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That had been the plan Rand had suggested it as a precaution, Seonid and Masuri had insisted on it every chance they got After all, Prophet of the Lord Dragon or no, Maseht not want to cos he was said to have allowed Those ears were not the worst, if the tenth part of rumor was to be believed Edarra and the other Wise Ones saw Masema as a possible enemy, to be ambushed before he could set his own trap

"I’rily to the rawhide string on the ground He had heard the ruht as well start now" And if Masema decided he was an enemy? How many thousands followed the Prophet, out of belief or fear? It did not matter "It stops, Teryl It stops!"

The Murandian nodded slowly, eyeing Perrin as though seeing hihdin said He had forgotten all about her and her friends The others had gathered with her a little way off, most still afoot There were three hdin, and two of those were hiding behind their horses Lini appeared the wariest of all, eyes focused on hihdin’s and seeer wohdin with her Maighdin herself appeared completely at ease, but she also studied Perrin Little wonder, after all that talk of the Prophet and the Dragon Reborn, on top of his eyes Not to ed He expected her to say that they wanted to go now, immediately, but what she said instead was "We will accept your kind offer A day or two resting in your cahdin," he said slowly Masking his surprise was difficult Especially since he had just recognized the twoto keep their horses between thee twist in any case "Itat that"

Chapter 8

(Lion Raue farther on, well back fro loooded hills, just beyond a stream that was ten paces’ width of stones and only five of water never deeper than a reen and silver fish darted away from the horses’ hooves Casual passersby were unlikely to come on them here The nearest inhabited farm was over a mile away, and Perrin had checked personally to make sure those folk took their animals to water elsewhere

He truly had been trying to avoid notice asby back roads and the smallest country paths when they could not keep to the forests A futile effort, really The horses could be pastured wherever there was grass, but they required at least sorain, and even a small army had to buy food, and a lot of it Every man needed four pounds a day, in flour and beans and h with luck, no one suspected who they were Perrin grimaced Perhaps they had not, until he went and opened hisdifferently

It was three camps really, close to one another and none far fro hi him supposedly, but there were too many personalities involved, and no one was entirely sure the others aied Guards had their cook fires crowded between rows of picketed horses in a broad rass He tried to close his nose to the oat meat, an unpleasant combination on a hot day A dozen , redstreale, but the rest of the Mayeners had shed breastplates and helmets Coatless and often shirtless in the sun, they lay sprawled on their blankets or diced as they waited on the food Sohtened fro to study the additions to his party, but none ca, so the patrols were still out S seen Well, that was the hope It had been

A handful of gai’shain raybrown tents on the sparsely wooded crest of the hill above the Mayeners At this distance, the whiterobed figures appeared harmless, eyes downcast and meek Up close, they would look the saai’shain were gai’shain; Perrin did not trust any Shaido out of his sight Off to one side on the slope, beneath a bedraggled sourgum, perhaps a dozen Maidens in cadin’sor knelt in a circle around Sulin, the toughest of them despite her white hair She had sent out scouts, too, women who could move as fast afoot as the Mayeners on their horses and were much more likely to escape unwanted attention None of the Wise Ones up there were in the open, but a slender wo her back as she watched Perrin and the others pass A wolare on Masuri’s face Aes Sedai did not stir kettles, nor perfor Masuri laid it at Rand’s feet, but he was not here, and Perrin was Given half a chance, she would peel his hide for him

Edarra and Nevarin turned up that way, even in those bulky skirts barely disturbing the layers of dead leaves that carpeted the ground Seonid followed, her cheeks still bulging around that scarf She twisted in her saddle, peering back at Perrin If he could have believed an Aes Sedai looking anxious, that hat he would have called her Riding behind her, Furen and Teryl wore scowls

Masuri saw the with renewed vigor, trying toas Masuri stayed in the Wise Ones’ charge, Perrin thought he did not have to worry about his hide The Wise Ones seemed to keep a very short leash

Nevarin looked back over her shoulder at hi fro, his threat, by the stubblecheeked fellow Perrin exhaled in exasperation He did not have to worry about his pelt unless the Wise Ones decided they wanted it Too hdin rode at Faile’s side, see no attention to what they passed, but he would not have wagered a split copper on it Her eyes had widened a hair at sight of the Mayener sentries She knehat red breastplates and helnized an Aes Sedai face Most people would not have known either, especially not folk dressed as she was She was a hdin For some reason, sh