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shape…changer … in the pass。 A windblown crow sailed past him on an updraft； he caught eagerly at its mind。 But it did not know his language。 He loosed it。 The wild； sonorous winds boomed hollowly through the peaks； the trees roared around him； smelling of winter。 He turned finally； hunched in the wind； to follow the flow of the Ose back into the world。
But he stood still after a step； watching the water rush away from him toward Isig and Osterland and the northern trade…ports of the realm。 His own power held him motionless。 There was no place anywhere in the realm for a man who unbound land…law and shaped wind。 The river echoed the voices he had heard； speaking languages not even the wizards could understand。 He thought of the dark； blank face of wind that was the High One； who would give him nothing except his life。
〃For what？〃 he whispered。 He wanted to shout the words suddenly at the battered； expressionless face of Erlenstar Mountain。 The wind would simply swallow his cry。 He took another step down the river toward Harte； where he would find shelter； warmth； fort from Danan Isig。 But the king could give him no answers。 He was trapped by the past； the pawn of an ancient war he was finally beginning to understand。 The vague longing in him to explore his own strange； unpredictable power frightened him。 He stood at the river's edge for a long time； until the mists along the peaks began to darken and a shadow formed across the face of Erlenstar Mountain。 Finally； he turned away from it； wandered through the rain and icy mists toward the mountains bordering the northern wastes。
He kept his own shape as he crossed them； though the rains in the high peaks turned to sleet sometimes and the rocks under his hands as he climbed were like ice。 His life hung in a precarious balance the first few days； though he hardly realized it。 He found himself eating without remembering how he had killed； or awake at dawn in a dry cave without remembering how he had found it。 Gradually； as he realized his disinclination to use power； he gave some thought to survival。 He killed wild mountain sheep； dragged them into a cave and skinned them； living on the meat while the pelts dried and weathered。 He sharpened a rib； prodded holes in the pelts and laced them together with strips of cloth from his tunic。 He made a great shaggy hooded cloak and lined his boots with fur。 When they were finished； he put them on and moved again； down the north face of the pass into the wastes。
There was little rain in the wasteland； only the driving； biting winds； and frost that turned the monotonous land into fire at sunrise。 He moved like a wraith； killing when he was hungry； sleeping in the open； for he rarely felt the cold； as if his body frayed without his knowledge into the winds。 One day he realized he was no longer moving across the arc of the sun； he had turned east； wandering toward the morning。 In the distance； he could see a cluster of foothills； with Grim Mountain jutting out of them； a harsh； blue…gray peak。 But it was so far away that he scarcely put a name to it。 He walked into mid…autumn； hearing nothing but the winds。 One night as he sat before his fire； vaguely feeling the winds urge against his shape； he looked down and saw the starred harp in his hands。
He could not remember reaching back for it。 He gazed at it； watching the silent run of fire down the strings。 He shifted after a while and positioned it。 His fingers moved patternlessly； almost inaudibly over the strings； following the rough； wild singing of the winds。
He felt no more pulsion to move。 He stayed at that isolated point in the wastes； which was no more than a few stones； a twisted shrub； a crack in the hard earth where a stream surfaced for a few feet； then vanished again underground。 He left the place only to hunt； he always found his way back to it； as if to the echo of his own harping。 He harped with the winds that blew from dawn until night； sometimes with only one high string； as he heard the lean； tense； wailing east wind； sometimes with all strings； the low note thrumming back at the boom of the north wind。 Sometimes； looking up； he would see a snow hare listening or catch the startled glance of a white falcon's eyes。 But as the autumn deepened； animals grew rare； seeking the mountains for food and shelter。 So he harped alone； a strange； furred； nameless animal with no voice but one strung between his hands。 His body was honed to the wind's harshness； his mind lay dormant like the wastes。 How long he would have stayed there； he never knew； for glancing up one night at a shift of wind across his fire； he found Raederle。
She was cloaked in rich silvery furs； her hair； blown out of her hood； streaked the dark like fire。 He sat still； his hands stopped on the harp strings。 She knelt down beside his fire； and he saw her face more clearly； weary； winter…pale； sculpted to a fine； changeless beauty。 He wondered if she were a dream； like the face he had seen between his hands in the dark lake water。 Then he saw that she was shivering badly。 She took her gloves off； drew his windblown fire to a still bright blaze with her hands。 Slowly he realized how long it had been since they had spoken。
〃Lungold；〃 he whispered。 The word seemed meaningless in the tumult of the wastes。 But she had journeyed out of the world to find him here。 He reached through the fire； laid his hand against her face。 She gazed at him mutely as he sat back again。 She drew her knees up； huddled in her furs against the wind。
〃I heard your harping；〃 she said。 He touched the strings soundlessly； remembering。
〃I promised you I would harp。〃 His voice was husky with disuse。 He added curiously； 〃Where have you been？ You followed me across the backlands； you were with me in Erlenstar Mountain。 Then you vanished。〃
She stared at him again； he wondered if she were going to answer。 〃I didn't vanish。 You did。〃 Her voice was suddenly tremulous。 〃Off the face of the realm。 The wizards have been searching everywhere for you。 So have the shape。。。 the shape…changers。 So have I。 I thought maybe you were dead。 But here you are； harping in this wind that could kill and you aren't even cold。〃
He was silent。 The harp that had sung with the winds felt suddenly chilled under his hands。 He set it on the ground beside him。 〃How did you find me？〃
〃I searched。 In every shape I could think of。 I thought maybe you were with the vesta。 So I went to Har and asked him to teach me the vesta…shape。 He started to； but when he touched my mind； he stopped and told me he did not think he had to teach me。 So； I had to explain that to him。 Then he made me tell him everything that had happened in Erlenstar Mountain。 He said nothing； except that you must be found。 Finally； he took me across Grim Mountain to the vesta herds。 And while I travelled with them； I began to hear your harping on the edge of my mind； on the edge of the winds。。。 Morgon； if I can find you； so can others。 Did you e out here to learn to harp？ Or did you just run？〃
〃I just ran。〃
〃Well； are you。。。 are you planning to e back？〃
〃For what？〃
She was silent。 The fire flickered wildly in front of her； weaving itself into the wind。 She stilled it again； her eyes never leaving his face。 She moved abruptly to his side and held him tightly； her face against the shaggy fur at his shoulder。
〃I could learn to live in the wastes； I guess；〃 she whispered。 〃It's so cold here； and nothing grows。。。 but the winds and your harping are beautiful。〃
His head bowed。 He put his arm around her； drawing her hood back so that he could feel her cheek against his。 Something touched his heart； an ache of cold that he finally felt； or a painful stirring of warmth。
〃You heard the voices of the shape…changers in Erlenstar Mountain；〃 he said haltingly。 〃You know what they are。 They know all languages。 They are Earth…Masters； still at war； after thousands of years； with the High One。 And I am bait for their traps。 That's why they never kill me。 They want him。 If they destroy him； they will destroy the realm。 If they cannot find me； perhaps they will not find him。〃 She