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Havok and the other two destriers had quietly flanked the warriors during the conversation, and now all faced upslope, ears pricked forward

After a , set off into the woods Karsa followed

The slope grew steeper after a score of paces There was no path, and fallen tree trunks h thick swaths of dae of the two Teblor warriors virtually noiseless They reached a flatter shelf perhaps fifteen paces wide and ten deep, a high crack-riven cliff opposite A few trees leaned against the rock, grey with death Delum scanned the cliff side, then made to move towards a narrow, dirt-filled crevasse near the left end of the cliff that served as a game trail, but Karsa restrained him with a hand

He leaned close ‘How far ahead?’

‘Fifty heartbeats We’ve still time to make this climb-’

‘No We position ourselves here Take that ledge to the right and have your knives ready’

With baffled expression, Delue was halfway up the cliffside Within moa the sa to rest half a pace to the trail’s left Karsa reached it and gave the trunk a nudge The as still sound He quickly cli on branches, he twisted round until he faced the flat expanse of shelf, the game trail now almost within arm’s reach to his left, the bole and cliff at his back

Then he waited He could not see Deluht well pull the tree away froing fall He would have to trust, therefore, that Deluly when the time came

A skitter of stones down the trail

The dogs had begun the descent

Karsa drew a slow, deep breath and held it

The pack’s leader would not be the first Most likely the second, a safe beat or two behind the scout

The first dog scras and dirt, itsit a half-dozen paces out onto the flat shelf, where it paused, nose lifting to test the air Hackles rising, it e

Another dog ca up more detritus than the first As its scarred head and shoulders came into view, Karsa knew that he had found the pack’s leader