"Selyn-field potential. A raider team has a distinctive pattern. Who other than Runzi would be beating across the fields in a frigid, prestorm dawn, blocking our way to Zeor?"

"Good question," said Valleroy. "But they were miles away I How come you... ?'

"J would have noticed them sooner, but I've gotten into a bad habit of sleeping too soundly. My sensitivity is high, even for a channel. They'll be surprised we're not in the trap." He paused, thoughtful.

"Klyd, isn't it illegal to attack a couple of peaceful citizens about their lawful business?"

"Who would file charges against Runzi if no Householder were around to witness? And if a Householder did file against Runzi, whose word would be relied upon?'

"That's the way it is?"

"That's the way it is." Klyd made no effort to mask his sullen bitterness. "If charges were brought, Runzi might lose their license. But we'd still be dead."

"And Andle would simply put together another band to work for him?"

"Using mostly the same bunch, too. Licenses aren't cheap, but Andle isn't poor."

Valleroy rose onto his aching legs before stiffness could set in. "I can see Simes aren't so different from Gens after all."

Klyd held his hand out to catch a snowflake. "Simes don't particularly like being buried alive in snowdrifts. Do you?"

"Not at all."

"Then let's find a nice warm cave to sit this one out in."

"I'D go for that There must be plenty around here."

"Also plenty of grizzly and wildcat too."

"I know. They raid the ranchers in Gen Territory, and then they come up here where we can't get at them."

With a grunt, Klyd led the way across the face of the slope they'd been climbing, but heading east into the mountains, away from Zeor. Twice, Valleroy's fatigue caused him to misjudge a step, but each time Klyd's strong hand was there to steady him. The first flurries had abated by the time they found their shelter, high up the side of a jagged cliff that had been partially crumbled by some long-gone glacier.

It wasn't much of a cave, only about twenty feet deep and barely high enough to stand. But with a fire going and a stock of wood laid in along with some edible roots and berries, it seemed like home.

Outside, the wind began to howl in earnest by the time they'd dragged in some pine boughs to serve as bedding. Shortly after that, a pelting hailstorm broke across the mouth of the cave forming a dark curtain.

"Nobody could be following us now," said Valleroy.

"No, but they'll be waiting. It's not really winter yet The storm won't last long."

"The melting snow will erase our trail."

"They'll find us if we don't keep moving."

"Where can we go?"

"Back to Zeor, of course. We'll circle east, cross this ridge at Treadlow Pass, and then move southwest across the next valley, over the next ridge, and from there... straight home."

Picturing the countryside in his mind, Valleroy said, "You make it sound so easy..."

"We can make it. Because we have to."

"Aren't there any alternatives?"

"Surrender to the Runzi. Or head in-Territory... back toward Imil. We could make that in a few weeks of hard traveling. We'd have to circle high into -the mountains, though. I wouldn't care to try it with winter closing down so soon."

"How long to Zeor?"

"By myself, I could probably do it in less than two weeks... if nothing went wrong."

Absorbing this, Valleroy sat down near the fire. He wasn't accustomed to being the weaker and slower traveler in any group. It rankled.

Outside, the wind whistled over the roar of driving hail. It was black as midnight though it was scarcely sunset. The smoke stung his eyes as be fed another small stick into the fire.

Snapping one of the longer branches, Valleroy scratched a crude map in the dust. We're here." He bored a hole on the spot. "Hanrahan Pass is over here. You say there's a passage through here?"

"Treadlow. About here." Klyd took the stick and marked a point farther east than Valleroy had indicated.

"And," said Valleroy, "from there you want to cross the next valley and this ridge of hills?'

"Right. That will put us in the river valley not far from the Gen Territory border. Then we'll circle west around the end of the Runzi cordon."

"Suppose they block us all the way to the river?"

"We'll slip through somehow. They won't expect us (here."

"I could find Hanrahan by myself," Valleroy speculated. "With luck, I'd be on the Gen side before they realized we'd parted company... and you could be home-free."

That earned Valleroy the strangest look he'd ever gotten from the channel. "Klyd, they'd never guess you'd be traveling at your own speed, not mine. I'll report to Stacy and meet you at the rendezvous again..." He trailed off uncertainly. "What's wrong?"

Wordlessly, Klyd stood up and went to the night-veiled cave entrance, leaning one hand against the stone wall. He seemed to be searching the roaring storm for something unguessable.

Valleroy followed to stand beside him and peer into the storm. "Klyd, don't you see? They'll never suspect because it would be so far outside the Householding pattern of..."

"They might suspect, if they've found out who you are."

"But they haven't... there's no way."

"They've suspected me of conspiracy to commit treason so many times, they're convinced it must be true."

"But they don't have a shred of proof."

"You are living, breathing proof. We don't know what Hrel reported, but you can be sure that if Andle actually has Aisha, and if he knows who she is... he knows who and what you are."

"But Enam failed to kill me, so there is no proof."

"If Andle gets you, Aisha, and one of those sketches you made of her plus a sample of your work from Imil... a Sime court can add just as expertly as a Gen court"