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〃No！ It's me！〃 The hand lifted。
〃Simon？〃 she hissed。 〃You idiot！ What are you doing？〃
〃Quiet。 There's someone out there。〃
〃What？〃 Miriamele sat up； staring uselessly into the darkness。 〃Are you sure？〃
〃I was just falling asleep when I heard it；〃 he said into her ear； 〃but it wasn't a dream。 I listened after I was wide awake and I heard it again。〃
〃It's an animal…a deer。〃
Simon bared his teeth to the moonlight。 〃I don't know any animals that talk to themselves； do you？〃
〃What？〃
〃Quiet！〃 he whispered。 〃Just listen。〃
They sat in silence。 It was hard for Miriamele to hear anything over the pounding of her own heart。 She sneaked a glance at the fire。 A few embers still glowed： if there was a person out there； they had demonstrated their presence quite thoroughly。 She wondered if it would do any good now to throw dirt on the coals。
Then she heard it； a crackling noise that seemed a good hundred paces away。 Her skin tingled。 Simon looked at her significantly。 The sound came again； a little more distant this time。
〃Whatever it is；〃 she said quietly； 〃it sounds like it's leaving。〃
〃We were going to try to make our way down to the road in a few hours。 I don't think we should risk it。〃
Miriamele wanted to argue…this was her journey； after all； her plan…but found that she could not。 The idea of trying to make their way along the tangled riverbank by moonlight； while something followed along after them 。。。 〃I agree；〃 she said。 〃We'll wait until light。〃
〃I'll stay up for a while and keep watch。 Then I'll wake you and you can let me sleep for a while。〃 Simon sat himself cross…legged with his back against a stump。 His sword was across his knees。 〃Go on； sleep。〃 He seemed tense； almost angry。
Miriamele felt her heart slowing a little。 〃You said it was talking to itself？〃
〃Well； it could be more than one person；〃 he said； 〃but it didn't seem to make enough noise for two。 And I only heard one voice。〃
〃What was it saying？〃
She could dimly see Simon shake his head。 〃I couldn't tell。 It was too quiet。 Just 。。。 words。〃
Miriamele settled back onto her bedroll。 〃It might just be some cotsman。 People do live in the forest。〃
〃Might be。〃 Simon's voice was flat。 Miriamele suddenly realized that he sounded that way because he was frightened。 〃There are all kinds of things in these woods；〃 he added。
She let her head fall back until she could see a few stars peeping through holes in the forest roof。 〃If you start to feel sleepy； don't be a hero； Simon。 Wake me up。〃
〃I will。 But I don't think I'll be sleepy for a while。〃
Neither will I； she thought。
The idea of being stalked was a dreadful one。 But if someone was following them； someone her uncle had sent； why would the stalker go away again without doing anything？ Perhaps it had been forest outlaws who would have slaughtered them in their sleep if Simon had not awakened。 Or perhaps it had only been an animal after all； and Simon had imagined the words。
Miriamele at last drifted into an uneasy sleep； a sleep haunted by dreams of antler…headed； two…legged figures moving through the forest shadows。
It took them a good part of the morning to make their way out of the forest。 The reaching branches and foot…snagging undergrowth almost seemed to be trying to hold them back； the mist rising from the forest floor was so treacherously dense that if they had not had the sound of the stream to keep them on track； Miriamele felt sure they might just as easily have gone in the wrong direction。 At last； sore and sweaty and even more tattered than they had been at dawn； they emerged onto the sodden downs。
After a short ride across the uneven meadowland they reached the River Road late in the morning。 There was no snow here； but the sky was dark and threatening； and the thick forest mist seemed to have followed them…the land was shrouded in fog as far as they could see。
The River Road itself was almost empty： as they rode along they met only one wagon； which bore an entire family and its belongings。 The driver； a careworn man who looked older than he probably was； seemed almost overwhelmed by the effort of nodding to Simon and Miriamele as they passed。 She turned to watch the wagon wheeling slowly eastward behind a thin…shanked ox； and wondered if they were going to Sesuad'ra to cast their fortunes with Josua。 The man； his scrawny wife； and their silent children had looked so sad； so tired； that it was painful to think that they might be traveling toward a place she knew to be deserted。 Miriamete was tempted to warn them that the prince was already marching south； but she hardened her heart and turned around。 Such a favor would be dangerous foolishness： appearing in Erkynland with knowledge of Josua would attract far more attention than was healthy。
The few small settlements they passed as morning wore into afternoon seemed almost deserted； only a few plumes of gray wafting from the smoke holes of houses； a gray just a little darker than the surrounding mist； suggested that people still went about their lives in this depressing place。 If these had been fanning munities； there was little sign of it now： the fields were full of dark weeds and there were no animals to be seen。 Miriamele guessed that if the times were as bad here as she had heard reported of other parts of Erkynland； the few cows and sheep and pigs not yet eaten were being jealously guarded。
〃I'm not sure we should stay on this road too much longer。〃 Miriamele squinted up from the broad； muddy causeway into the reddening western sky。
〃We've barely seen a dozen people all day；〃 Simon replied。 〃And if we're being followed； we're best out in the open； where we can see anyone behind us。〃
〃But we'll be ing to the outskirts of Stanshire soon。〃 Miriamele had traveled in this area a few times with her father； and had a fairly good idea of where they were。 〃That's a much bigger town than any of these little places we've passed。 There'll be people on the road there； that's certain。 Maybe guardsmen； too。〃
Simon shrugged。 〃I suppose。 What are we going to do； ride through the fields？〃
〃I don't think anyone will notice or care。 Haven't you seen how all the houses are shuttered？ It's too cold for people to be looking out the windows。〃
In answer； Simon exhaled a puff of foggy breath and smiled。 〃As you say。 Just be careful we don't run the horses into a bog or something。 It'll be dark soon。〃
They turned their mounts off the road and through a hedge of loose brush。 The sun was almost gone now； a thin slice of crimson on the horizon all that remained。 The wind increased； whipping through the long grass。
Evening had settled in across the hilly landscape by the time they saw the first signs of Stanshire。 The village lay on both sides of the river； joined by a central bridge； and on the northern bank the clutter of houses extended almost to the eaves of the forest。 Simon and Miriamele stopped on a hilltop and looked down on the twinkling lights。
〃It's smaller；〃 Miriamele said。 〃It used to fill