hammock
will be done."They were. The two sat by the fire sharing the meat, more oatcakes, dried apple slices from Aliana's supplies.
"Your first trip over Northgate?"
She nodded.
"Mine too, this direction. Father says to fill up with water tomorrow just after we leave the tree line—spring is off to the right and marked. After that a long day dry. Fill up again at Cloud's Eye, then most of a day up and over the high pass. Half a day down and we pick up Silverthread, follow it into Mainvale. I'm home; you've another two hours to your hold. Big oak tree where the path turns off; you can't miss it. They'll be glad of news from east of the mountains."
"Not mine."
"Better than none."
They fell into a comfortable silence. At length she roused herself, carried hammock and bedding into the forest, fell asleep almost at once.
Next morning, horses saddled and waterbags filled, firewood gathered and bundled on the packhorse, they set off together.
"Stay a little back; I may get us dinner."
She looked curiously at him—the path was more than wide enough for two—but let her mare fall back. As soon as she was well behind he had bow out, arrow to the string. A few minutes later he drew and loosed; there was a wild fluttering in the woods ahead, then silence. He angled off into the woods, leaning down from the saddle. A moment later back on the path, freeing the arrow, lifting up the bird's body for her to see. By the time they stopped for lunch he had added a second bird and a rabbit.
"One good thing about being first through the gate—game isn't shy yet."
"Your father