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By the Abyss, another hu over her saddle, Stonny Menackis dropped to the ground, raising a puff of dust ’Our captain’s too obvious with his jokes, Hetan They end up thudding like ox dung, and s just as foul Pay hi confused’

’I enjoy killing and ridingher muscled arms

Harllo quickly clae and approached her with a broad shted to make your acquaintance, Hetan!’

’You can kill him any time you like,’ Stonny drawled

The two brothers were indeed miserable creatures, taciturn and, as far as Gruntle could deterularly thick Harllo’s futile efforts with Hetan proved ah whilst they sat around the rekindled hearth beneath a star-spattered sky Kerulidown, but only to share a bowl of herbal tea before once again retiring to his carriage It fell to Gruntle -- he and Hetan the last two lingering at the firepit -- to pry loose hast

’These dean, ’how have they been described?’

She leaned forward and ritually spat into the fire ’Fast on two legs Talons like an eagle’s, only s Their arms are blades-’

’Blades? What do you ed ’Bladed Blood-iron Their eyes are hollow pits They stink of urns in the dark circle They make no sound, no sound at all’

Urns in the dark circle? Cremation urns in a chamber bar-row Ah, they smell of death, then Their arms are blades how? What in Hood’s name does that mean? Blood-iron -- that’s iron quenched in snow-chilled blood … a Barghast practice when shamans invest weapons Thus, the wielder and the weapon are linked Merged… ’Has anyone in your clan seen one?’

’No, the demons have not journeyed north to our rasslands’

’Who, then, delivered the tales?’

’Our shouldermen have seen them in their dreams The spirits whisper to them and warn of the threat The White Clan has chosen a warchief -- our father -- and ahat is to come But our father would know his enemy, so he has sent his children down onto the flatlands’