A Sele ducked in with two more bowls of the dry grain. This time Catryn was hungry enough to eat without complaint. There was only water to drink, but it was pure and sweet. Dahl drank it gratefully. Catryn was on her feet as soon as she had finished. “I must see to the horse,” she said. She looked as if she would say more, but bit her lip to stop the words before they could tumble out. Dahl remained seated, dazed with sleeplessness, staring into the blackened remains of their fire. The morning air was cool and he shivered, but he made no move to pull on his cloak. He hardly even noticed when Catryn returned, but when she sank down onto the ground beside him and stared into the dead fire, equally wordless but obviously troubled, he was forced to acknowledge her. “What is it?” he asked. “Is the horse no better?” “It’s better,” she answered. “The bleeding has stopped and the Sele say it will mend, but it will be many days before it can travel. They say I must stay to nurse it.
