The man stepped back again and found the shrub channel. His dark expression found hers with grim promise. He threw himself into the dark.

"Dik spit." Payne scrambled to his feet. "Is every raider in the county coming down on the cozar? What the h.e.l.l is wrong with everyone? Nori-girl, are you alright?"

His words were loud-too loud. Her ears were filled with her pulse, her breathing, their breathing, their sounds. She stared after the attacker.

Human-thing, running. Feet hard on the ground. Blood, hot. Close, still close.

She wanted to chase, to taste skin and blood.

"Nori?" Payne said sharply. "Are you okay?"

She didn't turn, but her lips moved. She caught the snarl before it got out and formed the human words, "Aye. Just bruised." Her jaw ached and her ribs were burning. "You?"

"Scratched, and I'll have a sore knee tomorrow." He helped the elder to the man's feet while she stared down the barrier bushes. It was Rishte's ears, not hers, that heard the soft, quick steps. The attacker wasn't some b.u.mbling idiot green from first rank. He'd been trained enough to be able to dodge both Nori and Payne without blinking, to let go rather than risk getting caught, and to run quietly on dark, uneven trails. She didn't even suggest that they chase him out onto the bridle path that ringed the cozar circle.

Rishte eased closer in the forest, so that Nori could almost feel his fur on the ferns.Challenged, triumph. Pack safe, safe. His satisfaction with her was clear.

She snarled her agreement mentally. She started to turn, but realized her teeth were still bared. She took a breath, cleared her expression, then stalked back to the elder.

Payne had brushed Connaught off, but the older man's eyes were still wide. The elder jerked his head toward the shrub line and mmphed at them both. Nori shook her head. "It's too late to raise the alarm.

It's full dark. He's already got his dnu, and it would take time for us to saddle up and follow-if we could."

Payne scanned the bushes. "I agree." He looked back at the elder. "Also, we've three wagon trains here, dozens of individual families, and the town crowd in and out of the circle like juice through a sieve.

There'd be a full panic at the fireside with all the parents screaming for their children. He'd get away in the confusion alone, or be able to try again. And the cozar won't go out in this darkness. Not with children in the train. That's just asking for hostages. Considering-" He glanced at Nori, and said instead, "-other things, it might be just what they want."

The elder mmphed at him as Nori tried to loosen his gag. The knot was tight enough that it had cut the old man's mouth. His lips had already swollen around it, and his breathing was restricted and labored.

The wolfwalker's eyes narrowed at the knot. The attacker had had no intention of ever removing the gag.

Connaught had been destined for death, not ransom. "Stay calm, breathe slowly," she told the older man.

"This will take a minute." She could almost see the thin pulse in his neck.

Payne snagged a lantern from one of the darkened wagons. He lit it, then squatted to study the tracks.

Connaught's bony fingers trembled as they jerked futilely at his bonds. "Wait," she told him. "Be still.

This may cut a bit." She drew her blade and worked it sideways under the leather. A moment later, the gag was free, and she started in on his wrists.

"d.a.m.n raider sp.a.w.n." The older man choked out the curse around b.l.o.o.d.y lips. "Black Wolf," he managed belatedly. "NeBentar. Moonsblessing on you both."

"You're alright, then?" she asked.

"Yes, although a few more minutes, and it would have been a different story. If I were ten years younger-"

"You did alright," Payne cast back. "If you hadn't slowed him down enough to make some noise, you'd have been outside the barrier bushes and dead before anyone knew it."

Nori nodded. The elder's wrists were puffy around the thongs. "Payne, give me a hand here."

His eyes were still on the shrubs. "Can you hear anything?"

She knew what he meant. "He went west along the bridle path, then up into the woods. That's all I can tell. He wasn't one of the arch-"

"Aye," Payne cut in quickly. "I didn't recognize him, either. Take this back." He handed her the lantern.

"I'll get the thongs off."

"I was in the stables," Connaught explained. "Sharkun-Sharkun Backhills-had just left for the fireside, and I was going to follow as soon as I checked the tack." Payne nodded as he worked at the leather.

Elder Connaught had traveled long enough over the years that he double-checked his gear every night.

"That man came out of nowhere. One minute, I was alone, the next, I was down in the straw with that rag in my mouth and my hands behind my back."

Nori thought back to her night run, the bodies, and the ring-runner who'd been set upon. "Did he say anything?"

"Yes." The elder's voice was dry. "Not to struggle if I wanted to live. By the way he tied the gag, I thought that was a bit moot." He added unsteadily, "He couldn't have picked a better time to take me.

Everyone is at fireside or in town at festival. With three caravans here and all the Test traffic, there's good trade going on in both places. Lots of riders in from the roads, songsters in from the other trains.

There might be ten people still trying to sleep, but the rest are staying out." He shivered. "Makes me wonder if Th.e.l.la really did ride away at all."

Payne frowned down at the bonds as he worked the blade under gently. "You mean the elder who left back at the Chain River?"

"The one from Bitston, yes." His voice grew sharp. "You know that no one actually saw her go. Her gear and dnu were simply gone when the morning count was taken. If she didn't leave on her own, if this happened to her, too . . ." His voice trailed off ominously.

"d.a.m.n lucky we were near," Payne muttered.

The old man nodded tersely. "I'd have thought, with the Tamrani among us, you two would be at fireside."

"Nori didn't wake up till a bit ago," Payne explained. "She wanted to . . . hang on, I've almost got it.

Clean up first," he finished. "There. Easy," he warned as the older man eased his arms forward. "You should see the healer. Those are pretty b.l.o.o.d.y."

"I'll see the Ell first," Connaught stated flatly. "This wants action." But the old man was cradling his wrists and clenching his hands at the same time. Nori could imagine the needles of pain that pierced those old, stringy muscles. The elder gave her a shaky grin as he saw her worry. "It's a fine way to start your council duty, Black Wolf-saving a council leader."

Nori's eyes widened as she realized what she'd done.

"Here now," the older man said. "What's the matter?"

She almost backed away. "Oh, h.e.l.ls, I didn't mean-"

"Black Wolf has other duties right now, Elder Connaught," Payne cut in smoothly, stepping in front of her. He brushed at some of the blood that had dripped on the older man's tunic. "And Noriana maDione is on the trade lists, Elder Connaught, not the council lists. She will take up her council duty in time, when our parents approve it, but not before the Test ninan."

"Of course, of course. Your Test." The elder nodded, winced, and touched the corner of his torn mouth.

"Besides," Payne added, "any council duty Nori takes on would have to be approved by the Lloroi."

"Handy to have him as an uncle, eh? Lets your family get first pick for your skills?" Connaught tried to chuckle, but he was still shaking, and the sound came out more like a gasp. It frightened the old man. He took a couple of breaths and blinked. Payne and Nori looked far too serious for the comments he'd just made. "Ariye has always looked out for her neighbors," he told them slowly. "I consider this no more than the same." Interesting, he thought, how relieved Black Wolf looked. He took two steps, sucked in a breath, and started to crumple. Payne grabbed his arm, and Nori caught his elbow. For a moment, he sagged in their grip. Then he straightened. His wrinkled hand trembled as it went to his head. "Must have hit me harder than I thought."

Nori ran her hand over his scalp and found the goose egg.

"Can you walk?" Payne asked in a low voice.

"He was. .h.i.t in the back, not the front," Nori told him. "It'll be nausea and eyesight, not walking to worry about. The lump doesn't look too big, though, and he was only out for a moment-"

Connaught's pale eyes sharpened. "How do you know that, Black Wolf?"

She shrugged. "I heard you talking a few moments before."

"You heard me being attacked?"

"No. We were down here, too far away, and he must have been very quiet going in."

"Or quiet while he was waiting," suggested Payne.

The other two looked at him sharply.

Payne shrugged at the old man. "You go to the stables every night. You stay late to tend your gear." He nodded at the elder's swollen, b.l.o.o.d.y hands. "You might want to watch how much time you spend alone in the future, Elder Connaught. Or at least change the pattern of your daily tasks."

The older man nodded slowly. "I will do that, neBentar." He glanced at Nori and said to Payne, "If I thought you'd take the duty, I'd hire the two of you in a minute to ridekeyo for me." He smiled wryly at Nori's expression. "Don't worry, Black Wolf. I won't insist." He started to turn away, but stopped.

"You might want to watch out for Elder Mato, though. Someone's told him to push for duty from you, and he's never liked taking no for an answer. He thinks it makes him look smaller-as if he's not small-minded enough," the old man added derisively.

Payne and Nori exchanged puzzled glances. Who would tell an elder to hound Nori for duty? The cozar knew it was more likely to push her out of the caravan, not into a council job.

A couple of cozar wandered down the aisle toward them. "Aye, Elder," one called. The other waved, then peered toward the little knot. "Everything alright?"

The older man started to open his mouth to answer, but Payne put his hand on the elder's arm.

Connaught stiffened. Payne shook his head slightly. Even in the dim light, his warning expression was clear.

Connaught cleared his throat. "Fine, thanks," he called back. "Just a late negotiation."

The cozar chuckled and climbed up in their wagon.

Connaught turned to Payne. His voice was low but curt. "Explain yourself, neBentar."

"Elder Connaught," Payne said formally, "I respect your position. But I must ask that you remain quiet about this until we discuss it with my uncles."

The older man's gaze slid to Nori, then back to Payne. The wolfwalker watched him warily, and Payne's violet gaze was as sharp. So, he thought, they were up to something. He wondered if it was for their parents or the Lloroi. "What about my attacker?"

"Speak to the Ell and Hafell, privately. We'll warn the gate guards, and we'll keep a watch for him ourselves. I doubt he'll try again."

"Doesn't mean someone else won't."

"You've got three outriders a.s.signed to you."

Connaught snorted. "Sidisportchovas. One does nothing but crack sour jokes. I caught the second one eyeing my lockbox like a worlag does a crippled hare, and the woman is small enough that she couldn't fight off a stickbeast, let alone protect me from half a raider."

Nori raised her eyebrows. "Where are your own guards?"

"I always loan them to others when I'm riding with Ell Tai. However-" He gave his wrists a sober look.

"-I believe this time I'll ask them back."

Payne cleared his throat.

"Don't worry, neBentar. I'll keep quiet for a night. You've asked, and I owe you that, at least."

Payne let out his breath. "We'll walk you back."

"I wouldn't turn you down," agreed the elder dryly. "Though you might want to change before you attend fireside."

Payne looked down at his dirt-stained knees, front, and elbows. Then back at Nori. Her knees were splotched with dirt from the stable path. Judging by the way she stood, her right knee ached as much as his did. Her sleeve was torn, and the hem of her shirt was ripped. "Aye, and shower again, as the moons would have it." He did a double take, then frowned at his sister as they fell into step. "Nori-girl," he said slowly, "is that my shirt you're wearing?"

She looked down. "Uh, yes," she admitted guiltily. "I needed to wash mine."

He muttered a curse. "Just once, could you steal your clothes from Wakje?"

XVIII.

In the forest, hide the worlags, In the long gra.s.s, hide the rasts.

-Nadugur saying Payne and Nori dropped Connaught off at the healer's wagon, then headed for the gate guard. The chovas B'Kosan and another outrider were doing the guard duty, and they gave Nori and Payne a sober once-up, once-down look while Payne described the raider. When Payne finished, Nori added only, "He had long fingers and thick bones. He'd ridden or walked through clove bush recently, and he had spicepot and ale, not wine or grog, at dinner."

"h.e.l.ls, Black Wolf," said B'Kosan sourly. "Two dozen of us had spicepot, and half of everyone drinks ale. I'd be taking in some more in myself if I wasn't standing guard." He nodded down the road.

"Besides, almost everyone will come back at the same time when festival's over. We could miss a bollusk in that crowd."

Payne hid a scowl. Somechovas never took duty seriously if it was only for berth and bread, not pay.

"Do your best," he said shortly.

As they strode away, Nori said softly, "We should tell Brean about today."

"The raiders on the road? No." Payne shook his head. "We need to think about this first."

When they got back to the wagon, Nori felt like a stiff old woman climbing up beside her brother. Her entire right side felt like it had been hammered, and her hip and jaw had new bruises on top of old ones.

She could still feel the weight, the ma.s.s of the raider. If Payne hadn't tackled him off her when he did, she would have been dead beneath him.

Her brother caught her expression. "It's alright, Nori-girl."

"Aye, for now." They politely turned their backs to each other to change, and Nori added over her shoulder, "We will have to tell Uncle Wakje and Uncle Ki."