‘We’ll never be safe from the invaders, these blackbirders… Will we?’ Sarah said.

Peter helped her prepare the saddle webbing so Walt and Jan could ride behind her.

‘If things are anything like how they were before, then no.’

‘How can you be so sure that the situation is unchanged? Maybe it is different now. Better.’

Peter smiled at her optimism and his guts clenched. ’I don’t know. It’s like deja vu. But not that exactly either. I feel I’m walking towards the past somehow but that I can’t change anything. It’s like a…’

‘Bad dream.’

Peter caught her look and his smile broadened. ‘No. Not a bad dream.’

He didn’t say his next thoughts out loud.

I’m just scared about what comes next.

Clan and klaed formed up and made their way down the trail. The long shallow slope stretched ahead of them in stark contrast to the precipitous mountain tracks through rocks and snow.

But the wayhouse had been a welcome comfort, though few of the Clan and klaed could stay there, at least they could trade grazing beasts for food. And fresh vegetables and even fruit. There had been rejoicing at that. The mountain and before that, the long weeks of meat and preserved food in the snow bound Clan lands had been hard to take. He had even lost some weight, and he had little enough to spare.

And finally the grazing beasts have some pasture too.

The Clan mounts wound through the herd as they wandered through lush grasslands flush with snow melt and rain. The herd had left at first light with a guard of mounts and moasaurs, so their slow progress allowed them to eat their fill. But the klaed militia and most of the mounts did not dawdle. They made faster progress down the foothills, through the pastureland and low scrub on the edge of the true forest.

The route would take them close to Hatunqari even though most of the klaed militia would slip away to small holdings amongst the hills. But Khavuraqo had convinced the Clan to head deeper into the mountain klaeds to the west, back into the higher lands.

‘It is further from the Empire, and the nezhnakhevo. The Clan will find land there. And humans to dwell amongst.’

Sarah and Dusty said they could always go elsewhere should the welcome not be to their liking. Peter could not argue with that logic.

But the Clan are refugees now.

He could not be sure they would be accepted, even by other humans. They did not even speak Thaluk.

Some might even see them as invaders.

The proud Clan had wealth though. The impressive fighting mounts would be an asset to the klaed, and Peter guessed they would soon ally with the rebels. He remembered the ice men from the south had been welcomed by the rebels. And the huge grazing beast herd would provide a livelihood to sustain the Clan.

If they don’t have to pay a tax to graze these hillsides.

The thraqanonkra pack ran up and tumbled around Varuk’hat’s mount in play. The carnivore snapped at the smaller beasts but did so almost as if they played as well.

Sarah rode with the other Clan leaders, while Jan rode amongst the grazing beasts.

‘You can’t bring them with us,’ said Peter to Walt and Tiz as they wrestled with the beasts.

Where do they find the energy?

’Those creatures should not still be with us,’ said Varuk’hat. ‘They are of the enemy and can never be trusted.’

‘I know. Can you imagine them amongst civilized people?’

Again Peter doubted the boy could really communicate without tulanvarqa, but he doubted that if he could talk to them that’s what he would say.

‘You tell them to go then,’ said Walt. ‘I’ve tried.’

I guess I can humor Walt at least.

Peter slid to the ground down the mount’s flank. The pack turned to him and settled, almost as if they waited for him. Somehow.

‘You’ve got to leave. You cannot stay with the Clan. And we cannot provide for you if you come with us. Walt has asked you to go.’

‘We stay.’

Peter narrowed his eyes.

Did I hear that right?

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‘With young ones.’ The thraqanonkra bobbed its head and stared at him.

‘No. You go,’ Peter said with more urgency.

Too freaking freaky.

The beasts ran off and Peter straightened his back. ‘Looks like they heard me.’

‘But did they listen?’ Tiz laughed. ‘I’ve a feeling…’

Peter sighed at Walt’s dejected expression.

‘Good riddance,’ said Varuk’hat. ‘My fear though is they spy for the Arthans. I have to monitor the radio more closely now. They will not give up the zharaqsa — catalyst so easily.

The boys refused to ride with him on Varuk’hat’s mount and instead joined Jan and each rode a grazing beast amongst the herd.

By noon when they stopped to eat a cold meal they could see the wide flat plains to the east. Peter began to recognize it from his time here before. He even looked for the great way that ran across the plain to Hatunqari but could not see it through the shimmering haze and brightness of the horizon.

We might still make it to the portal in time. But we will have to hurry.

He chafed at the need to stay with the Clan, so he and Varuk’hat were some of the first to set off again.

As night fell the herd spread over a wide pasture on the banks of a winding river.

Where they stopped for the night the glow of the large city showed in the bright underside of low clouds. They twisted and boiled up in the sky as they scudded overhead from the plains towards the mountain. Further to the east the moon rose towards the clouds. The white bright faceless moon. Peter shivered. It looked nearly full.

The mounts drew together as the darkness took hold. The riders would stay close to the herds and then send to Hatunqari for supplies in the morning. The klaed lit fires and settled in groups as the chill east wind rose.

So much for the warm land in the north.

The smell of dust from the plains reminded him of the last time he had stood near here. He looked for the stars, but the clouds still covered the sky and the light from moon and city made all but the barest glimpse of the stars impossible to see. He could not find his direction.

‘I don’t want to wait,’ Peter said to the imp.

Varuk’hat turned. ‘We could press on. But what of the children. And Sarah?’

Peter didn’t know where Walt and Tiz had got to. Jan rode on a grazing beast next to Sarah and the shaman.

‘You can’t just leave in the middle of the night. Tomorrow will be soon enough.’

Peter didn’t sleep well in the Clan tent that night. The wind shifted and came from the east and began gust and rip around the felted tent fabric. And in the morning Varuk’hat wake him when he had just dropped off.

‘You were right, we’ve got to leave,’ the imp said. ‘We should have pressed on last night.’

‘Why? What’s happened?’ Peter threw off the fur-feather sleeping cloak.

‘Imperials. They and the blackbirder skyship are coming to Hatunqari.’

‘How do you know?’ Peter stepped out of the tent so as not to disturb Tiz and Walt. Varuk’hat had harnessed his mount.

‘You were going to leave us all, weren’t you imp?’

‘No. I promised.’

‘But you thought about it.’

‘I monitored the radio and heard chatter between a blackbirder skyship called Neqharazathesa — Our Black Blood, and an officer, they hide on an imperial skyfort.’

‘Our Black Blood,’ said Peter. “I know that skyship.’

‘Do you know what this means? The blackbirders have agents within the Imperial Navy now.’

Peter’s heart began to race. ‘I suspected. But it’s insane. I left here years ago, but came back before I left.’

‘What?’ The imp craned his neck to look up at Peter. ‘That doesn’t matter now. They’re still after the zharaqsa catalyst.’

‘No. It does matter. It’s too much of a coincidence. Imperial and blackbirder skyships converging on Hatunqari, klaed forces and the Clan gathered nearby. And it’s the right stage of the moon.’

‘What are you babbling?’ said Varuk’hat. ‘Get the others. We have to get moving.’

‘What does aramqhami say?’ Sarah said.

Peter forgot that no one could understand Varuk’hat’s words. Perhaps Grey could with the translator on the radio he stole.

‘We have a problem,’ said Peter to Sarah. ‘The whole Imperial Navy is about to arrive at Hatunqari.’

‘I didn’t say that,’ said Varuk’hat, but then he must have heard Peter’s meaning. ‘The Imperial Navy? How do you know?’

‘The imp has a device that can hear their words.’

‘I know what a radio is Peter.’ Sarah stepped closer. ‘There just shouldn’t be any here on Eoth. But Grey had one. Didn’t he? I’ve not forgotten. So aramqhami — this agent of fate has a radio, and he listens to the enemy? Why didn’t you tell us?’

‘I know what happens next,’ said Peter. ‘A rebellion is growing, there will be a huge battle. Soon I think. We’ve got to warn the klaed.’

Peter strode towards where the klaed broke their camp. Khavuraqo stood out amongst the rest of the militia.

‘Most will leave you here,’ said Khavuraqo. ‘I will accompany the Clan but most of the militia return to their own lands and settlements.’

‘No. The Imperial Navy is coming,’ said Peter. ‘You need to gather your forces.’

And he told him what he and the imp knew of the events unfolding.

‘Shaiyvaqara rises,’ said Khavuraqo. ‘Against the season the east wind blows from the plains. If there are Imperial skyships that sail upon it they will come fast. But why do they come? And how do you know?’

‘They are a day away,’ Peter explained enough so they knew Varuk’hat could track them. Hear some of their communications.

‘How is this a concern for us?’ Khavuraqo said.

‘You need to warn the klaeds. I know you do not support the Empire. Gather the klaeds, call the militias to Hatunqari. The Rebels will need you.’

‘And the device told you this?’

Peter paused. He looked at Varuk’hat who looked as surprised as Peter had ever seen him.

‘Yes. It does. Rebel skyships will engage the Imperials in battle, and they will need the mountain klared, and the Clan, to aid them.’

‘What are you saying,’ Varuk’hat chittered while Peter waved him to silence. ‘We know nothing…’

Peter took a deep breath. ‘Bergwash Bamrushi calls you to aid him.’

Khavuraqo’s aura rippled in shock. ‘Hamrabanarushi? You know of him? But he is exiled. Banished to the far islands of the north. Near the imperial strong hold on Zenska.’

‘Bamrushi is back from exile, he flies with the rebels.’ Peter didn’t say, but if he had guessed the truth of the time and place, then Berg flew with a younger Peter, he flew with Jupiter Drake on his flying sailboat.

‘Bergwash Bamrushi will need his allies, supporters, and friends now more than ever. Gather the klaeds. Send riders with messages. Converge your forces on Hatunqari by tomorrow night.’

Manisaurs knew that humans sometimes lied, and did not tell the whole truth. But somehow Peter convinced the militia leader and he strode away shouting for messengers and fast riders.

As the manisaur leader organized his force Sarah stepped up to Peter and stared at him. ‘I didn’t understood anything you said.’ Her soft low voice held a hint of danger. 'Tell me what you said.'

Peter shrugged. ‘Manisaurs understood Thaluk and the Clan don’t. Why would you understand?’

But Sarah just shook her head.

‘No. You didn’t sound like a human. You spoke like a quevantaqi.’

Peter stared at her.

‘It’s true,’ said Varuk’hat. ‘You twittered like a bird.’ The imp shifted from foot to foot. 'You had better tell me too.'