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Clutching hard at Lena's arm； he drew her with him into the cleft。
TEN
Pariah
After the first bend； even the trailing light of the campfires was cut off； and he could see nothing。 Lena moved like a puppet in his grasp… empty and unadept。 He wanted her to hold onto him； so that he would have both hands free； but when he wrapped her fingers around his arm； they slipped limply off again。 He was forced to grope ahead with his left hand； and retain her with his maimed right。 His numbness made him feel at every moment that he was about to lose her。
The shouting pursued him along the crevice； increased his sense of urgency yell by yell。 He cursed furiously； trying to keep himself from being frantic。
When the rift divided； he followed the left wall。 In a few steps； this crevice became so narrow that he had to move along it sideways； pulling Lena after him。 Then it began to descend。 Soon it was so steep that the moldering leaves and loam of the floor occasionally shifted under their feet。 There the rift became a tunnel。 The stone sealed over their heads； while the floor leveled until the ceiling was so close that it made Covenant duck for fear he might crack open his skull。 The utter lightlessness of the passage dismayed him。 He felt that he was groping his way blindly into the bowels of the earth； felt at every step that the tunnel might pitch him into a chasm。 He no longer heard any sound from the canyon； his own loud scrabbling filled his ears。 Yet he did not stop。 The pressure of his urgency； the pressure of the blind stone impending over the back of his neck； pelled him onward。
Still Lena gave no sign of life。 She stumbled； moved at his pull； bumped dumbly against the walls of the tunnel； but her arm in his grasp was inert。 He could not even hear her breathing。 He tugged her after him as if she were a mindless child。
At last the tunnel ended。 Without warning； the stone vanished； and Covenant blundered into a thicket。 The stems and branches lashed at him as if he were an enemy。 Protecting his eyes with his forearm； he thrust ahead until he found himself on open ground； sweating in the teeth of the wind。
The night was as dank and bitter as ever； but after the pitch blackness of the tunnel he found that he could see vaguely。 He and Lena stood below a high； looming bluff。 Thickets and brush covered most of its base； but beyond them the ground sloped down barrenly toward the Plains of Ra。
He paused in the scything wind and tried to take stock of the situation。 The tunnel from this side was well disguised by the thickets and underbrush； but still the Ramen should have posted sentries here。 Where were they？ He saw no one； heard nothing but the wind。
He was tempted to call out； but the frigid emptiness of the night restrained him。 If the Ramen were defeated； the marauders would have no difficulty following him through the tunnel； Cavewights and ur…viles could take such passages in the dark gleefully。 Ur…viles might already be watching him from the thicket。
North； then east； Bannor had said。 He knew he had to start moving。 But he had no supplies…no food； no bedding； no fire。 Even if he were not pursued； he could hardly hope to survive in this cold。 If Bannor and the Giant did not e soon； he and Lena were finished。
But Bannor had said that they would overtake him。 It's too late； he muttered to steady his resolve； it's too late to start worrying about the impossible。 It's all been impossible from the beginning。 Just get going。 At least get her out of this wind。
He put Lena on his left； wrapped his arm around her； and started north across the preternatural current of the winter。
He hurried as much as possible； supporting Lena； glancing fearfully back over his shoulder to see if they were being followed。 When he reached a break in the hills on his left； he faced a difficult decision： Bannor and Foamfollower would locate him more easily if he stayed on the edge of the Plains； but if he moved up among the hills he would have a better chance of finding shelter and aliantha。 After a painful moment； he chose the hills。 He would have to trust the hunting skills of his friends； Lena was his first concern。
He labored strenuously up through the break； half carrying his panion。 Once he had passed beyond the first crests； he found a shallow valley running roughly northward which provided some cover from the wind。 But he did not stop； he was not far enough from the tunnel。 Instead； he took Lena along the valley and into the hills beyond it。
On the way； he stumbled by chance into a battered aliantha。 It had few berries； but its presence there reassured him somewhat。 He ate two berries himself； then tried to get Lena to take the others。 But she neither saw the aliantha nor heard his demands； all her outer senses were blank。
He ate the rest of the treasure…berries so that they would not be wasted； then left the bush behind and took Lena along and out of the valley。 For a long time after that； he could not find an easy way through the hills。 He struggled generally northward； searching for usable valleys or paths； but the terrain turned him insistently east； downhill toward the plains。 Now the sweat was freezing in his beard again； and his muscles slowly stiffened against the icy cut of the wind。 Whenever the wind hit Lena directly； she trembled。 At last her need for shelter became imperative in his mind。 When he saw a darker shadow which looked like a gully in the wasteland below him； he gave up on the hills and went down to it。
It had not deceived him。 It was a dry arroyo with sheer sides。 In places its walls were more than ten feet high。 He took Lena down an uneven slope into the gully； then guided her under the lee of the opposite wall and seated her with her back against the packed dirt。
As he peered at her through the darkness； her condition scared him。 She shivered constantly now； and her skin was cold and clammy。 Her face held no recognition； no awareness of where she was or what was happening to her。 He chafed her wrists roughly； but her arms remained limp； as if the cold had unmarrowed her bones。 〃Lena；'' he called to her hesitantly； then with more force。 〃Lena！〃 She did not answer。 She sat slack against the wall as if she had decided to freeze to death rather than acknowledge the fact that the man she loved was a murderer。
〃Lena！〃 he begged gruffly。 〃Don't make me do this。 I don't want to do it again。〃
She did not respond。 The irregular moan and catch of her breathing gave no indication that she had heard him。 She looked as brittle as frostbitten porcelain。
With a fierce grimace clenched on his face； he drew back his halfhand and struck her hard across the side of her head for the second time in his life。
Her head snapped soddenly to the side； swung back toward him。 For an instant； her breath shuddered in her lungs； and her lips trembled as if the air hurt her mouth。 Then suddenly her hands leaped out like claws。 Her nails dug into the flesh of his face around his eyes。 She gripped him there； gouging him； poised ready to tear his eyes out。
A sharp nausea of fear wrenched his guts； made him flinch。 But he