about you sometimes.”
The Talismans of Shannara 193
“Worry about me. Phaagg! Whatever for? After Morro-
windl, nothing much frightens me. This is a good world you
live in. Wren of the Elves.”
“But not so good where we’re going. Do you know? ”
“Hsssttt. I heard. More of the dark things, the same as
Morrowindl’s. But how bad are these. Elf girl? Are they things
like the rrowwwil Wisteron? ”
The Splinterscat’s nose was damp and glistening in the star-
light. “No,” she answered. “Not yet, at least. These are men,
but many more than we are and determined to destroy us.”
Stresa thought about it for a moment. “Still, better than the
monsters.”
“Yes, better.” She breathed the hot night air in a sigh. “But
some of these men make monsters, too.”
“So nothing changes, does it? ” The Splinterscat ruffled its
quills and rose. “I’ll be close to you hssttt but you won’t see
me. If you need me, though phhfftt I’ll be there.”
“You could stay,” she suggested.
Stresa spit. “I’m happier in the forest. Safer, too. Rowwill.
You’d be safer as well, but you won’t go. I’ll have to be your
eyes. Hssstt! What I see, you’ll know about first.” The tongue
licked out. “Watch yourself. Wren Elessedil. Don’t forget the
lessons of Morrowindl.”
She nodded. “I won’t.”
Stresa turned and started away. “Send the Squeak ssttt if you
need me,” he whispered back, and then was gone.
She stared after him into the darkness for a time, Paun cra-
dled in her arms, small and warm. Finally she lay back again,
smiled, and closed her eyes. She felt better for knowing that
the Splinterscat was there for her.
In seconds she was asleep once more. She did not wake
again until morning.
XVII
> t daybreak, the vanguard of the Elven army prepared to
set out again. Wren summoned Tib Ame and advised
khim that she was sending him back to the free-bom to
make certain that they knew he had found them and to urge
them to come as quickly as possible. She assured him that it
was important that he go or she would have honored his re-
quest to stay. She told him he was welcome to return when the
message was delivered. Tib pouted a bit and expressed his dis-
appointment, but in the end he agreed that she was right and
promised to do his best to huny the free-bom to their aid.
Desidio gave him a pair of Elven Hunters to act as escorts and
protectors—despite his repeated protests that he needed no
one—and the trio set out through the valley to the Streleheim
Plains. Gloon did not make an appearance, and Wren was just
as glad.
It took the Elves the better part of two days to close the gap
between themselves and the Federation. They traveled swiftly
and steadily, using me open grasslands to speed their passage,
relying on the Wing Riders and the cavalry scouts to keep
from being discovered. The Wing Riders brought back regular
reports of the Southland army’s progress, which had slowed.
One day had been used in crossing the Mermidon and a second
in repairs to equipment caused by water damage. The Federa-
tion had not traveled far beyond the north bank of the
Mermidon when, by midaftemoon of the second day, the Elves
found themselves within striking distance.
The Wing Riders brought word of the contact, two of them,
speeding out of the sun where it hung against the sky in a blaz-
194
The Talismans of Shannara 195
ing white heat. The Elves were spread out along the edges of
the Westland forests not far from where the Mermidon bent
back upon itself coming out of the Pykon. When Wren was in-
formed that the approaching army was no more than five miles
distant and closing, she had Desidio order the Elves back into
the shelter of the trees to wait for nightfall. There, in the cool
of the shade, she called together the expedition’s commanders.
“We have a choice to make,” she informed them.
They were five in all, Triss, Desidio, Tiger Ty, Erring Rift,
and herself. Rift was a tall, stoop-shouldered Elf with a shaggy