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〃A dangerous place； archer。 The Tower of Ghenjei is a bad place for umankind。〃
Perrin whirled； half…raising his bow before he saw the woman standing a few paces away； her golden hair in a thick braid to her waist； almost the way women wore it in the Two Rivers； but more intricately woven。 Her clothes were oddly cut； a short white coat and voluminous trousers of some thin pale yellow material gathered at the ankles above short boots。 Her dark cloak seemed to hide something that glinted silver at her side。
She shifted； and the metallic flicker vanished。 〃You have sharp eyes； archer。 I thought that the first time I saw you。〃
How long had she been watching？ It was embarrassing that she had sneaked up without him hearing。 At the least Hopper should have warned him。 The wolf was lying down in the knee high grass； muzzle on his forepaws； watching him。
The woman seemed vaguely familiar； though Perrin was certain he would have remembered her had he ever seen her before。 Who was she； to be in the wolf dream？ Or was it Moiraine's Tel'aran'rhiod； too？ 〃Are you Aes Sedai？〃
〃No； archer。〃 She laughed。 〃I only came to warn you； despite the prescripts。 Once entered； the Tower of Ghenjei is hard enough to leave in the world of men。 Here it is all but impossible。 You have a Bannerman's courage； which some say cannot be told from foolhardiness。〃
Impossible to leave？ The fellow … Slayer … surely had gone in。 Why would he do that if he could not leave？ 〃Hopper said it's dangerous； too。 The Tower of Ghenjei？ What is it？〃
Her eyes widened； and she glanced at Hopper； who still lay stretched out on the grass ignoring her and watching Perrin。 〃You can talk to wolves？ Now that is a thing long lost in legend。 So that is how you are here。 I should have known。 The tower？ It is a doorway； archer； to the realms of the Aelfinn and the Eelfinn。〃 She said the names as if he should recognize them。 When he looked at her blankly； she said； 〃Did you ever play the game called Snakes and Foxes？〃
〃All children do。 At least； they do in the Two Rivers。 But they give it up when they get old enough to realize there's no way to win。〃
〃Except to break the rules；〃 she said。 〃 'Courage to strengthen； fire to blind； music to daze； iron to bind。' 〃
〃That's a line from the game。 I don't understand。 What does it have to do with this tower？〃
〃Those are the ways to win against the snakes and the foxes。 The game is a remembrance of old dealings。 It does not matter so long as you stay away from the Aelfinn and the Eelfinn。 They are not evil the way the Shadow is evil； yet they are so different from humankind they might as well be。 They are not to be trusted； archer。 Stay clear of the Tower of Ghenjei。 Avoid the World of Dreams； if you can。 Dark things walk。〃
〃Like the man I was chasing？ Slayer。〃
〃A good name for him。 This Slayer is not old； archer； but his evil is ancient。〃 She almost appeared to be leaning slightly on something invisible； perhaps that silver thing he had never quite seen。 〃I seem to be telling you a great deal。 I do not understand why I spoke in the first place。 Of course。 Are you ta'veren； archer？〃
〃Who are you？〃 She seemed to know a lot about the tower； and the wolf dream。 But she was surprised I could talk to Hopper。 〃I've met you before somewhere； I think。〃
〃I have broken too many of the prescripts already； archer。〃
〃Prescripts？ What prescripts？〃 A shadow fell on the ground behind Hopper； and Perrin turned quickly； angry at being caught by surprise again。 There was no one there。 But he had seen it； the shadow of a man with the hilts of two swords rising above his shoulders。 Something about that image teased his memory。
〃He is right；〃 the woman said behind him。 〃I should not be talking to you。〃
When he turned back； she was gone。 As far as he could see were only grassland and scattered thickets。 And the gleaming； silvery tower。
He frowned at Hopper； who finally lifted his head from his paws。 〃It's a wonder you aren't attacked by chipmunks；〃 Perrin muttered。 〃What did you make of her？〃
Her？ A she？ Hopper stood； looking around。 Where？
〃I was talking to her。 Right here。 Just now。〃
You made noises at the wind； Young Bull。 There was no she here。 None but you and I。
Perrin scratched his beard irritably。 She had been there。 He had not been talking to himself。 〃Strange things can happen here；〃 he told himself。 〃She agreed with you； Hopper。 She told me to stay away from this tower。〃
She is wise。 There was an element of doubt in the thought； Hopper still did not believe there had been any 〃she。〃
〃I've e awfully far afield from what I intended；〃 Perrin muttered。 He explained his need to find wolves in the Two Rivers； or the mountains above； explained about the ravens； and the Trollocs in the Ways。
When he was done； Hopper remained silent for a long time； his bushy tail held low and stiff。 Finally。。。 Avoid your old home； Young Bull。 The image Perrin's mind called 〃home〃 was of the land marked by a wolfpack。 There are no wolves there now。 Those who were and did not flee are dead。 Slayer walks the dream there。
〃I have to go home； Hopper。 I have to。〃
Take care； Young Bull。 The day of the Last Hunt draws near。 We will run together in the Last Hunt。
〃We will；〃 Perrin said sadly。 It would be nice if he could e here when he died； he was half wolf already； it seemed sometimes。 〃I have to go now； Hopper。〃
May you know good hunting； Young Bull； and shes to give you many cubs。
〃Goodbye； Hopper。〃
He opened his eyes to the dim light of dying coals on the mountainside。 Gaul was squatting just beyond the edge of the light； watching the night。 In the other camp； Faile was up； taking her turn at guard。 The moon hung above the mountains； turning the clouds to pearly shadows。 Perrin estimated he had been asleep two hours。
〃I'll keep guard awhile；〃 he said； tossing off his cloak。 Gaul nodded and settled himself on the ground where he was。 〃Gaul？〃 The Aiel raised his head。 〃It may be worse in the Two Rivers than I thought。〃
〃Things often are；〃 Gaul replied quietly。 〃It is the way of life。〃 The Aielman calmly put his head down for sleep。
Slayer。 Who was he？ What was he？ Shadowspawn at the Waygate； ravens in the Mountains of Mist； and this man called Slayer in the Two Rivers。 It could not be coincidence； however much he wished it。
Chapter 29
（Dragon's Fang）
Homeing
The journey into the Westwood that had taken him perhaps half a dozen strides or so in the wolf dream； out of the mountains and across the Sand Hills； lasted three long days on horses。 The Aid had no trouble keeping up afoot； but then the animals themselves could not manage much speed with the land mostly up and down as it was。 Perrin's wounds itched fiercely； healing； Faile's ointment seemed to be working。
It was a quiet journey by and large； broken more often by the bark of a hunting fox or the echoing cry of a hawk than by anyone speaking。 At least they saw no more ravens。 More than once he thought Faile was about to bring her mare over close to him； about to say something； but each time she restrained herself。 He was glad of it； he wanted to talk to her more than anything； but what if he found himself making up with her？ He berated himself for wanting to。 She had tricked Loial； tricked him。 She was going to make everything worse； make it harder。 He wished he could kiss her again。 He wished she would decide she had had her fill of him and go。 Why did she have to be so stubborn？
She and the two Aiel women kept to themselves； Bain and Chiad striding along on either side of Swallow when one or the other was not ranging ahead。 Sometimes the three of them murmured softly among themselves； after which they avoided looking at him so pointedly that they might as well have thrown rocks。 Loial rode with them at Perrin's request； though the situation obviously upset him no end。 Loial's ears twitched as if he wished he had never heard of humans。 Gaul seemed to find the entire thing vastly amusing； whenever Perrin looked at him； he wore an