Ben left the village with his company of searchers and two Karee warriors not long after he had the dream. They had replenished their food supplies, and their spirits were lifted because they knew where two of the elders were. It was a long way from stumbling in the dark. Ben could now hear Dawit consistently. He felt that he walked accompanied by his foster father"s comforting, familiar presence, a song that reminded Ben of turned-over soil in the spring. The older man didn"t sound distressed, so the company walked with purpose, but they felt light and easy.
Ben sometimes thought they were being prematurely optimistic, but they traveled faster when they felt better, so he left it alone. The truth was, though, that the other elders might be incredibly well-hidden. These first two could be
