Piak and Adelbart were soon on the opposite bank of the river. Adelbart walked first along the water for some way, to a point where a stream met the river. He led Piak along the stream into the lands of the Men in Green. The ground was boggy and the grass and leaves were wet with dew. “Keep an eye out,” said Adelbart. “There should be a path somewhere around here that leads to the tower.”
“Listen!” said Piak.
“Someone’s shouting something,” Adelbart replied. “Probably just one of Lord Rafox’s men. Their camp’s still near enough.”
“I can hear someone coming,” said Piak. “From the river.” Yes, there he came, one of Mistrinaut’s men, dressed in blue. “What is it?” he called, trying not to shout too loud.
In just a few moments, the person had reached them.
“Lavinia!” exclaimed Piak.
“Sssh,” she said. “I’m Fox.” Out of breath, she stopped and wiped her forehead. Piak and Adelbart saw that her clothes were wet.
“What’s wrong?” whispered Piak.
“I’m glad you hadn’t gone too far,” she said. “I had to go back quite a way to find a spot where I could cross the river without being seen.”
“But why?” asked Piak sharply.
“I have my reasons,” said Lavinia. “I saw something you need to know about. I hope we can still find it.”
“What?”
“A black shadow.”
“A what?” said Adelbart.
“A black shadow,” repeated Lavinia. “Come on, before it’s gone.”
“Yes, but, my lady…” began Adelbart.
“My name is Fox!” she said. “Please, come with me. It’s not far. I saw it when I was on the other bank, and I crossed the river as quickly as I could.”
“You swam?” asked Piak, rather impressed.
“Swam, waded, floated,” said Fox. “Quickly, or it’ll have gone. This way.”
“But what is it?!” said Piak, as he and Adelbart walked with her.
“I told you. A black shadow,” Fox replied. “I’m not saying any more than that. You need to see it for yourselves. I hope you’ll see for yourself what I don’t yet quite dare to think. Although… maybe it’s better if it’s not what I think it is.”
“Now I really am lost!” muttered Adelbart.
“It was around here somewhere,” Fox soon whispered.
They saw snapped branches and trampled grass.
“So it’s not a ghost, this shadow,” said Adelbart. “It looks more like an animal’s trail.”
“Sssh!” said Fox. “Quietly does it… Look, there!”
“Oh… yes,” said Piak in a low voice. He could see something dark moving among the trees. And it wasn’t a person.
Fox stopped.
“Go and take a look,” she said.
“It’s not dangerous, is it?” asked Adelbart.
“I hope not,” said Fox. “Just go and see if it’s him,” she continued to Piak. She suddenly seemed doubtful. “Maybe I just imagined it,” she murmured. “Oh, I’m sorry I…”
As Piak cautiously walked onwards, the shadow moved away from him. If only he could see what it was… He quickened his pace, afraid of losing sight of whatever it was that was fleeing into the trees. Fox and Adelbart followed behind.
Piak stopped. The vegetation ahead of him was less dense – and there it stood.
“A horse!” whispered Adelbart behind him.
A black horse with a wild mane, looking around skittishly, as if it were about to bolt.
Piak hardly dared to breathe.
Fox came and stood beside him; he felt her fingers gripping his arm. “Do you see him?” she whispered in his ear. And he knew what she really wanted to say, “Is it him?”
Piak looked at her and his lips formed a name.
Ardanwen!
As Piak approached, the horse raised his head and restlessly twitched his ears.
“Whoa. Easy, Ardanwen, Night Wind,” he said quietly. Ardanwen must have recognized him, too, but seemed very nervous. “Ardanwen!” Piak repeated. “Good, loyal horse. Easy, boy. Come to me.”
The horse gave a whinny and trotted over to him, then bent his neck and allowed Piak to stroke him.
“Ardanwen,” whispered Piak, “what happened to you? Your coat is full of scratches and you’re all alone. Oh, Night Wind, where is Tiuri?”
“So it really is him,” said Fox, coming to stand beside them. “But then… where is Tiuri?” Her voice was trembling.
Ardanwen pulled away from Piak, shaking his mane, but Piak soon calmed him.
“This is Sir Tiuri’s horse,” Piak said to Adelbart. “The most loyal and intelligent animal in the land. If he is here, Tiuri cannot be far…” His voice trailed off. Again he was gripped by fear for his friend’s fate.
Adelbart understood, as his expression was grave and thoughtful.
Lavinia stroked Ardanwen’s nose. “If only you could talk,” she whispered. “Where is your master? I’m sure you haven’t abandoned him.”
“The horse has neither reins nor saddle,” said Adelbart. “Just a piece of rope around his neck, with a frayed end, as if he somehow tore himself free.”
“What now?” asked Lavinia.
“Whatever we do, we have to keep going,” said Adelbart, “to find the Men in Green. That’s what we agreed. And as far as you’re concerned, I think it would be best for you to return immediately.”
“I agree,” said Piak.
“And you can take the horse,” said Adelbart.
“No, Ardanwen should stay with us,” said Piak. “He could lead us to Tiuri.”
“Let’s go on together, the four of us,” said Fox. “I’d rather not go back and have to cross that river again, and besides…”
“No, I can’t agree to that!” said Piak.
“Why not?”
“They could take you prisoner, use you as a hostage. What will your… Lord Rafox have to say about that?”
“He’s right,” said Adelbart. “Although the Men in Green won’t be surprised to see you, my lady… I mean, young master Fox. Their women and girls often wear such clothing when they roam the forest with their menfolk.”
“They do?” said Fox. “Then you can’t possibly have any objection to my joining you, can you? Who was it who found Ardanwen? Me! I’m sure I could help in other ways, too.”
But Piak was still shaking his head.
“Fine. You can say no if you like,” said Lavinia, “but you can’t order me about. I make my own decisions. Ever since I’ve been Fox, I only do what I want to do, and I know exactly what I’m doing now. Let’s not talk any longer.”
“We’ve already had quite a delay,” remarked Adelbart, “and we still have to get back to the stream. I don’t know the way otherwise.”
“But you’ll have Tiuri’s horse Ardanwen with you,” said Lavinia. “Go! And I’ll take my leave of you here.”
“That’s most sensible of you,” said Piak with relief. “Can you find your way back to the river?”
“Of course I can,” said Lavinia. “Farewell.” She walked away without waiting for a reply.
“It really is better that she didn’t come,” said Piak to Adelbart, as they continued their journey. “I wouldn’t be able to face Lord Rafox… and Tiuri if anything happened to her.”
“Lord Rafox… Fox!” said Adelbart and he gave a whistle. “Oh, so that’s how it is.” Then he looked around. “Listen,” he said. “I can already hear the stream.”
“I can hear plenty of other things, too,” whispered Piak. “All kinds of creatures appear to be skulking around in the undergrowth.”
“It’s always like that in a forest,” said Adelbart. “But…” he went on a little later, “there is indeed someone wandering around. And this time it’s not a black shadow. By my beard, I think it’s Fox!”
Yes, it was Fox! They met her at the stream.
“Ah, what a coincidence,” she said with a friendly smile. “Fancy you going the same way as me.”
Piak tried to look indignant. What now? He couldn’t force her to go back, could he?
“Just give up,” said Fox. “Pretend you can’t see me. I’m setting off on my own.” She turned her back on them and walked off along the stream.
Adelbart and Piak followed her with Ardanwen. But after a while Adelbart called out, “Hey, we’re crossing the stream!”
Now it was Lavinia who was walking behind; first across the stream and then quickly along little paths through the forest.
“I feel as if we’re wandering around in circles,” Piak remarked. He looked back and called to Lavinia, “Fox! Please come and walk with us. We all know you’re going the same way as us.”
“You’re right,” said Adelbart. “And would you like to put my coat around your shoulders, young master Fox? It’s not very elegant, but I suddenly realized you must be cold.”
“That’s very kind, but no thank you,” said Lavinia. “I’m already dry, thanks to the speed we’re walking at. I don’t understand, Adelbart, how you can be so sure of the direction. I’d have got lost ages ago. And I’d keep stopping to look around in case someone was lying in ambush.”
“Oh, I don’t really know the way either,” said Adelbart. “But I’m sure the Men in Green will come to us. If they don’t arrive soon, I’ll call for them.”
That, however, did not prove necessary. Less than half an hour later, two Men in Green strode towards them, with two more following. With a gesture of their spears, they ordered them to stop.