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Some time later, Tarkyn lay on his stomach, his head propped on his hands, gazing into the waters of the shallow stream and watching a tortoise swimming through the flowing plants on the bottom. He was just about to try to connect with it when he realised someone had sat down quietly next to him. He looked around and met the steady green eyes of Tree Wind. For a moment he thought of ignoring her and reverting his attention to the tortoise but, on balance, he decided that it would be better to sort out whatever had driven Tree Wind to be so dogmatic.
So he turned on one side and asked gently, “Are you still punishing me for Falling Rain?” Before she could reply, he continued, “Tree Wind, no matter how you exact your revenge, neither you nor I nor anyone else can do anything that will b
