pungent smell of green marsh gas which puffed from the punctures made by the lance. She was a mare who refused to be impressed by petty magic and obeyed her masters instructions to the last prick of a spur. Nevertheless, they were unable to cross, finding the sticky way too hazardous, and had to return to the shore. Whats to do now? asked the raven. Stopped at the first hurdle. We must find some local creature who knows the paths. Can you trust them? I only ask because it is you who will sink to your death in black mire, not me. I, if you havent noticed, can fly. We will light a fire and hope to attract someone. You might get more than you expect, but who am I to argue? The tinder box came out and the fire was lit. Soldier sat back from its flames, keeping partly to the shadow. His ears were tuned to the slightest noise from out of the darkness. While Soldier dozed, a figure emerged from the trees, drawn by the light of the fire. When Soldier jerked awake, an hour later, he found himself staring into a pair of large brown eyes which looked at him from the other side of the flames. Soldier leapt up, sword in hand, wondering why his scabbard had not sung her warning song. Who are you? he cried. By what right do you steal the warmth from my fire? His shouts woke the raven, who took off into the night immediately, the birds philosophy being get out of danger, then find out whats going on. Me Huccarra, said the creature. Me Whin. Name Glokk. No steal. Whin not steal. Only sometimes. Soldier stoked the fire with his sword-point, making it flare. He saw now that the creature was indeed one of the Whin, half-giants from the south of Guthrum. They were strange, muscle-knotted creatures, shaped roughly like men, but twice the size of a normal human and ten times as stocky. Most of them were miners, who worked hard at their profession, but occasionally there was the lazy one, usually a thief of some kind, who sent out jackdaws and jilldaws to steal for them. Soldier had met one called Clokk, a sword-stealer amongst the Whin, and found him to be an amiable creature. Glokk? Are you any relation to Clokk? Cousin from me, said Glokk, eagerly. You know me cousin? Soldier sheathed Kutrama and sat down. Clearly Sintra had not sensed any danger in the creature, or she would have sung a warning song. Ive met him. So, what are you doing, a half-giant, this far north? Banishment, for stealing lady Whin. Soldier gave him a disapproving look. Ah, you took a female by force? Not force. She like me. Her hut-sharer no like me. He important Whin. Tell Glokk he must go away for one year. Well, thatll teach you to poach. Glokk hung his head, looking suitably chastised. And so, enough about your past crimes, how do you survive here? Do the beast-people bother you at all? No bother. I break their heads. Fair enough. But this is a rocky, inhospitable landscape, with no real vegetation to speak of. How do you live? Do you hunt? Fish? Me go into swamp and take eggs from giant frogs. Very nice. He rubbed his naked stomach. Lots of jelly. Nice black eggs. UmmU no like Glokk steal eggs. UmmU whip with tongue. The Whin turned and showed Soldier his back. There were the scars of a lash on the thick hairy skin. That must have been painful. And UmmU is who? Big toad. Was wizard but now toad. Big teeth. The raven had returned now, flapping down to the fires edge. Ive heard of this creature, said the bird. Hes a natterjack, not a toad, and hell eat anything. Soldier said, Nice of you to join us, raven. Tell me about this UmmU. UmmU was once a wizard but is now a hideous, bulbous amphibian with snout and teeth. UmmU is as large as a house. The raven grimaced, crossing his beak. UmmU eats swallows, martins and swifts, using that tongue of his like a fisherman casting for trout. He sends out his fly-tipped fleshy line and the birds dive and are caught. He crunches the struggling creatures in his heavy yellow molars and another good bird is gone. UmmU will do all in his
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