the edge of the
forest, a stir and whisper beyond the trees, and turned to speak to him,
then saw him slipping away toward the outskirts of the clearing.

For a moment I thought nothing of it, thinking that he was taking a few
steps toward the gap in the trees where he had disappeared. I suppose I
had the idea that he had slipped away to investigate some noise or
shadow, and that I should be at hand.

Then I saw the flicker of lights beyond the trees--light from the
lantern Cuinn had been carrying in his hand! He was signaling!

I slipped the safety clasp from the hilt of my skean and went after him.
In the dimming glow of the fire I fancied I saw luminous eyes watching
me, and the skin on my back crawled. I crept up behind him and leaped.
We went down in a tangle of flailing legs and arms, and in less than a
second he had his skean out and I was gripping his wrist, trying
desperately to force the blade away from my throat.

I gasped, "Don't be a fool! One yell and the whole camp will be awake!
Who were you signaling?"

In the light of the fallen lantern, lips drawn back in a snarl, he
looked almost inhuman. He strained at the knife for a moment, then
dropped it. "Let me up," he said.

I got up and kicked the fallen skean toward him. "Put that away. What in
hell were you doing, trying to bring the catmen down on us?"

For a moment he looked taken aback, then his fierce face closed down
again and he said wrathfully, "Can't a man walk away from the camp
without being half strangled?"

I glared at him, but realized I really had nothing to go by. He might
have been answering a call of nature, and the movement of the lantern
accidental. And if someone had jumped me from behind, I might have
pulled a knife on him myself. So I only said, "Don't do it again. We're
all too jumpy."

There were no other incidents that night, or the next. The night after,
while I lay huddled in my shirtcloak and blanket by the fire, I saw
Cuinn slip out of his bedroll and steal away. A moment later there was a
gleam in the darkness, but before I could summon the resolve to get up
and face it out with him, he returned, looked cautiously at the snoring
men, and crawled back into his blankets.

While we were unpacking at the next camp, Kyral halted beside me. "Heard
anything queer lately? I've got the notion we're being trailed. We'll be
out of these forests tomorrow, and after that it's clear road all the
way to Shainsa. If anything's goi