[Arry]

Wulfham

He was sleeping soundly, a pleasant dream just running at the edges of his consciousness. There was music playing of some sort, a happy tune. He tried to catch onto it, wanting to follow where it led. But beneath the pleasant sound was one of sorrow. Someone, at a distance, was sobbing.

Brand pulled himself up from the depths of sleep, until he was completely awake. The nap and the willow bark tea had done much to take his headache away. He sat up carefully, and smiled just a little, noting that the place where the cat had clawed his face was not throbbing. Nor did he feel in the least dizzy.

The sobbing continued, and he stood up, orienting on the source. It was coming from somewhere on the river-side of the camp. Brand stood up and walked toward the water. To his right as he neared it were two or three elm trees and behind them some low growing bushes. He could see Incana’s horse, Starlight standing near one of the trees, her head bent down occasionally nudging a form huddled at the trees base. It was Incana . . . and she was the one who was crying.

Brand tred softly up to her and lowered himself to the ground so that he was sitting quite near her. She seemed so sad and so lonely.

‘What’s the matter, Incana?’ he asked softly. He extended his fingers tentatively and touched her lightly on the arm. ‘What can I do for you?’