She stood up and held him out to Karne.
‘His name is Isar,’ she said quietly, humbly. ‘I know no more than that.’
And Isar he was called.
* * * *
When Fern felt rested and strong enough to continue on the journey Kyra wove a little carrying basket for Isar and Karne strapped it on to Fern’s back.
When they had left the waterways they had thought that they would have great trouble making progress towards the south across the land, most of which was deeply forested. But they soon found the network of trackways that Ayrlon had described to them. The whole country seemed to be criss-crossed with narrow tracks that led straight from Sacred Circle to Sacred Circle. Where the tracks had become overgrown and difficult to follow there was always something they could use to sight their course u
