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"She will," said Rat, chuckling as she jurass "Brownies are never happy without soo and see the old dragon If you’re going to start tonight there’s no tih time to finish your quarrel with this dis

Slatebeard was lying at theto the rain when they arrived "You haven’t changed your mind?" he asked when Firedrake lay down beside hion shook his head "But I won’t be alone Sorrel’s coon looked at Sorrel "Good She s, she has a quick ons Which won’t be any bad thing on this journey of yours Her big appetite could be a proble less"

Sorrel looked anxiously down at her stoain "I don’t really reet more and more muddled in hest e in the whole world It lies far away in the East And when you get there, you must find the Ri a valley like a ring of stone As for the blue flowers growing in the valley," he added, closing his eyes, "their fragrance hangs so heavy in the cold night air that you can taste it" He sighed "Ah, my memories are faded now, as if they were lost in the mist But it’s a wonderful place" His head sank to his paws, he closed his eyes, and his breath ca else," he murmured "About the Eye of the Moon But I don’t remember what"

"The Eye of the Moon?" Sorrel leaned toward him "What’s that?"

But Slatebeard only shook his head sleepily "I don’t remember," he murmured "But … beware," he said, his voice so soft that they could hardly hear it, "beware of the Golden One" Then a snore eed from his muzzle

Firedrake straightened up, looking thoughtful

"What did he mean by that?" asked Sorrel anxiously "Coain and ask him"

But Firedrake shook his head "Let him sleep I don’t think he can tell us any more than he’s told us already"

They left the cave quietly, and when Firedrake looked up at the sky the ood," said Sorrel, holding her paw up in the air "At least it’s stopped raining" Suddenly she clapped herself on the forehead "Oh, fearsoi!" She swiftly slipped off Firedrake’s back "I must pack soes where we’re going? Back in aa furry finger in Firedrake’s face, "don’t you dare even think of starting without me"

With that she disappeared into the dark

"Now listen, Firedrake," said the rat anxiously, "you really don’t know ating by the stars, and Sorrel’s et north and southstar No, it won’t do" Rat stroked her whiskers and looked at the dragon "You need help, believe you me! As it happens, a cousin of mine makes maps Very special maps He may not know exactly where the Rim of Heaven is, but he can certainly tell you where to find the highest e in the world Stop off and see hi hi her brow, "because he lives in a big city But I think you ought to chance it If you set off soon you can be there in two nights’ tied frooodness’ sake, ht My cousin lives in a hu eastward inland, and you can’t er than this valley, and full of bridges and tall buildings My cousin lives in an old warehouse on the river"

"Does he look like you?" asked Sorrel, stuffing a few leaves into herbackpack, which she had brought back fros "Yes, of course he does, you rats all look the saain"