloc would have to be driven across； and there'd need to be something fierce pushing the Myrddraal to make him do the driving。 No Aes Sedai； either。 The One Power won't work here； they can't touch the True Source。 Can't even feel the Source； like it vanished。 Makes them itch inside； that does。 Gives them the shakes like a seven…day drunk。 It's safety。〃
At first； to Perrin's eyes； the land was unchanged from the rolling hills and ridges they had crossed the whole day。 Then he noticed green shoots among the grass； not many； and they were struggling； but more than he had seen anywhere el