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er patience。 This was the first time Perrin had gotten a good look at him； a hundred paces was little distance for his eyes。 This Slayer's high collared coat had a Borderland cut； and his face looked enough like Lan's to be the Warder's brother's。 Only Lan had no brothers … no living kin at all； that Perrin knew … and if he had had any； they would not have been here。 A Borderlander； though。 Maybe Shienaran； though his hair was long； not shaved to a topknot； and was held back by a braided leather cord just like Lan's。 He could not be Malkieri； Lan was the last living Malkieri。
Wherever he came from； Perrin felt no punction at all in drawing his bow； broadhead point aimed at Slayer's back。 The man had tried to kill him from ambush。 A downhill shot could be tricky。
Perhaps he had taken too long； or perhaps the fellow felt his cold gaze； but suddenly Slayer became a blur； streaking away east。
With a curse； Perrin pursued； three strides to the Sand Hills； another into the Westwood。 Among the oaks and leatherleaf and underbrush； Slayer seemed to vanish。
Halting； Perrin listened。 Silence。 The squirrels and birds had gone still。 He inhaled deeply。 A small herd of deer had passed that way not long since。 And a faint tinge of something； human but too cold for a man； too emotionless； a scent that tickled his mind with familiarity。 Slayer was somewhere close。 The air lay as still as the forest； no stir of breeze to tell him which way that scent came。
〃A neat trick； Goldeneyes； locking the Waygate。〃
Perrin tensed； ears straining。 No telling from where in this dense growth that voice had e。 Not so much as a leaf rustled。
〃If you knew how many of the Shadowwrought died trying to get out of the Ways there； it would lift your heart。 Machin Shin feasted at that gate； Goldeneyes。 But not a good enough trick。 You saw： the gate is open now。〃
There； off to the right。 Perrin slipped through the trees as silently as he had when he had hunted here。
〃It was only a few hundred to begin； Goldeneyes。 Just enough to keep those fool Whitecloaks off balance and see that the renegade died。〃 Slayer's voice became angry。 〃The Shadow consume me if that man does not have more luck than the White Tower。〃 Abruptly he chuckled。 〃But you； Goldeneyes。 Your presence was a surprise。 There are those who want your head on a pike。 Your precious Two Rivers will be harrowed from end to end； now； to root you out。 What do you say to that； Goldeneyes？〃
Perrin froze close beside the gnarled trunk of a great oak。 Why was the man talking so much？ Why was he talking at all？ He's drawing me right to him。
Putting his back against the oak's thick bole； he studied the forest。 No movement。 Slayer wanted him to e nearer。 No doubt into an ambush。 And he wanted to find the man and rip his throat out。 Yet it could easily be himself who died； and if that happened； no one would know the Waygate was open； and Trollocs ing by hundreds； maybe even thousands。 He would not play Slayer's game。
With a mirthless smile he stepped out of the wolf dream； telling himself to wake； and。。。
。。。Faile twined her arms around his neck and nipped his beard with small white teeth； while Tinkers' fiddles sang some wild； heated tune around the campfires。 Ila's powder。 I can't wake up！ Awareness that it was a dream faded。 Laughing； he scooped Faile up in his arms and carried her into the shadows； where the grass was soft。
Waking was a slow process wrapped around the dull pain filling his side。 Daylight streamed in at the small windows。 Bright light。 Morning。 He tried to sit up； and fell back with a groan。
Faile sprang up from a low stool； her dark eyes looked as if she had not slept。 〃Lie still；〃 she said。 〃You did enough thrashing in your sleep。 I have not kept you from rolling over and driving that thing the rest of the way through you just to watch you do it now you're awake。〃 Ihvon stood leaning against the doorframe like a dark blade。
〃Help me up；〃 Perrin said。 Talking hurt； but so did breathing； and he had to talk。 〃I have to get to the mountains。 To the Waygate。〃
She put a hand to his forehead； frowning。 〃No fever；〃 she murmured。 Then； more strongly； 〃You are going to Emond's Field； where one of the Aes Sedai can Heal you。 You are not going to kill yourself trying to ride into the mountains with an arrow in you。 Do you hear me？ If I hear one more word about mountains or Waygates； I will have Ila mix something that will put you back to sleep； and you will travel on a litter。 I'm not certain you should not anyway。〃
〃The Trollocs； Faile！ The Waygate is open again！ I have to stop them！〃
The woman did not even hesitate before shaking her head。 〃You can do nothing about it； the state you are in。 It is Emond's Field for you。〃
〃But …！〃
〃But me no buts； Perrin Aybara。 Not another word on it。〃
He ground his teeth。 The worst was that she was right。 If he could not rise from a bed alone； how could he stay in the saddle as far as Manetheren？ 〃Emond's Field；〃 he said graciously； but she still sniffed and muttered something about 〃pigheaded。〃 What did she want？ I was bloody gracious； burn her for stubborn！
〃So there will be more Trollocs；〃 Ihvon said musingly。 He did not ask how Perrin knew。 Then he shook his head as if dismissing Trollocs。 〃I will tell the others you are awake。〃 He slipped out； closing the door behind him。
〃Am I the only one who sees the danger？〃 Perrin muttered。
〃I see an arrow in you；〃 Faile said firmly。
The reminder gave him a twinge； he just stifled a groan。 And she gave a satisfied nod。 Satisfied！
He wanted to be up and on the way immediately； the sooner he was Healed； the sooner he could see to closing the Waygate again； permanently this time。 Faile insisted on feeding him breakfast； a broth thick with mashed vegetables suitable for a toothless infant； one spoon at a time； with pauses to wipe his chin。 She would not let him feed himself； and whenever he protested or asked her to go faster； she shoved the words back into his mouth with a spoonful of pap。 She would not even let him wash his own face。 By the time she got around to brushing his hair and bing his beard； he had settled on dignified silence。
〃You are pretty when you sulk；〃 she said。 And pinched his nose！
Ila； in green blouse and blue skirt this morning； climbed into the wagon with his coat and shirt； both cleaned and mended。 To his irritation； he had to let the two women help him don them。 He had to let them help him sit up to don them； the coat unbuttoned and the shirt not tucked in； but bunched around the arrow stub。
〃Thank you； Ila；〃 he said； fingering the neat darns。 〃This is fine needlework。〃
〃It is；〃 she agreed。 〃Faile has a deft touch with a needle。〃
Faile colored； and he grinned； thinking of how fiercely she had told him she would never mend his clothes。 A glint in her eye held his tongue。 Sometimes silence was the wiser course。 〃Thank you； Faile；〃 he said gravely instead。 She blushed even redder。
Once they had him on his feet he reached the door easily enough； but he had to let the two women half…support him to climb down the wooden steps。 At least the horses were saddled； and all the Two Rivers lads gathered； bows slung on their backs。 With clean faces and clothes； and only a few bandages out where they showed。
A night with the Tuatha'an had obviously been good for their spirits； too； even those who still looked as though they could not walk a hundred paces。 The haggardness that had been in their eyes yesterday was only a shadow now。 Wil had each arm around a pretty； big…eyed Tinker girl； of course； and Ban al'Seen； with his nose and a bandage around his head making his dark hair stand up in a brush； held hands with another smiling shyly。 Most of the others held bowls of thick vegetable stew and spoons； shoveling away。
〃This is good； Perrin；〃 Dannil said； giving up his empty bowl to a Tinker woman。 She gestured as if to ask the beanpole fellow whether he wanted more； and he shook his head； but said； 〃I don't think I could ever get enough of it； do you？〃
〃I had my fill；〃 Perrin told him sourly。 Mashed vegetables and broth。
〃The Tinker girls danced last night；〃 Dannil's cousin Tell said； wide…eyed。 〃All the unmarried women； and some of the married！ You should have seen it； Perrin。〃
〃I've seen Tinker women dance before； Tell。〃
Apparently he had not kept his voice clear of what he had felt watching them； for Faile said dryly； 〃You've seen the tiganza； have you？ Someday； if you are good； I may dance the sa'sara for you； and show you what a dance really is。〃 Ila gasped in recognition of the name； and Faile went even redder than she had inside。
Perrin pursed his lips。 If this sa'sara set the heart pounding any harder than the Tinker women's swaying； hip…rolling dance … the tiganza； was it？ … he definitely would like to see Faile dance it。 He carefully did not look at her。
Raen came； in the same bright green coat but trousers redder than any red Perrin had ever seen before。 The bination made his head ache。 〃Twice you have visited our