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When they reached the upper edge of the forest, Garion stared up at the steep, rock-strewnabove the tih thesepeak," Brin replied, pointing "I use it when I go out to hunt wild stags, and the shepherds take their flocks through it to the pastures in the interior valleys"

"Also the shepherdesses," Verdan added drily "Soame my brother chases doesn't have horns"

Brin threw a quick, nervous glance at Polgara, and a slow blush mounted his cheeks

"I've always been rather fond of shepherdesses," Belgarath noted blandly "For the irls -and frequently lonely, aren't they, Brin?"

"That will do, father," Aunt Pol said prio over the pass and through the greenthe , al sea on the western side of the Isle when they crested a boulder-covered ridge and started down the long, rocky slope toward the cliffs and the frothy surf pounding endlessly against the western coast

"Could a ship have landed on this side?" Garion asked Kail as they went downhill

Kail was puffing noticeably from the strenuous trek across the island and heface with his sleeve

"There are a few places where it's possible, Belgarion -if you knohat you're doing It's difficult and dangerous, but it is possible"

Garion's heart sank "Then he could very well have gotten away," he said

"I had ships out there, Belgarion," Kail said to hi at the sea "I sent them out as soon as we found out that the prince had been taken About the only way sootten all the way across the island to this side in tiot around here would be if he could fly"

"We've got hi his sword in its scabbard and searching the boulder-strewn slope and the brink of the cliffs with a hunter's trained eye

"Hold it a second," Durnik said sharply He lifted his head and sniffed at the onshore breeze "There's somebody up ahead"

"What?" Garion said, a sudden exciteht a distinct whiff of soarath's face took on an intense expression "Pol," he said, "why don't you take a quick look down there?"