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Karsa flipped the blade on his thighs to begin work on the other side ‘So I hope, Delum Thord Answer me this, when last have the Sunyd seen an Uryd?’

‘Your grandfather,’ Bairoth said

Karsa nodded ‘And ell know the Rathyd warcry, do we not?’

‘You would start a war between the Rathyd and Sunyd?’

‘Aye, Bairoth’

The warrior slowly shook his head ‘We are not yet done with the Rathyd, Karsa Orlong You plan too far in advance, Warleader’

‘Witness what comes, Bairoth Gild’

Bairoth picked up the bear skull The lower jaw still hung froristle He snapped it off and tossed it to one side Then he drew out a spare bundle of leather straps He began tightly wrapping the cheek bones, leaving long lengths dangling beneath

Karsa watched these efforts curiously The skull was too heavy even for Bairoth to wear as a helm Moreover, he would need to break the bone away on the underside, where it was thickest around the hole that the spinal cord made

Delu off

‘Karsa Orlong,’ Bairoth said, ‘do you have spare straps?’

‘You are welco ‘Be sure to sleep this night, Bairoth Gild’

‘I will’

For the first hour of light they heard dogs in the forested valley floor below These faded as they backtracked along a high cliffside path When the sun was directly overhead, Deluan the descent

Midway through the afternoon, they cas and could se Delum dismounted and slipped ahead

He returned a short while later ‘As you surmised, Warleader I saw eleven elders, thrice as ine the older ones are with the hunt No horses No dogs’ He climbed back onto his horse