They are of no concern.

"Our welcome here… was worse than I anticipated. The presence of the humans… or even human blood did not sit well. And another matter that worsened the-"

That is of no consequence. Bring Leshil to me. But perhaps keep clear of our people when possible. Yes?

"Yes, Father."

Sgaile hesitated, wondering if he should say more…

The short human female understood all their words. The white-skinned one had strange black hair that simmered like fire-coals in the sun. Leshil carried the remains of the great Eillean. And they all traveled with a majay-hi like no other-except in the oldest of tales, remembered only in fables for children.

"Soon, Father," he said.

He hesitated once more. He would not call it doubt, as there was no place for such in anything that he did.

"In silence and in shadows," he added respectfully, and lifted the word-wood from the pine, stood up, and turned back toward the village.

Chap's restlessness grew with the dusk. Time spent with Gleann and Leanal-ham over dinner had gone quickly, and he found them pleasant.Perhaps trustworthy enough that his charges might sleep safely for the night. Leanal-ham brought him a rich broth with portioned chunks of roasted rabbit, and he licked the bowl clean.

Gleann's voice carried from beyond a curtained doorway at the rear of the main room.

"No, it is a natural hot spring guided through earth channels by our

Makers.It can be closed off, like this. When finished, lift the center stone in the bottom. The water will drain slowly away and nourish our oak."

"Makers?" Magiere asked, with her usual bite of suspicion.

A moment followed before Gleann answered. "Let us leave that until you are clean and comfortable."

Chap worried Magiere might aggravate their unusually friendly host. He trotted over and poked his head through the shimmering wool curtain.

He had seen bathing rooms before. Not all domicile trees had such. The enclave where he was born had warm springs nearby in the forest. Raspberry and ivy vines were nurtured into dividers, providinga half dozen private spaces there.

In this small room was something akin to a tub hollowed out of the moss and earth floor. It was lined in polished black stones tightly fitted together. Sunk into the mossy floor next to the tub was a helmet-sized metal basin. Its lip met with the tub's edge via a shallow trough the width of a paw.

Wynn took hold of a wide metal peg standing upright in the basin's center. When she pulled it, steaming water welled in the basin. As it reached the lip, it spilled through the trough into the tub.

"A miracle," she said smiling.

"It may be too hot," Gleann warned. "Mix in the cooler rainwater we keep in those vessels."

At the far wall sat several cask-sized containers. But these were solid wood, with smooth grain and round edges, not slats held together with iron bands. Each appeared molded from one piece of wood.

Gleann gestured to a pile of russet and yellow clothing on a ledge. "Dress when you arefinished, and I will show you where to rest for the night."

He headed for the doorway, glancing at Chap as he passed through the curtain.

Magiere inspected the clothing with uncertainty, but Wynn pulled off her cloak.

"Magiere… what did Urhkar say before he released you?"

"It was in Droevinkan," she answered. "He said stop resisting… that I had to help Sgaile with Leesil."

"Urhkar speaks Droevinkan?"

"Too well," Magiere added, "for what's happening in my homeland."

Wynn didn't reply, but Chap understood where her thoughts wandered.

In the Warlands, two Anmaglahk-Brot'an'duive and the deceased Groyt'ashia-had come to assassinate Darmouth in a time of unrest.Before this, in Soladran, he and Wynn had heard word that civil war erupted in Droevinka. In turn, Magiere feared for the life of her aunt Bieja, who still lived there. And so Magiere and Wynn wondered about an elf who spoke Droevinkan fluently-as didChap.

But it was impossible that Urhkar had gone there and returned before Chap and his charges found their way here. Still, there were other Anmaglahk to consider.

Wynn stopped short of popping the first button of her old short-robe and frowned at Chap.

"Get out," she said.

Chap backed out with a snort. She had little left to hide after this long journey together.

In the outer room, Gleann collected polished wood bowls and platters from the felt mat where they had all gathered to eat. Leesil sat against the wall next to the chest. The bundled skulls were gone, so he had likely returned them to the vessel. He had remained silent during supper, shifting uncomfortably under Leanalham's furtive glances. The girl was nowhere about, though Chap wondered at the existence of another mixed-blood besides Leesil.

The outer door's curtain lifted, and Sgaile entered. He paused, looking at Chap.

Chap twitched his jowl, though he tried to remain the courteous guest in this home. Sgaile dropped to one knee, giving Chap a start.

The man's eyes held quiet sadness.

Chap had tried in the passing days to catch any memory surfacing within Sgaile, but he had gleaned little. This one did not dwell often on even the very recent past, but an image flashed briefly before Chap's awareness. As if Chap himself reached out with a "hand" to the trunk of a young pine tree. He heard the word "Father."

Chap tried to grasp Sgaile's passing memory for more of the conversation, but it faded.

"Your companions should stay inside," Sgaile said to him, and it was easier to understand than the dialect that Wynn spoke. "You are free to go where you wish, as all majay-hi do."

Sgaile stood up and pulled back the doorway's wool curtain. Chap looked uncertainly to Leesil.

"They will be safe here," Sgaile said.

A part of Chap wanted to go, to lope through the forest of his youth and all it offered to soothe his senses.

"Don't be long," Leesil said.

Chap trusted Sgaile's word, but not his purpose. He crept past the an-maglahk with a low rumble, and loped outside among the elven dwellings.

Most of the people had retired and only a thin line of smoke drifted up from the communal oven. A howl drifted in from a distance. Chap gazed out into the forest beyond the domicile trees.

He hungered for soft earth beneath his paws and wild grass whipping his legs as he ran.

All of Leesil's grief, Magiere's anger and doubt, and even little Wynn's fears were too much at times. Uncertainty wore upon him, for he no longer saw what the future might bring for any of them. If only he could put down his burdens and forget for a little while, but he could not afford one instant of thoughtlessness. He was alone.

Where were his kin? Why so silent? Why not chide him again, if he acted now in spite of their disapproval?

Memory of existence among the Fay had faded over the years. Perhaps it had never been complete at all. The flesh he wore could not house the wide awareness he had shared with them. But flesh had its advantages, or so he believed.

Chap's instinct cried out that Most Aged Father was poisonous, and Leesil should not be allowed anywhere near him. And yet… how else could they find and free Nein'a?

Leesil would not turn from this purpose. And if truth be told, neither could Chap.

He stepped between the house trees, hearing voices within, and cleared the last one to stand upon the fringe of the wild. The eerie cry came again, closer this time. A shimmer darted through the trees. And then another.

Two majay-hi burst from the brush and stopped at the sight of him. Both were dark steel gray with crystalline eyes, so alike in look they were nearly twins. One whined and then both darted back into the underbrush.

Chap took a few steps.

They spoke in memories. He had caught such the first day the pack circled in at the silver deer's call.