rope up from below。
Binabik pulled away from Simon。 〃You are not looking very well； friend。 Your wounds are troubling you。〃 He sighed。 〃Ah； this is cruel。 I cannot be leaving you to the mercies of my folk； but I have no wishes to break another oath。 I do not know what I should do。〃 He turned toward the fourth figure。 〃So；〃 he said in troll speech； 〃you have rescued me…or at least my panions。 Why have you changed your mind？〃
Sisqinanamook eyed him； her arms wrapped tightly around herself。 〃I am not certain I have；〃 she replied。 〃I heard what this strange one with the while streak said；〃 she indicated Simon； watching in bewildered silence。 〃It had the ring of truth…that is； I believed there truly was something you thought more important even than our pledge。〃 She glowered。 〃I am not a lovesick fool who will forgive you anything； but neither am 1 a vengeful demon。 You are free。 Now go。〃
Binabik moved uneasily。 〃This thing that kept me from you；〃 he said； 〃it is not only important to me； but to everybody。 A terrible danger is ing。 There is only slim hope of resistance； but even that hope must be nurtured。〃 He lowered his eyes for a moment； then raised them and boldly met her gaze。 〃My love for you is as strong as the mountain's rocky bones。 It has been so since I first saw you on your Walk of Womanhood； lovely and graceful as a snow otter beneath the stars of Chugik Mountain。 But even for that love I could not stand by and see the whole world blighted by unending black winter。〃 He took her jacketed arm。 〃Now tell me this： what will you do； Sisqi？ You sent the guards away； then the prisoners escaped。 You might just as well mark your name…rune in the snow。〃
〃That will be between me and my father and mother；〃 she said angrily； pulling free of his grasp。 〃I have done what you wanted。 You are free。 Why do you waste that jreedom trying to convince me of your innocence？ Why do you throw Chugik up to me？ Go！〃
Sludig did not speak the language； but he understood Sisqi's gestures。 〃If she wants us to leave； Binabik； then she speaks rightly！ Aedon！ We must be swift。〃
Binabik waved a hand。 〃Go； I soon will catch you。〃 His friends did not move as he turned again to face his once…intended。 〃I will stay；〃 he said。 〃Sludig is innocent； and it is a great kindness that you have helped him； but I will stay and honor my people's will。 I have done a good share already in the struggle against the Storm King 。 。 。〃he glanced toward the west； where the moon had entered a murk of inky clouds； 〃… 。 。 and others can now carry my load。 e； let you and I go lead the guards a chase so my friends can make their escape。〃
A look of fear animated Sisqi's round face。 〃Curse you； Binbinaqegabenik； will you go now？！ I do not wish to see you killed！〃 Angry tears stood in her eyes。 〃There； are you pleased！？ I still feel for you； although you have torn my heart into pieces！〃
Binabik stepped toward her and caught at her arms again； pulling her close。 〃Then e with me！〃 he said； his voice suddenly full of wild possibility。 〃I will not be separated jrom you again。 Run away and e with me； and my oath be broken and damned！ You can see the world…even in these dark days； there are things beyond our mountains that would fill you with wonder！〃
Sisqi pulled away； turning her back。 She seemed to be weeping。
After a long moment； Binabik turned to the others。 〃Whatever will be happening；〃 he said in Westerling speech； his face lit with a strange； unstable smile； 〃…stay or go； flee or fight…it is first to my master's cave we must go。〃
〃Why？〃 asked Simon。
〃We have not my casting…bones or other things。 They have likely been thrown into the cave that I shared with Ookequk my master； since my people would not dare to go destroying things that were the Singing Man's。 But even more of importance； unless I am looking into the scrolls； little chance there will be that I can find your Stone of Farewell。〃
〃Then move； troll；〃 Haestan growled。 〃I dunna know how y'r lady…friend lured guards away； but no doubt they'll be back。〃
〃You are correct。〃 Binabik beckoned to Simon。 〃e； Simon…friend； we must be running again。 Such； it is seeming； is the nature of our panionship。〃 He gestured to the troll maiden。 She came without a word； leading the way up the path。
They followed the main trail back； but after only a few dozen ells Sisqi suddenly stepped off the track； taking them onto a trail so narrow that it would have been hard to see even in daylight； a slender defile that traversed the broad side of Mintahoq at a sharp upward angle。 It was little more than a gouge running between the rocks； and though there were handholds aplenty； progress was cruelly slow in the near…total darkness。 Simon's booted shin struck painfully on many stones。
The track led upward； cutting across the grain of two more spirals of the main track； then angled sharply back； still climbing。 Pale Sedda was sliding across the sky toward the dark bulk of one of Mintahoq's neighbors； making Simon wonder how they would see at all when the moon had vanished for good。 He slipped； waving his arms until he regained his balance； and promptly remembered that they were all clambering up a narrow track on the face of a very dark mountain。 Clutching at a hand…hold； Simon stood in place and closed his eyes； bringing an instant of true blackness as he listened to Haestan's laboring breath behind him。 He still felt the weakness that had troubled him all through Yiqanuc。 It would be sweet to lie down and sleep； but it was a fruitless hope。 After a moment he made the sign of the Tree and started forward again。
At last they reached level ground； a flat porch before a small cave that was set back in a deep crevice in the mountainside； Simon thought that there was something familiar to the moonlight and the shapes of the stones。 Just as he realized that Qantaqa had once led him through the darkness to this very place； a gray…white shape leaped from the mouth of the cave。
〃Sosa； Qantaqa！〃 Binabik called quietly； a second later he was bowled over by an avalanche of fur。 His panions stood by awkwardly for a moment as he was laved by the wolfs steaming tongue。 〃Muqang； friend；〃 the troll gasped at last； 〃…that's enough！ I am sure that you have been bravely guarding Ookequk's house。〃 He struggled to his feet as Qantaqa backed away； her entire body aquiver with delight。 〃I am more in danger from the greetings of friends than the spears of enemies；〃 Binabik grinned。 〃We must hurry to the cave。 Sedda is hastening west。〃
He went in standing up； Sisqi after him。 Simon and the others had to stoop through the low doorway。 Qantaqa； determined not to be left outside； made a jarring rush past Simon's and Haestan's legs； nearly tripping them。
They stood for a moment in a darkness thick with Qantaqa's musky scent and a host of other； stranger odors。 Binabik struck sparks from a flint until a small flower of yellow fire appeared and was quickly set to growing on the end of an oil…soaked torch。
The Singing Man's cave was a quite singular place。 In contrast to the low door； the curving roof stretched high overhead； up into shadows the torch could not dispel。 Like a beehive； the walls were riddled with a thousand alcoves that seemed to have been gouged into the very rock of the cavem。 Each niche held something。 One contained only the dried remains of a single small flower； others were crammed with sticks and bones and covered pots。 But most were filled with rolled skins； more than a few stuffed so full that some of the rolls dangled halfway from the niche； like the imploring hands of beggars。
Qantaqa's week…long residence had left its mark。 In the middle of the floor； close to the wide fire pit； were the remains of what once had been a plex circular picture made entirely from small colored stones。 The wolf had apparently used this for scratching her back； since the design bore the distinct marks of having been rolled upon。 All that remained was part of the rune…wrapped border and an edge of some white thing beneath a sky filled with twirling red stars。
Numerous other objects showed traces of Qantaqa's attention as well。 She had pulled a great pile of robes into t