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f a lone hemlock towered in the middle of it all。
Still grinning； he pushed his way through the interwoven branches； not caring how much noise he made。 Abruptly he stepped into a little clearing under the hemlock … and stopped。 Behind a small fire； Egwene crouched； her face grim； with a thick branch held like a club and her back against Bela's flank。
〃I guess I should have called out；〃 he said with an abashed shrug。
Tossing her club down； she ran to throw her arms around him。 〃I thought you had drowned。 You're still wet。 Here； sit by the fire and warm yourself。 You lost your horse； didn't you？〃
He let her push him to a place by the fire and rubbed his hands over the flames； grateful for the warmth。 She produced an oiled paper packet from her saddlebags and gave him some bread and cheese。 The package had been so tightly wrapped that even after its dunking the food was dry。 Here you were worrying about her； and she's done better than you did。
〃Bela got me across；〃 Egwene said； patting the shaggy mare。 〃She headed away from the Trollocs and just towed me along。〃 She paused。 〃I haven't seen anybody else； Perrin。〃
He heard the unspoken question。 Regretfully eyeing the packet that she was rewrapping； he licked the last crumbs from his fingers before speaking。 〃I've seen no one but you since last night。 No Fades or Trollocs； either； there's that。〃
〃Rand has to be all right；〃 Egwene said； quickly adding； 〃they all do。 They have to。 They're probably looking for us right now。 They might find us anytime now。 Moiraine is an Aes Sedai； after all。〃
〃I keep being reminded of that；〃 he said。 〃Burn me； I wish I could forget。〃
〃I did not hear you plaining when she stopped the Trollocs from catching us；〃 Egwene said tartly。
〃I just wish we could do without her。〃 He shrugged unfortably under her steady gaze。 〃I suppose we can't； though。 I've been thinking。〃 Her eyebrows rose； but he was used to surprise whenever he claimed an idea。 Even when his ideas were as good as theirs； they always remembered how deliberate he was in thinking of them。 〃We can wait for Lan and Moiraine to find us。〃
〃Of course；〃 she cut in。 〃Moiraine Sedai said she would find us if we were separated。〃
He let her finish； then went on。 〃Or the Trollocs could find us； first。 Moiraine could be dead； too。 All of them could be。 No； Egwene。 I'm sorry； but they could be。 I hope they are all safe。 I hope they'll walk up to this fire any minute。 But hope is like a piece of string when you're drowning； it just isn't enough to get you out by itself。〃
Egwene closed her mouth and stared at him with her jaw set。 Finally； she said； 〃You want to go downriver to Whitebridge？ If Moiraine Sedai doesn't find us here； that's where she will look next。 〃
〃I suppose；〃 he said slowly； 〃that Whitebridge is where we should go。 But the Fades probably know that； too。 That's where they'll be looking； and this time we don't have an Aes Sedai or a Warder to protect us。〃
〃I suppose you're going to suggest running off somewhere； the way Mat wanted to？ Hiding somewhere the Fades and Trollocs won't find us？ Or Moiraine Sedai； either？〃
〃Don't think I haven't considered it；〃 he said quietly。 〃But every time we think we are free； Fades and Trollocs find us again。 I don't know if there is anyplace we could hide from them。 I don't like it much； but we need Moiraine。〃
〃I don't understand then； Perrin。 Where do we go？〃
He blinked in surprise。 She was waiting for his answer。 Waiting for him to tell her what to do。 It had never occurred to him that she would look to him to take the lead。 Egwene never liked doing what someone else had planned out； and she never let anybody tell her what to do。 Except maybe the Wisdom； and he thought sometimes she balked at that。 He smoothed the dirt in front of him with his hand and cleared his throat roughly。
〃If this is where we are now； and that is Whitebridge；〃 he stabbed the ground twice with his finger； 〃then Caemlyn should be somewhere around here。〃 He made a third mark； off to the side。
He paused； looking at the three dots in the dirt。 His entire plan was based on what he remembered of her father's old map。 Master al'Vere said it was not too accurate； and； anyway； he had never mooned over it as much as Rand and Mat。 But Egwene said nothing。 When he looked up； she was still watching him with her hands in her lap。
〃Caemlyn？〃 She sounded stunned。
〃Caemlyn。〃 He drew a line in the dirt between two of the dots。 〃Away from the river； and straight across。 Nobody would expect that。 We'll wait for them in Caemlyn。〃 He dusted his hands and waited。 He thought it was a good plan； but surely she would have objections now。 He expected she would take charge … she was always bullying him into something … and that was all right with him。
To his surprise； she nodded。 〃There must be villages。 We can ask directions。〃
〃What worries me；〃 Perrin said； 〃is what we do if the Aes Sedai doesn't find us there。 Light； who'd ever have thought I'd worry about something like that？ What if she doesn't e to Caemlyn？ Maybe she thinks we're dead。 Maybe she'll take Rand and Mat straight to Tar Valon。〃
〃Moiraine Sedai said she could find us；〃 Egwene said firmly。 〃If she can find us here； she can find us in Caemlyn； and she will。〃
Perrin nodded slowly。 〃If you say so； but if she doesn't appear in Caemlyn in a few days； we go on to Tar Valon and put our case before the Amyrlin Seat。〃 He took a deep breath。 Two weeks ago you'd never even seen an Aes Sedai； and now you're talking about the Amyrlin Seat。 Light！ 〃According to Lan； there's a good road from Caemlyn。〃 He looked at the oiled paper packet beside Egwene and cleared his throat。 〃What chance of a little more bread and cheese？〃
〃This might have to last a long time；〃 she said； 〃unless you have better luck with snares than I did last night。 At least the fire was easy。〃 She laughed softly as if she had made a joke； tucking the packet back into her saddlebags。
Apparently there were limits to how much leadership she was willing to accept。 His stomach rumbled。 〃In that case；〃 he said； standing； 〃we might as well start now。〃
〃But you're still wet；〃 she protested。
〃I'll walk myself dry；〃 he said firmly； and began kicking dirt over the fire。 If he was the leader； it was time to start leading。 The wind from the river was picking up。
Chapter 23
Wolfbrother
From the start Perrin knew the journey to Caemlyn was going to be far from fortable； beginning with Egwene's insistence that they take turns riding Bela。 They did not know how far it was； she said； but it was too far for her to be the only one who rode。 Her jaw firmed； and her eyes stared at him unblinking。
〃I'm too big to ride Bela；〃 he said。 〃I'm used to walking； and I'd rather。〃
〃And I am not used to walking？〃 Egwene said sharply。
〃That isn't what I …〃
〃I'm the only one who's supposed to get saddlesore； is that it？ And when you walk till your feet are ready to fall off； you'll expect me to look after you。〃
〃Let it be；〃 he breathed when she looked like going on。 〃Anyway； you'll take the first turn。〃 Her face turned even more stubborn； but he refused to let her get a word in edgewise。 〃If you won't get in the saddle by yourself； I'll put you there。〃
She gave him a startled look； and a small smile curved her lips。 〃In that case。。。〃 She sounded as if she were about to laugh； but she climbed up。
He grumbled to himself as he turned away from the river。 Leaders in stories never had to put up with this sort of thing。
Egwene did insist on him taking his turns； and whenever he tried to avoid it； she bullied him into the saddle。 Blacksmithing did not lend itself to a slender build； and Bela was not very large as horses went。 Every time he put his foot in the stirrup the shaggy mare looked at him with what he was sure was reproach。 Small things； perhaps； but they irritated。 Soon he flinched whenever Egwene announced； 〃It's your turn； Perrin。〃
In stories leaders seldom flinched； and they were never bullied。 But； he reflecte