The Shadow Rising

Hu and Tad, the lanky stablemen, led Stepper and Swallow around soon after they stepped outside. Everyone else seemed to be gathered at the far end of the village, beyond the Green with its sheep and cows and geese, and that crimson-and-white wolfhead ba

Whatever was going on, it was clearly not an attack. He could see women and children in the crowd, and the shouts of "Trolloc" had died down to a murmur like an echo of the geese. He rode slowly, not wanting to waver in his saddle; Faile kept Swallow close, watching him. If she could change her mind once for no reason, she could again, and he did not want any arguments about whether he should be there.

The babbling crowd did appear to contain everyone in Emond's Field, villagers and farmers alike, all jammed shoulder to shoulder, but they made way for him and Faile when they saw who he was. His name entered the murmurs, usually tagged with Goldeneyes. He picked up the word "Trollocs," too, but in tones more wondering than frightened. From Stepper's back he had a good view over their heads.

The knotted mass of people stretched all the way beyond the last houses to the hedge of sharpened stakes. The edge of the forest, nearly six hundred paces off across a field of stumps nearly level with the ground, was quiet and empty of men with axes. Those men made a sweaty, bare-chested ring in the crowd surrounding Ala

The tangle around the Aes Sedai was too tight for anyone to shift aside for Stepper and Swallow, but there were smaller clear pockets around Ihvon and Tomas, off to either side on their war-horses. Folk did not want to come too near those fierce-eyed animals, both looking as though they only wanted an opportunity to bite or trample.

Perrin managed to reach Tomas without too much trouble. "What happened?"

"A Trolloc. Only one." Despite the graying Warder's conversational tone, his dark eyes did not rest on Perrin and Faile, but kept an almost equal watch on Verin and on the treeline. "They usually are not very smart, alone. Sly, but not smart. The timbering party drove it away before it did more than draw some blood."

From out of the trees the two Aiel women appeared, ru

"Perhaps five hundred Trollocs," Bain told her, "probably no more than a mile or two behind us." Her voice was level, but her dark blue eyes sparkled with eagerness. So did Chiad's gray.

"As I expected," Tomas said calmly. "That one likely wandered off from the larger body hoping to find a meal. The rest will be coming soon, I think." The Maidens nodded.

Perrin gestured in consternation at the jam of people. "They shouldn't be out here, then. Why haven't you cleared them away?"

It was Ihvon, bringing his gray into the gathering, who answered. "Your people do not seem to want to listen to outsiders, not when they can watch Aes Sedai. I would suggest you see what you can do."

Perrin was sure they could have imposed some sort of order had they really tried. Verin and Ala

He had no time to try figuring it out now. Sca

All three men looked up when Perrin pushed Stepper through the crowd to them. "Bain says Trollocs are heading this way, and the Warders think we may be attacked soon." He had to shout because of the incessant drone of voices. Some of the nearer folk heard and fell silent; quiet spread on ripples of "Trolloc" and "attack."

Bran blinked. "Yes. It had to come, didn't it? Yes, well, we know what to do." He should have looked comic, with his jerkin ready to pop its seams and his steel cap wobbling when he nodded, but he only looked determined. Raising his voice, he a

The crowd stirred and flowed, women herding children back toward the houses, men milling every which way. Confusion seemed to grow more rather than less.

"I'll see to getting the shepherds in," Abell told Perrin, and dove into the throng.

Ce

"You are doing fine," Faile said.

"I wish I knew what Verin and Ala

"They mean you to be a leader," Faile replied quietly. "It is what you were born for, I think."

Perrin snorted. He had been born to be a blacksmith. "I'd be a lot more comfortable if I knew why they wanted it." The Aes Sedai were looking at him, Verin with head tilted, birdlike, Ala

Order asserted itself with surprising quickness. Along this west end of the village a hundred men knelt on one knee right behind the bristle of stakes, uneasily fingering spears or halberds or some polearm made from a bush hook or scythe. Here and there one wore a helmet or some bit of armor. To their rear, twice as many formed two lines holding good Two Rivers longbows, each with a pair of quivers at his belt. Young boys came ru

To his surprise, Da