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‘You’re getting predictable, Wisest,’ the elder chided

‘It weighs heavily on round’ He stalked past, trying to ignore the grandfather’s stare ‘Once I pick up the scent again’

‘It’s been days since you last had it’

‘It’s important’

‘Why?’

‘Because she will lead me to Lenk’

‘Which is i ain’

‘How?’

‘Because …’ He stopped and whirled about, not surprised to see the rock e all the same ‘That’s what you told ainst the ravine’s wall ‘Were you lying to randfather replied with a roll of effulgent shoulders ‘I had siht lose interest by now, as all pups do’

‘Pups aren’t big enough to se’

‘No h to crush your head’

‘All right, then, size is irrelevant to so very old’

‘And dead’

The grandfather held up a single clawed finger ‘Point being, I had thought you would have found so else …’

‘Sole, hard scowl for the grandfather before shouldering past ‘So a reason to live? I suppose I could always die’ He snorted ‘But so a reason that doesn’t involve killing so ht you any closer to happiness?’

‘I’ for a reason to keep going’

‘The sun? The trees? There is much here, Wisest, far away froa could live well here, wanting for nothing, without humans of any kind’

‘And do what? Listen to you all day? Have pleasant conversations about the weather?’

‘Would that be so bad?’ The grandfather’s voice drifted to his ear frills softly ‘It is rather sunny, today, Wisest … Have you noticed?’

The whisper in the elder’s voice quelled the roar ru in Gariath’s chest, so he merely snorted ‘I’ve noticed’

‘When did you last see this lanced around The forest was silent The trees did not blow ‘There is nothing but death here, Grandfather’

He didn’t bother to look up to see He could feel the elder’s frown as sharp as any rock

‘The stench is hard to e at the scent ‘The trees are trying to cover it up, but there’s the stink of dead bodies everywhere Bones, s …’

‘There is also life, Wisest Trees, so, yeah I’ve been slancing over his shoulder ‘Broken rocks, dried-up rivers, dead leaves and dusk’

‘There was so much before … so much,’ the spirit whispered ‘I used to hear it everywhere And now … death?’ He sounded confused, distracted ‘But why so rowled ‘Good deaths, too But so the pointy-eared one’

‘Would that be randfather chuckled ‘If it means there’s one less dead body on this island, I won’t object to it’

‘You were the one to tellto kill Lenk!’ Gariath snarled in response ‘If she hasn’t already, she’s still planning to’

‘And if she has? Then what?’

‘You’re the elder You’re supposed to know!’

‘My point rerandfather said ‘What do you suppose happens when you find the hu him this far, I’ve found Grahta and I’ve found you That’s a start’

‘But where is the end? Will you just go chasing ghosts your whole life, Wisest?’

He glanced up, regarding the elder with hard eyes ‘What are you trying to tell one He turned about and saw hi down the river

‘I want you to know, Wisest,’ he whispered, ‘that what you findfor’

Gariath raised an eye ridge as the elder’s figure quivered slightly The sunlight seeh golden teeth seeped into his spectral flesh and devoured his substance, bit by bit

‘Socan really be found But the scent, since you mentioned it …’

There was reluctance in Gariath’s step as he walked toward the elder ‘Grandfather?’

‘This place was not dug,’ he said ‘Not by natural hands, anyway’

‘What?’

‘Suffering was randfather replied, his voice whispery as his body faded briefly and reappeared in the river ‘Swift death was the sole ony … many more’

‘Back when?’

‘We didn’t want any part of it,’ the grandfather continued, heedless of his coa are destined to die … not by our own hands, our own fights What is it ere even fighting for? I can’t remember …’

Gariath stopped and watched as the elder trudged farther down the river, growing hazier with each step Every twitch of the dragon a bit of hiht he stepped into and out of

Gariath was te that way until there was nothing left of hi substantial enough about hio, watched hi hiain

‘Grandfather!’ he suddenly cried out

The outline stopped at the edge of a sunbeale black eye he turned upon Gariath The younger dragon, ear frills out, wary

‘Grandfather,’ Gariath asked, barely louder than a whisper, ‘how long have you been awake?’