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ovenant tried to ask questions； he felt that he no longer knew the man to whom he spoke。
Bannor met his first tentative inquiries by introducing Covenant to the Ramen…Manethrall Kam； and his Cords； Whane； Lal； and Puhl…and by assuring him that they would reach their destination by evening the next day。 He explained that this band of Ramen was a scouting patrol responsible for detecting marauders along the western marge of Ra； they had found Covenant and his panions by chance rather than design。 When Covenant asked about Rue； the Manethrall who had brought word of Fleshharrower's army to Revelstone seven years ago； Bannor replied flatly that she had died soon after her return home。 But after that； Covenant had to wrestle for what he wanted to know。
At last he could find no graceful way to frame his question。 〃You left the Lords；〃 he rasped awkwardly。 〃Why are you here？〃
〃The Vow was broken。 How could we remain？〃
〃They need you。 They couldn't need you more。〃
〃Ur…Lord； I say to you that the Vow was broken。 Many things were broken。 You were present。 We could not…ur…Lord； I am old now。 I； Bannor； First Mark of the Bloodguard。 I require sleep and hot food。
Though I was bred for mountains； this cold penetrates my bones。 I am no fit server for Revelstone…no； nor for the Lords； though they do not equal High Lord Kevin who went before them。〃
〃Then why are you here？ Why didn't you just go home and forget it？〃
Foamfollower winced at Covenant's tone； but Bannor replied evenly； 〃That was my purpose…when I departed Lord's Keep。 But I found I could not forget。 I had ridden too many Ranyhyn。 At night I saw them…in my dreams they ran like clear skies and cleanliness。 Have you not beheld them？ Without Vows or defiance of death； they surpassed the faith of the Bloodguard。 Therefore I returned。〃
〃Just because you were addicted to Ranyhyn？ You let the Lords and Revelstone and all go to hell and blood； but you came here because you couldn't give up riding Ranyhyn？〃
〃I do not ride。〃
Covenant stared at him。
〃I have e to share the work of the Ramen。 A few of the Haruchai…I know not how many…a few felt as I did。 We had known Kevin in the youth of his glory； and could not forget。 Terrel is here； and Runnik。 There are others。 We teach our skills to the Ramen； and learn from them the tending of the great horses。 Perhaps we will learn to make peace with our failure before we die。〃
Make peace； Covenant groaned。 Bannor！ The very simplicity of the Bloodguard's explanation dismayed him。 So all those centuries of untainted and sleepless service came to this。
He asked Bannor no more questions； he was afraid of the answers。
For the rest of that day； he fell out of touch with his purpose。 Despite the concern and panionship of Foamfollower and Lena； he walked between them in morose separateness。 Banner's words had numbed his heart。 And he slept that night on his back with his eyes upward； as if he did not believe that he would ever see the sun again。
But the next morning he remembered。 Shortly after dawn； Manethrall Kam's party met another Cord。 The man was on his way to the edge of the Plains； and in his hands he carried two small bouquets of yellow flowers。 The gray wind made their frail petals flutter pathetically。 After saluting Manethrall Kam； he strode out into the open； shouted shrilly against the wind in a language Covenant could not understand。 He repeated his shout； then waited with his hands extended as if he were offering flowers to the wind。
Shortly； out of the shelter of a frozen gully came two Ranyhyn； a stallion and a mare。 The stallion's chest was scored with fresh claw…marks； and the mare had a broken； hollow look； as if she had just lost her foal。 Both were as gaunt as skeletons； hunger had carved the pride from their shoulders and haunches； exposed their ribs； given their emaciated muscles an abject starkness。 They hardly seemed able to hold up their heads。 But they nickered to the Cord。 With a stumbling gait； they trotted forward； and began at once to eat the flowers he offered to them。 In three bites the food was gone。 He hugged them quickly； then turned away with tears in his eyes。
Without a word； Manethrall Kam gave the Cord the bedraggled circlet from his hair； so that each of the Ranyhyn could have one more bite。 〃That is amanibhavam； the healing grass of Ra；〃 he explained stiffly to Covenant。 〃It is a hardy grass； not so easily daunted by this winter as the Render might wish。 It will keep life in them…for another day。〃 As he spoke； he glared redly into Covenant's face； as if the misery of these two horses were the Unbeliever's doing。 With a brusque nod toward the Cord feeding the Ranyhyn； he went on： 〃He walked ten leagues today to bring even this much food to them。'' The haunted erosion filled his face； he looked like the victim of a curse。 Painfully； he turned and strode away again northward； along the edges of the Plains。
Covenant remembered； he had no trouble remembering his purpose now。 When he followed the Manethrall； he walked as if he were fighting the deadness of his feet with outrage。
In the course of that day； he saw a few more Ranyhyn。 Two were uninjured； but all were gaunt； weak； humbled。 All had gone a long way down the road toward starvation。
The sight of them wore heavily upon Lena。 There was no confusion in the way she perceived them； no distortion or inaccuracy。 Such vision consumed her。 As time passed； her eyes sank back under her brows； as if they were trying to hide in her skull； and dark circles like bruises grew around the orbs。 She stared brittlely about her as if even Covenant were dim in her gaze…as if she beheld nothing but the protruding ribs and fleshless limbs of Ranyhyn。
Covenant held her arm as they walked； guided and supported her as best he could。 Weariness gradually became irrelevant to him； even the keen wind； flaying straight toward him across the Plains； seemed to lose its importance。 He stamped along behind Kam like a wild prophet； e to forge the Ramen to his will。
They reached the outposts of Kam's destination by midafternoon。 Ahead of them； two Cords abruptly stepped out of a barren copse of wattle； and saluted Manethrall Kam in the Ramen fashion； with their hands raised °n either side of their heads and their palms open； weaponless。 Kam returned the bow； spoke to the two briefly in a low； aspirated tongue； then motioned for Covenant； Lena； and Foamfollower to continue on with him。 As they moved back into the hills； he told them； 〃My Cords were able to summon only three other Manethralls。 But four will be enough。〃
〃Enough？〃 Covenant asked。
〃The Ramen will accept a judgment made by four Manethralls。〃
Covenant met Kam's glare squarely。 A moment later； the Manethrall turned away with an oddly daunted air； as if he had remembered that Covenant's claim on him came from the Ranyhyn。 Hurrying now； he led his pany upward with the gray wind cutting at their backs。
They climbed across two steep bluffs which gave them a panoramic view of the Plains。 The hard open ground lay ruined below them； scorched with winter and gray snow until it looked maimed and