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〃Guthwulf！〃 Elias was no longer shouting； but still his voice carried through the silent room like a tolling bell。 〃e back； old friend！〃
〃Look； Binabik！〃 Simon cried。 〃What are those birds doing？！〃
The troll followed Simon's pointing finger。 The ravens were wheeling madly about the sky overhead； flying in long； looping circles。
〃They are upset； perhaps；〃 Binabik shrugged。 〃I do not have much knowledge of the ways of such things 。。。〃
〃No； they're looking for something！〃 Simon said； excited。 〃They're looking for something！ I know it！ Just look at them！〃
〃But they are not leaving the air above us。〃 Binabik raised his voice as the ravens began to call back and forth； their croaking voices sharp as blades in the still air。
Sludig had reined up his horse； too； and was staring up at the strange exhibition。 He narrowed his eyes。 〃If this is not some deviltry；〃 he said； 〃then I am not an Aedonite。 The raven was Old One…Eye's bird； back in the dark days。。。〃 He trailed off as he saw something new。 〃There！〃 he said； pointing。 〃Is that not some other bird they are chasing？〃
Now Simon could see it too： a smaller gray shape that flitted among the black ones； darting wildly； now this way； now that。 At every turn it seemed to find one of the larger birds already there。 It was tiring； Simon could see plainly； its loops being ever more ragged； its escapes narrower。
〃It's a sparrow！〃 Simon cried。 〃Like the ones Morgenes had！ They're going to kill it！〃
Even as he spoke； the swooping circle of ravens seemed to sense that the quarry was nearing its limits。 The whirling funnel contracted and the croaking voices rose as if in triumph。 Then； just when it seemed the hunt was over； the sparrow found an open space and burst free of the black ring； darting unevenly toward a stand of fir trees half a furlong away。 The
ravens； shrieking； whirled in pursuit。
〃I do not think it chance that such a bird should be here；〃 Binabik said； unscrewing his walking stick to shake free his pouch of darts。 〃Or that the ravens would be waiting with such patientness just where we are。〃 He grabbed Qantaqa's hackles。 〃Chok； Qantaqa！〃 he cried。 〃Ummu chok！〃
The wolf sprang away； churning the snow beneath her broad paws。 Sludig dug in his heels and his mount leaped after her。 Simon； cursing beneath his breath； wrestled for a moment with Homefinder's reins。 By the time he had them sorted out； she had decided to follow Sludig's horse anyway。 Simon clung to her neck as they pounded over the uneven snow； hoof…churned sleet burning his eyes。
The ravens were circling the copse like a swarm of black bees。 Binabik； in the lead； vanished among the close…standing trunks。 Sludig went just after； his spear now in his hand。 Simon had a moment to wonder how the Rimmersman would kill birds with a heavy spear； then the line of trees was looming before him as well。 He pulled up on the reins； slowing his horse。 He ducked his head beneath a low…hanging branch； but was not fast enough to avoid a clump of snow falling into the loose hood of his cloak and slithering down his neck。
Binabik stood beside Qantaqa at the center of the copse； the hollow tube to his mouth。 The troll's cheeks puffed； a moment later a large black bundle fell down through the branches overhead； flapping in a slow circle on the white ground before it died。
〃There！〃 Binabik said； gesturing。 Sludig poked upward with his spear； rattling its point among the tree limbs as Qantaqa gave vent to a sharp； excited bark。
A black wing skimmed by Simon's face。 The raven struck at the back of Sludig's head； its claws scrabbling impotently against the metal of his helm。 Another one swooped down from above； squawking； whirling about the Rimmersman's arms as he plied the spear。
Why aren't I wearing a helmet？ Simon thought disgustedly as he raised his hand before his suddenly vulnerable eyes。
The little copse raged with the angry voices of birds。 Qantaqa had her front paws up on a tree trunk； shaking her head from side to side as if she had already caught one of them。
Something small and still as a tiny snowball dropped from the tree overhead。 Binabik fell to his knees at the Rimmersman's feet and cupped it in his hands。
〃I have it！〃 he cried。 〃Let us be going into the open！ Sosa； Qantaqa！' He clambered onto the wolf's back； his hand now tucked inside his jacket。 He had to duck beneath the onslaught of one of the ravens； the haft of Sludig's spear whistled through the space his head had just vacated； smacking the bird like a club； shattering it into a puff of dark feathers。 A moment later the wolf had carried Binabik out from beneath the trees。 Simon and Sludig quickly followed。
Despite the angry voices of the birds behind them； the open ground outside seemed remarkably still to Simon。 He turned to look back。 Hard yellow eyes stared from the uppermost branches； but the ravens did not follow。
〃You saved the bird？〃 he asked。
〃Let us be riding farther away；〃 Binabik said。 〃Then we will look to what we have。〃
When they stopped； the troll took his hand from beneath his skin jacket。 He opened it slowly； as though not sure what he might find there。 The bird nestled inside was dead； or nearly so。 It lay on its side unstirring； its ragged wounds striped with blood。 There was a shred of parchment about its leg。
〃I was thinking this could be；〃 Binabik said； looking over his shoulder。 The dark silhouettes of a dozen ravens sat like hunch…shouldered inquisitors in the nearest tree。 〃I am afraid that we are more late than we should have been。〃
His small finger unfurled the parchment。 It had been chewed or torn until but a part of it remained。 〃A fragment； only；〃 Binabik said sadly。
Simon looked at the tiny runes dotting the ragged strip。 〃We could go back to the trees and look for the rest；〃 he said； disliking the idea mightily even as he said it。
The troll shook his head。 〃I have a sureness that the rest has found its way down a raven gullet…as would this scrap； too； and the messenger； if we had been later still。 〃 He squinted at it。 〃Few words am I making out； but I feel no doubt it was meant for us。 See？〃 He pointed at a minute squiggle。 〃The circle and feather of the League of the Scroll。 It was sent by a Scrollbearer。〃
〃Who？〃 Simon asked。
〃Patience； Simon…friend。 Perhaps the remaining message will tell。〃 He held the curling strip as flat as he could。 〃Two bits only can I read；〃 he said 〃This； saying ' ry of false messengers；' and this 'Make haste。 The Storm is spr ' Then it is signed below with the League's mark。 〃
〃False messenger；〃 Simon breathed； dread creeping through him。 〃That was the dream I had in Geloe's house。 Doctor Morgenes told me to beware the false messenger。〃 He tried to push away the memory of that dream。 In it the doctor had been a charred corpse。
〃 'Be wary of false messengers' is then what it is likely meaning；〃 Binabik said； nodding his head。 〃 'Make haste。 The Storm is spr。。。 Spreading； I am supposing。 〃
The great fear Simon had kept suppressed for several days came crawling back。 〃False messenger；〃 he repeated helplessly。 〃What can it mean？ Who wrote