The clan followed in pairs behind Luthold: a winding stream of gentle footsteps murmuring through the trees no louder than the breeze. As they journeyed south, the woodland seemed to lean closer. The trunks and boughs became more dense as though the forest were holding itself tighter here, protecting itself.

  The departure had gone smoothly but Luthold’s mind searched for signs of the problems they might face. He felt a responsibility to anticipate every turn in the path.

  What will the other clans say when we gather in the South? If they choose to follow the Sullin, will the Hallin remain united or fracture into factions?

  Will Elder Mildred be safe? Will Joturn find our trail and follow us?

  Will the Western path that runs from the falls to the forest edge still be intact?

  Luthold would have liked to discuss these things with Winilind. But each time he approached her their words turned heated, inviting the attention of curious ears. He had distanced himself from her, but felt the absence of her company keenly. He was thankful when Adalina came to walk beside him. They walked abreast for a while, their footsteps finding harmony, before Luthold spoke.

  “How is your mother?”

  “She’s still angry with you.”

  Luthold grunted and Adalina added:

  “I’ve never seen her this angry, but she won’t say why. I asked her if she thinks you read the oracle wrong-”

  “Shh! Keep your voice down!”

  “Sorry. But she doesn’t. She agrees we need to leave the forest.”

  They walked on in silence for a while. Luthold did not rise to the bait, but neither did Adalina let it go.

  “So, Father, what did you argue about?”

  “Ah,” mused Luthold aloud. “Where’s that quiet, polite daughter of mine?”

  “She’s back in the village we burned to the ground.”

  Adalina’s riposte caught Luthold off guard. She’d never talked to him this way before. He took a sharp breath, ready to speak his mind and pull her into line. He had enough to worry about without his own daughter antagonising him. Before he spoke, however, she asked another question that cut him short.

  “What’s a medicine man?”

  Luthold was so surprised he almost stopped walking. He replied, keeping his voice low:

  “Where did you hear about that?”

  “I heard Thilo and Lien whispering about them. And other grown... Other adults. They think there’s one in the forest, that maybe he took Oli and Ingo. I heard Algar say they must be punishing us for something. But when I ask more about it they go quiet and look guilty.”

  Luthold winced and looked down.

  “What else have you heard?” he asked.

  “Tell me first, and then I’ll tell you.”

  “Are you trying to make a deal with me?”

  Luthold glared at her and she blushed, her already flushed cheeks turning bright red. And yet, she did not relent. She only persisted more gently than before.

  “I hear a lot in the clan. Word gets around the younger adults fast. But what do I listen for if I don’t understand? I want to support you, that's all. How can I help if I'm in the dark?"

  The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

  He regretted losing his temper. She was an adult now. Whether or not he saw her like that, maybe others did and this was her way of showing him. He reached across and squeezed her arm.

  “You’re my daughter, not my ally. I don’t want you to carry these burdens.” His voice caught in his throat.

  “And yet,” she replied, “I am carrying them.” She lifted her left hand and showed him the homehold. He had not focussed on it properly before. He frowned.

  “That doesn’t look like ours. Did you make a new one before we left?”

  “Otmer is carrying ours. This is Heridan’s.”

  Luthold blinked. He had tried several times to approach Heridan since the day he read the oracle. How had Adalina punctured his defences? Of course, the warrior had always doted on his future daughter-in-law. He wondered how much they had spoken.

  “I don’t want to make a deal with you, Father. Not really. I was only trying to say... I just mean...”

  “You want me to treat you as an adult,” Luthold sighed.

  “Yes," she replied with relief.

  "I understand."

  They walked on without speaking for a while, as though a quiet recalibration were needed after this change in their relationship. Eventually, Luthold asked:

  "What have you heard in the clan so far? What do they say when I'm not around?"

  "They're talking in hushed whispers about the medicine man, whatever that is. They never mention him in front of the children, but they say Oli must have met one and been led astray. They think he kidnapped Ingo too, and someone must have broken an old rule for it to happen."

  Luthold felt a jolt of panic.

  "Who do they think broke a rule?" he asked.

  "I haven't heard any names. But I heard Finn say that Oli was always strange. He said of course it was him the medicine man wanted. I should have listened quietly but I couldn't help myself. I told him never to speak ill of my brother again."

  Luthold's chest ached. He looked straight ahead, avoiding Adalina's eyes.

  "How do they feel about leaving the forest?" he asked, changing the subject.

  "Mostly relieved. They're all worried about what they'll find in the world outside though. But most of them trust you. They all know how clever you are, Father. Don't look at me like that! I'm not flattering you. They say if anyone can help us survive in the West, it's you. Even Heridan said the clan would need your writing more than his sword."

  Luthold felt a wave of relief. Adalina would not lie to him, certainly not about something like this. He could relax, just a little. He looked at her with a new admiration, too. How much information she had soaked up! She was not only kind, but astute. Other questions now came to his mind.

  "How are the Sullin dealing with all this? Do you hear anything about them? Are they still trying to change people's minds?"

  "They've gone quiet. The just trail along behind us as though they are waiting. Erlends is still missing. They're following the lead of Marlo at the moment and he must be telling them all to keep quiet."

  "Erlends stayed behind to meet some final arrivals from his clan. He hasn't caught up yet?"

  She shook her head. Was this another good sign? It seemed that way, but with the Sullin he couldn't be sure. He'd be happy only when they parted ways.

  "Thank you, Ada. You're a fine councillor." He smiled at her and she smiled back, but she had not forgotten her own questions.

  "Who are the medicine men, Father? I know this is something to do with Oli. It's about what he saw at the river, isn't it?"

  "It's about more than just that," Luthold admitted. "We had good reasons to believe it couldn't be true, and even better reasons to hope it wouldn't be. But to be truthful, nothing is certain now. Nothing about these times can be relied on."

  "And it's what you and Mother have been arguing about, too?"

  Luthold took a deep breath. Where can I even begin?

  “I'll tell you about the medicine men and why you’ve never heard of them. The story goes back, beyond even the lives of the elders, back to the first days of the earliest Seveners. And when I've told you that, there are things you should know about our family, too. About myself and your Mother, about Oli... And you."

  Luthold watched Adalina as he spoke. She gulped and pushed her dark hair back.

  “It’s a good job we have half a day’s walk ahead of us, isn’t it?” she replied.

  Luthold laughed. He brought the memories to mind. Not the personal ones. He didn’t dare to think about those, lest they open a crack in the wall that he'd thrust his grief behind. He recalled the shared memories; the stories passed on by the clan from one generation to the next, down to his own. Down to the last generation, the one which had sworn under the eyes of their elders not to tell them anymore - to replace them with vague mentions of evil spirits and demons. It had felt so wrong to kill a story, even though he understood why. Luthold hated it. He was glad now to break his word.

  “We don’t know where they came from,” he began, “any more than we know why the first trees sprouted from the ground. For a long time they seemed to be our friends.” He shook his head. “I can’t tell you why they changed, why they turned from wisdom to cruelty and violent rages. We don't know why they betrayed us. But I’ll tell you what I do know. It starts at the very beginning for our people. It starts with Raska, when she arrived in this forest with Tion and her followers. It starts with the very first of the Seveners.