The exiles sailed far enough out to sea to keep the coast in sight, while remaining unrecognizable to anyone on shore. They fished to reinforce the image and supplement their food supply. Tournak passed the hours by instructing his charges on the art of sailing the open seas in a small craft. The wizard was an excellent sailor, and the boys gained their sea legs fast. Strangely green for a brown bird, Twit stayed in the cabin. He’d abandoned the swinging cage by the time they were out of the harbor, but sat on a beam and avoided looking at any movement around him.Halfway up Tixos’ western coast, the seas worsened and waves tossed the boat in treacherous, conflicting currents. Few, if any, boats sailed west of Tixos. The small craft bobbed in the churning sea and barely moved ahead for three days. By the morning of the sixth day, dark clouds of ominous fog and mist formed a swirling wall in front of them. Anyone else would have heeded the warning and turned back down the coast, but Tournak knew the source of the threatening weather.
