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Lelldorin blinked several tirew ht of that," he confessed

"I didn't think you had You're going to keepyour brain in the same scabbard with your sword, Lelldorin"

Lelldorin hushed at that, and then he laughed ruefully "That's a pointed way of putting it, Garion," he said reproachfully

"I'ized quickly "Maybe I should have said it another way"

"No," Lelldorin told his if they aren't said directly"

"It's not that you're stupid, Lelldorin," Garion protested "That's a mistake everyone makes Arends aren't stupid - they're just impulsive"

"All this was esturing out at the da under the trees

"This what?" Garion asked, looking around

"This is the last stretch of forest before we come out on the plains of central Arendia," Lelldorin explained "It's the natural boundary between Mimbre and Asturia"

"The woods look the sa around

"Not really," Lelldorin said soround for ambush The floor of this forest is carpeted with old bones Look there" He pointed

At first it seemed to Garion that what his friend indicated wasfroled in a scrubby bush Then, with revulsion, he realized that they were the greenish bones of a huers clutched at the bush in a last convulsive agony Outraged, he demanded, "Why didn't they bury hiather all the bones that lie here and coenerations of Arendia rest here - Mimbrate, Wacite, Asturian All lie where they fell, and the moss blankets their endless slumber"

Garion shuddered and pulled his eyes away fro from the sea of moss on the floor of the forest The curious luested the horror which laybeneath As he raised his eyes, he realized that the uneven surface extended as far as he could see, "How long until we reach the plain?" he asked in a hushed voice

"Two days, probably"

"Two days? And it's all like this?"

Lelldorin nodded

"Why?" Garion's tone was harsher,than he'd intended

"At first for pride - and honor," Lelldorin replied "Later for grief and revenge Finally it was simply because we didn't kno to stop As you said before, soht"

"But always brave," Garion answered quickly

"Oh yes," Lelldorin adarath," Hettar said quietly fro"

Mister Wolf roused himself from the doze in which he usually rode "What?"