carved by the Old Gods from twigs of the World Tree. They stalked giant animals over the open plains. But then the Old Gods lost a war with the forest gods, the walking trees. The forest took over the land, and the giant animals all died, because they couldn’t live in the forest. New animals were born from the leaf mulch that covered everything, the pigs and the roe deer and the aurochs, but they were small and clever creatures that were much harder to hunt. Our grand-fathers survived, but had to work hard for it. Thus the Old Gods abandoned us. Maybe your father, contemplating such stories and looking down on a prospect like this, envied those who lived so easily there. Because it’s like how things were for us in the olden days.’
Shade rubbed his chin. ‘But I grew up here too. Why don’t I think that way?’
Resin sighed. ‘Because your father had a decent priest at his side. A man who would sit with him in the evenings, and chew over the old stories. Whereas you have had me, a poppy-ridden half-ghost, weak and useless and addled.’
Shade patted him on the back. ‘I’m glad to be getting you back. I have a feeling I will need your wisdom in the coming months - win or lose.’
Resin looked faintly shocked. ‘You’re not thinking about defeat?’
‘In this mortal world, nothing is impossible. But even if we win Etxelur, what then? We’ve come so far, fighting and conquering, all the way to the edge of Northland. If I take Etxelur, who shall I fight then - the sea, the clouds?’
‘Hmm. You’d better think of something. Your hunters are used to fighting now, the rush of blood, the rewards. They need it the way I needed the poppy - and I know how bad a need like that can be.’
‘And must it go on for ever?’
The priest turned to the dawn light. ‘I don’t know. We’ve changed so much, just in the months since Zesi came to us and started showing us this way of war. We were always a combative lot, brawling with each other as soon as we broke out of our mothers’ wombs. But now it’s different. You and Bark and Zesi have assembled the largest and most organised group of fighters in the history of the world - or if there’s ever been a mightier band I’ve never heard of it. On this quest for Etxelur our bodies are undertaking a great journey. And so, I believe, are our spirits.’
‘For better or worse,’ Shade said grimly.
‘Indeed. For better or worse—’
‘Shade!’ It was Bark’s voice; they both turned.
Bark was walking up the slope towards them. Over his shoulder he had a sack of netting that contained something that squirmed and wriggled.
Behind him two children followed, half-running to keep up with Bark’s powerful, impatient strides. They were Acorn, Shade saw with dismay, and Knot, Alder’s son, the boy his daughter had been spending so much time with.
Resin glanced at Shade and rolled his eyes.
Bark stood before them, panting. ‘I thought I’d better come to you with this.’ He dumped the net sack on the floor. Inside was a Leafy Boy, a young one, small and scrawny, underfed - no use to the hunters, and probably close to death, Shade thought dispassionately. The child struggled, feebly, tangled up in the net, and he reached out skinny arms towards Acorn.
‘There’s your problem,’ Bark said. ‘We found it when we kicked the Leafies awake this morning. Acorn wasn’t far away. As soon as this one got the chance it ran across and attacked her.’
‘He didn’t attack me, stupid,’ Acorn snapped. ‘Little Shade was just frightened.’
The priest was grinning. ‘ “Little Shade”? Well, I can see the resemblance, though the boy has better manners—’
‘Oh, shut up,’ Shade said tiredly.
‘Your daughter’s been feeding it,’ Bark growled. ‘Trained it to get used to her.’
Acorn said, ‘What does it matter? Look how skinny he is! He’s hardly big enough to fight, is he?’
‘Why it matters,’ Bark said heavily, ‘is because it stirred up the other Leafies. Confused them, you might say. They went crazy, and had to be beaten.’ He glared at Acorn. ‘We were going to have a mock battle today. I’m sorry to say it, but you’ve wrecked the whole day.’
Acorn stared back at him, and then looked to her father for support. When none was forthcoming she burst into tears. Knot went over to her protectively, but he didn’t quite have the nerve