Porcupine Ridge When the chips are down

so he did not seek a rank with the raiders. for this, muskrat was rather grateful. the choice belonged to hex.

tousaint gave so freely of viskani's secrets that she wondered if there was more to know. "be well," she at last said. "you come back, you have peace with us." peace, independent of the vale. he was someone with which the warrior might work well.

and he knew the details of viskani's stronghold. almost worth offering payment — almost. but why give what had not been asked?

that the fox was a treasured child in the montagne land amused muskrat to no end; its cries and yips might well draw all the vulpines in the sunspire down upon the vale, especially now that wolf had put fox to death in their own home.

quietly she lifted her chin, waiting for him to speak or to be gone.