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that it was sometimes hard to decide what to do.  He still couldn ’ t believe the change that had come over Lady Olyva.  She had been so passionate, so exciting when they were in Avondale, but that all changed when Leonosis betrayed them.
    He couldn ’ t help but wonder what he would do if he couldn ’ t save her from becoming a tree.  It was so ludicrous that he almost laughed just thinking about it.  Never in his wildest imaginings had he ever considered trees to be a danger, but everything was different in the blighted lands.  The land itself was lush and beautiful, but there were dangers and he had a lot to learn before he would feel comfortable below the thick layer of mists that covered the sky.
    They rode at a quick canter for over an hour.  Rafe couldn ’ t help but marvel at the endurance of the Hoskali hunters.  They jogged quickly, never slowing down and never complaining.  They didn ’ t even look tired, he thought.  Finally, they saw a massive herd of animals in the distance.  To Rafe, it seemed like the entire horizon had come alive with shaggy dark fur.  He couldn ’ t make out the creatures, but he could tell there were thousands of them roaming together.
    “ Tiswanee! ” Te ’ sumee said excitedly.  “ The Tamakas ’ are moving!  We hunt. ”
    “ No, ” Tiberius said.  “ We have to find Lexi... Bellana. ”
    “ The Hoskali always hunt Tamakas, ” Te ’ sumee said.
    “ Not today, ” Tiberius said.
    “ Must hunt... tribe must eat. ”
    “ He ’ s got a point, ” Rafe said.  “ There isn ’ t much food or water out here. ”
    “ Don ’ t you think I know that? ” snapped Tiberius.  “ It ’ s obvious that they use these creatures for everything from clothes to shelter.  But I have to find Lexi. ”
    “ Tracks gone, ” Te ’ sumee said.  “ See, trampled by Takamas. ”
    Rafe was not a great hunter.  In Avondale, he ’ d gone on hunts with his father and the Earl, but they had been guided hunts by men who lived in the forest around the lake and managed the wildlife there.  Rafe had no real woodcraft, but he could tell the plain had been trampled and grazed on by the massive herd of bovine creatures.
    “ No, ” Tiberius said.
    There was a note of heart wrenching sadness in his friend ’ s voice.  Rafe put his hand on Tiberius ’ shoulder.  There wasn ’ t much more he could do.
    “ Let them hunt, ” Rafe said.  “ We ’ ll keep looking for Lexi. ”
    Tiberius looked over at his friend and Rafe saw a slight glimmer of hope.
    “ She has been overtaken by the herd, ” Te ’ sumee said.  “ Will be that way if she still lives. ”
    He pointed beyond the herd, although it was impossible for Rafe to see past the great dark smudge on the horizon.  Then he had an idea.
    “ Look, ” Rafe said.  “ We can go with the Rogu until they catch up with the herd.  Then you can use that spell to see past all the animals.  If Lexi was here, then she must have had to move to stay in front of the herd. ”
    Tiberius thought for a moment, then he nodded.
    “ Okay, Te ’ sumee.  Let ’ s hunt, ” Rafe said.
    They hurried forward, no longer studying the tracks but moving straight across the wide open prairie toward the herd of bovine creatures the Hoskali hunters called Takamas.  It wasn ’ t long before the horses were completely exhausted.
    “ We need to walk these horses, ” Rafe said.
    “ I know, ” Tiberius agreed.  “ They can ’ t keep up with the Rogu. Who would have thought it? ”
    “ They ’ re plow horses, ” Rafe said.  “ Useful, but not the best mounts. ”
    “ Lexi doesn ’ t really know horses. ”
    “ I doubt that any horse in Avondale would be able to keep up with the Rogu for long. ”
    “ I ’ ll lead them, ” Tiberius said.  “ You stay with the Rogu.  I ’ ll catch up when I can. ”
    Rafe slipped out of the saddle and handed the reins to Tiberius.  He unstrapped his sword as well and secured it around one