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‘That would keep the aroing up there anyway, and carrying supplies while they’re cli at the scenery, don’t you think?’

‘Where did you find soh that pass, Danal?’ Gunda asked, staring up the steep gully

‘It was a young fellow naadier Danal replied

‘I should have guessed that, I suppose,’ Gunda adht?’ Andar asked

‘Soh to shine in the dark,’ Gunda replied sourly ‘That irritatessoldiers are supposed to be stupid, and Keselo breaks that rule every ti to us older soldiers, but Keselo keeps poaching in our territory’ He straightened ‘I guess I’d better scamper on up there and let Narasan know that we’ve arrived with the rest of his et your pack, Gunda,’ Andar re to be in a bit of a hurry,’ Gunda protested

‘It’s one of the obligations of higher-ranking officers to set examples for the ordinary soldiers,’ Andar reo and say that, didn’t you?’

‘That’s one of rin ‘I’ed to do It’s a heavy burden, but I think I’ue with me’

‘What’s in this pack that’s supposed to fill our coht?’

‘Beans, isn’t it, Danal?’ Andar asked

Danal nodded

‘Beans? Gunda de me over the head with a sack of beans?’

‘Would you prefer rocks?’

The basin at the top of the narrow pass appeared to be primarily a meadow dotted here and there with clumps of trees About the only unusual feature of that basin was the source of the River Vash Gunda had heard about geysers before, but this was the first time he’d actually seen one His round pressure that could send water spurting a hundred or so feet into the air in such volume that it was the primary source of a river that was quite nearly ain the shade of a tree near the top of the pass, and he stood up and saluted when Gunda came out of the steep pass ‘The Commander’s men have set up ca toward a broken-down ridge-line ‘Fro for you and the rest of the army’