Riverwind's stoic expression did not change. He regarded the knight with intense, dark eyes. Then he spoke, choosing his words carefully. 'I did not mean to question your honor. I do not know men and their cities, and I tell you plainly-I am afraid. It is my fear that makes me speak thus. I have been afraid ever since the blue crystal staff was given to me. Most of all, I am afraid for Goldmoon.' The Plainsman looked over at the woman, his eyes reflecting the glowing fire. 'Without her, I die. How could I trust-' His voice failed. The stoic mask cracked and crumbled from pain and weariness. His knees buckled and he pitched forward. Sturm caught him.
'You couldn't,' the knight said. 'I understand. You are tired, and you have been sick.' He helped Tanis lay the Plainsman at the back of the cave. 'Rest now. I will stand watch.' The knight shoved aside the brush, and without saying another word, stepped outside into the rain.
Goldmoon had listened to the altercation in silence. Now she moved their meagre possessions to the back of the cave and knelt down by Riverwind's side. He put his arm around her and held her close, burying his face in her silver-gold hair. The two settled in the shadows of the cave. Wrapped in Riverwind's fur cape, they were soon asleep, Goldmoon's head resting on her warrior's chest.
Tanis breathed a sigh of relief and turned back to Raistlin. The mage had fallen into a fitful sleep. Sometimes he murmured strange words in the language of magic, his hand reaching out to touch his staff. Tanis glanced around at the others. Tasslehoff was sitting near the fire, sorting through his «acquired» objects. He sat cross-legged, the treasures on the cave floor in front of him. Tanis could make out glittering rings, a few unusual coins, a feather from the goatsucker bird, pieces of twine, a bead necklace, a soap doll, and a whistle. One of the rings looked familiar. It was a ring of elven make, given Tanis a long time ago by someone he kept on the borders of his mind. It was a finely carved, delicate ring of golden, clinging ivy leaves.
Tanis crept over to the kender, walking softly to keep from waking the others. 'Tas…' He tapped the kender on the shoulder and pointed. 'My ring…'
'Is it?' asked Tasslehoff with wide-eyed innocence. 'Is this yours? I'm glad I found it. You must have dropped it at the Inn.'
Tanis took the ring with a wry smile, then settled down next to the kender. 'Have you got a map of this area, Tas?'
The kender's eyes shone. 'A map? Yes, Tanis. Of course.' He swept up all his valuables, dumped them back into a pouch, and pulled a handcarved, wooden scroll case from another pouch. He drew forth a sheaf of maps. Tanis had seen the kender's collection before, but it never failed to astonish him. There must have been a hundred, drawn on everything from fine parchment to soft kid leather to a huge palmetto leaf.
'I thought you knew every tree personally around these parts, Tanis.' Tasslehoff sorted through his maps, his eyes occasionally lingering on a favorite.
The half-elf shook his head. 'I've lived here many years,' he said. 'But, let's face it, I don't know any of the dark and secret paths.'
'You won't find many to Haven.' Tas pulled a map from his pile and smoothed it out on the cave floor. 'The Haven Road through Solace Vale is quickest, that's for certain.'
Tanis studied the map by the light of the dying campfire. 'You're right,' he said. 'The road is not only quickest — it seems to be the only passable route for several miles ahead. Both south and north of us lie the Kharolis Mountains-no passes there.' Frowning, Tanis rolled up the map and handed it back. 'Which is exactly what the Theocrat will figure.'
Tasslehoff yawned. 'Well,' he said, putting the map back carefully into the case, 'it's a problem that will be solved by wiser heads than mine. I'm along for the fun.' Tucking the case back into a pouch, the kender lay down on the cave floor, drew his legs up beneath his chin, and was soon sleeping the peaceful sleep of small children and animals.
Tanis looked at him with envy. Although aching with weariness, he couldn't relax enough for sleep. Most of the others had dropped off, all but the warrior watching over his brother. Tanis walked over to Caramon.
'Turn in,' he whispered. 'I'll watch Raistlin.'
'No,' the big warrior said. Reaching out, he gently pulled a cloak up closer around his brother's shoulders. 'He might need me.'
'But you've got to get some sleep.'
'I will.' Caramon grinned. 'Go get some sleep yourself, nursemaid. Your children are fine. Look-even the dwarf is out cold.'
'I don't have to look,' Tanis said. 'The Theocrat can probably hear him snoring in Solace. Well, my friend, this reunion was not much like we planned five years ago.'
'What is?' Caramon asked softly, glancing down at his brother.
Tanis patted the man's arm, then lay down and rolled up in his own cloak and, at last, fell asleep.
The night passed-slowly for those on watch, swiftly for those asleep. Caramon relieved Sturm. Tanis relieved Caramon. The storm continued unabated all night, the wind whipping the lake into a white-capped sea. Lightning branched through the darkness like flaming trees. Thunder rumbled continually. The storm finally blew itself out by morning, and the half-elf watched day dawn, gray and chill. The rain had ended, but storm clouds still hung low. No sun appeared in the sky.
Tanis felt a growing sense of urgency. He could see no end to the storm clouds massing to the north. Autumn storms were rare, especially ones with this ferocity. The wind was bitter, too, and it seemed odd that the storm came out of the north, when they generally swept east, across the Plains. Sensitive to the ways of nature, the strange weather upset Tanis nearly as much as Raistlin's fallen stars. He felt a need to get going, even though it was early morning yet. He went inside to wake the others.
The cave was chill and gloomy in the gray dawn, despite the crackling fire. Goldmoon and Tasslehoff were fixing breakfast. Riverwind stood in the back of the cave, shaking out Goldmoon's fur cloak. Tanis glanced at him. The Plainsman had been about to say something to Goldmoon as Tanis entered, but fell silent, contenting himself with staring at her meaning-fully as he continued his work. Goldmoon kept her eyes lowered, her face pale and troubled. The barbarian regrets having let himself go last night, Tanis realized.
'There is not much food, I'm afraid,' Goldmoon said, tossing cereal into a pot of boiling water.
'Tika's larder wasn't well stocked,' Tasslehoff added in apology. 'We've got a loaf of bread, some dried beef, half a moldy cheese, and the oatmeal. Tika must eat her meals out.'
'Riverwind and I didn't bring any provisions,' Goldmoon said. 'We really didn't expect to make this trip.'
Tanis was about to ask her more about her song and the staff, but the others started waking up as they smelled food. Caramon yawned, stretched, and stood up. Walking over to peer into the cook-pot, he groaned. 'Oatmeal? Is that all?'
'There'll be less for dinner.' Tasslehoff grinned. 'Tighten your belt. You're gaining weight anyhow.'
The big man sighed dismally.
The sparse breakfast was cheerless in the cold dawn. Sturm, refusing all offers of food, went outside to keep watch. Tanis could see the knight, sitting on a rock, staring gloomily at the dark clouds that trailed wispy fingers along the still water of the lake. Caramon ate his share of the food quickly, gulped down his brother's portion, and then appropriated Sturm's when the knight walked out. Then the big man sat, watching wistfully while the rest finished.
'You gonna eat that?' he asked, pointing to Flint's share of bread. The dwarf scowled. Tasslehoff, seeing the warrior's eyes roam over to his plate, crammed his bread into his mouth, nearly choking himself in the process. At least it kept him quiet, Tanis thought, glad for the respite from the kender's shrill voice. Tas had been teasing Flint unmercifully all morning, calling him «Seamaster» and 'Shipmate,' asking him the price of fish, and how much he would charge to ferry them back across the lake. Flint finally threw a rock at him and Tanis sent Tas down to the lake to scrub out the pans.
The half-elf walked to the back of the cave.
'How are you this morning, Raistlin?' he asked. 'We're going to have to be moving out soon.'
'I am much better,' the mage replied in his soft, whispering voice. He was drinking some herbal concoction of his own make. Tanis could see small, feathery green leaves floating in steaming water. It gave off a bitter, acrid odor and Raistlin grimaced as he swallowed it.
Tasslehoff came bounding back into the cave, pots and tin plates clattering loudly. Tanis gritted his teeth at the noise, started to reprimand the kender, then changed his mind. It wouldn't do any good.
