“The Gods willing, to safety,” she replied.
At some point in the night a huge roar from behind them broke the silence of the night-time countryside. It was so dark Venla could not make out faces, but she knew that at least a couple of them had bolted at that sound, and it would do them no good to go floundering off in the dark after them. They made their way by the moonlight, wrapped in all the clothes that they had, trying to ward off the cold of the persistent North breeze. Luckily, the countryside was easily traversed, and they were able to make good time. They were afraid to stop; not surprising considering what was likely to be coming up behind them. Eventually though, they had to stop, as rest and fatigue was overtaking all of them. Venla led them all to the lee side of a dry stone
