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Breaking。 And suddenly he saw another man； atop a sandy hill。
The fellow was too distant to see clearly； just a tall； dark…haired man； but plainly not a Trolloc or anything of the sort； in a blue coat with a bow on his back； stooping over something on the ground hidden by the low brush。 Yet there was something familiar about him。
The wind rose； and Perrin caught his smell faintly。 A cold scent； that was the only way to describe it。 Cold； and not really human。 Suddenly his own bow was in his hand； an arrow nocked； and the weight of a filled quiver tugged at his belt。
The other man looked up； saw Perrin。 For a heartbeat he hesitated； then turned and became a streak； slashing away across the hills。
Perrin leaped down to where he had stood； stared at what had occupied the fellow； and without thought pursued； leaving the half…skinned corpse of a wolf behind。 A dead wolf in the wolf dream。 It was unthinkable。 What could kill a wolf here？ Something evil。
His prey ran ahead of him in strides that covered miles； never more than barely in sight。 Out of the hills and across the tangled Westwood with its wide scattered farms； over cleared farmland； a quilt of hedged fields and small thickets； and past Watch Hill。 It was odd to see the thatched village houses covering the hill with no people in the streets； and farmhouses standing as if abandoned。 But he kept his eye on the man fleeing ahead of him。 He had bee so used to this pursuit that he felt no surprise when one leaping stride put him down on the south bank of the River Taren and the next amid barren hills without trees or grass。 North and east he ran； over streams and roads and villages and rivers； intent only on the man ahead。 The land grew flat and grassy； broken by scattered thickets； without any sign of man。 Then something glittered ahead； sparkling in the sun； a tower of metal。 His quarry sped straight for it； and vanished。 Two leaps brought Perrin there as well。
Two hundred feet the tower rose； and forty thick； gleaming like burnished steel。 It might as well have been a solid column of metal。 Perrin walked around it twice without seeing any opening； not so much as a crack； not even a mark on that smooth； sheer wall。 The smell hung here； though； that cold； inhuman stink。 The trail ended here。 The man … if man he was … had gone inside somehow。 He only had to find the way to follow。
Stop！ It was a raw flow of emotion that Perrin's mind put a word to。 Stop！
He turned as a great gray wolf as tall as his waist； grizzled and scarred； alighted as if he had just leaped down from the sky。 He might well have。 Hopper had always envied eagles their ability to fly； and here； he could too。 Yellow eyes met yellow eyes。
〃Why should I stop； Hopper？ He killed a wolf。〃
Men have killed wolves； and wolves men。 Why does anger seize your throat like fire this time？
〃I don't know；〃 Perrin said slowly。 〃Maybe because it was here。 I didn't know it was possible to kill a wolf here。 I thought wolves were safe in the dream。〃
You chase Slayer； Young Bull。 He is here in the flesh； and he can kill。
〃In the flesh？ You mean not just dreaming？ How can he be here in the flesh？〃
I do not know。 It is a thing dimly remembered from long ago； e again as so much else。 Things of the Shadow walk the dream； now。 Creatures of Heartfang。 There is no safety。
〃Well； he's inside； now。〃 Perrin studied the featureless metal tower。 〃If I can find how he got in； I can put an end to him。〃
Cub foolish； digging in a groundwasps' nest。 This place a evil。 All know this。 And you would chase evil into evil。 Slayer can kill。
Perrin paused。 There was a sense of finality to the emotions his mind attached the word 〃kill〃 to。 〃Hopper； what happens to a wolf who dies in the dream？〃
The wolf was silent for a time。 If we die here； we die forever； Young Bull。 I do not know if the same is true for you； but I believe it is。
〃A dangerous place； archer。 The Tower of Ghenjei is a bad place for umankind。〃
Perrin whirled； half…raising his bow before he saw the woman standing a few paces away； her golden hair in a thick braid to her waist； almost the way women wore it in the Two Rivers； but more intricately woven。 Her clothes were oddly cut； a short white coat and voluminous trousers of some thin pale yellow material gathered at the ankles above short boots。 Her dark cloak seemed to hide something that glinted silver at her side。
She shifted； and the metallic flicker vanished。 〃You have sharp eyes； archer。 I thought that the first time I saw you。〃
How long had she been watching？ It was embarrassing that she had sneaked up without him hearing。 At the least Hopper should have warned him。 The wolf was lying down in the knee high grass； muzzle on his forepaws； watching him。
The woman seemed vaguely familiar； though Perrin was certain he would have remembered her had he ever seen her before。 Who was she； to be in the wolf dream？ Or was it Moiraine's Tel'aran'rhiod； too？ 〃Are you Aes Sedai？〃
〃No； archer。〃 She laughed。 〃I only came to warn you； despite the prescripts。 Once entered； the Tower of Ghenjei is hard enough to leave in the world of men。 Here it is all but impossible。 You have a Bannerman's courage； which some say cannot be told from foolhardiness。〃
Impossible to leave？ The fellow … Slayer … surely had gone in。 Why would he do that if he could not leave？ 〃Hopper said it's dangerous； too。 The Tower of Ghenjei？ What is it？〃
Her eyes widened； and she glanced at Hopper； who still lay stretched out on the grass ignoring her and watching Perrin。 〃You can talk to wolves？ Now that is a thing long lost in legend。 So that is how you are here。 I should have known。 The tower？ It is a doorway； archer； to the realms of the Aelfinn and the Eelfinn。〃 She said the names as if he should recognize them。 When he looked at her blankly； she said； 〃Did you ever play the game called Snakes and Foxes？〃
〃All children do。 At least； they do in the Two Rivers。 But they give it up when they get old enough to realize there's no way to win。〃
〃Except to break the rules；〃 she said。 〃 'Courage to strengthen； fire to blind； music to daze； iron to bind。' 〃
〃That's a line from the game。 I don't understand。 What does it have to do with this tower？〃
〃Those are the ways to win against the snakes and the foxes。 The game is a remembrance of old dealings。 It does not matter so long as you stay away from the Aelfinn and the Eelfinn。 They are not evil the way the Shadow is evil； yet they are so different from humankind they might as well be。 They are not to be trusted； archer。 Stay clear of the Tower of Ghenjei。 Avoid the World of Dreams； if you can。 Dark things walk。〃
〃Like the man I was chasing？ Slayer。〃
〃A good name for him。 This Slayer is not old； archer； but his evil is ancient。〃 She almost appeared to be leaning slightly on something invisible； perhaps that silver thing he had never quite seen。 〃I seem to be telling you a great deal。 I do not understand why I spoke in the first place。 Of course。 Are you ta'veren； archer？〃
〃Who are you？〃 She seemed to know a lot about the tower； and the wolf dream。 But she was surprised I could talk to Hopper。 〃I've met you before somewhere； I think。〃
〃I have broken too many of the prescripts already； archer。〃
〃Prescripts？ What prescripts？〃 A shadow fell on the ground behind Hopper； and Perrin turned quickly； angry at being caught by surprise again。 There was no one there。 But he had seen it； the shadow of a man with the hilts of two swords rising above his shoulders。 Something about that image teased his memory。
〃He is right；〃 the woman said behind him。 〃I should not be talking to you。〃
When he turned back； she was gone。 As far as he could see were only grassland and scattered thickets。 And the gleaming； silvery tower。
He frowned at Hopper； who finally lifted his head from his paws。 〃It's a wonder you aren't attacked by chipmunks；〃 Perrin muttered。 〃What did you make of her？〃
Her？ A she？ Hopper stood； looking around。 Where？
〃I was talking to her。 Right here。 Just now。〃
You made noises at the wind； Young Bull。 There was no she here。 None but you and I。
Perrin scratched his beard irritably。 She had been there。 He had not been talking to himself。 〃Strange things can happen here；〃 he told himself。 〃She agreed with you； Hopper。 She told me to stay away from this tower。〃
She is wise。 There was an element of doubt in the thought； Hopper still did not believe there had been any 〃she。〃
〃I've e awfully far afield from what I intended；〃 Perrin muttered。 He explained his need to find wolves in the Two Rivers； or the mountains above； explained about the ravens； and the Trollocs in the Ways。
When he was done； Hopper remained silent for a long time； his bushy tail held low and stiff。 Finally。。。 Avoid your old home； Young Bull。 The image Perrin's mind called 〃home〃 was of the land marked by a wolfpack。 There are no wolves there now。 Those who were and did not flee are dead。 Slayer walks the dream there。
〃I have to go home； Hopper。 I have to。〃
Take care； Young Bull。 The day of the Last Hunt draws near。 We will run together in the Last Hunt。
〃We will；〃 Perrin said sadly。 It would be nice if he could e here when he died； he was half wolf already； it seemed sometimes。 〃I have to go now； Hopper。〃
May you know good hunting； Young Bull； and shes to give you many cubs。
〃Goodbye； Hopper。〃
He opened his eyes to the dim light of dying coals on the mountainside。 Gaul was squatting just beyond the edge of the light； watching the night。 In the other camp； Faile was up； taking her turn at guard。 The moon hung above the mountains； turning the clouds to pearly shadows。 Perrin estimated he had been asleep two hours。
〃I'll keep guard awhile；〃 he said； tossing off his cloak。 Gaul nodded and settled himself on the ground where he was。 〃Gaul？〃 The Aiel raised his head。 〃It may be worse in the Two Rivers than I thought。〃
〃Things often are；〃 Gaul replied quietly。 〃It is the way of life。〃 The Aielman calmly put his head down for sleep。
Slayer。 Who was he？ What was he？ Shadowspawn at the Waygate； ravens in the Mountains of Mist； and this man called Slayer in the Two Rivers。 It could not be coincidence； however much he wished it。
Chapter 29
（Dragon's Fang）
Homeing
The journey into the Westwood that had taken him perhaps half a dozen strides or so in the wolf dream； out of the mountains and across the Sand Hills； lasted three long days on horses。 The Aid had no trouble keeping up afoot； but then the animals themselves could not manage much speed with the land mostly up and down as it was。 Perrin's wounds itched fiercely； healing； Faile's ointment seemed to be working。
It was a quiet journey by and large； broken more often by the bark of a hunting fox or the echoing cry of a hawk than by anyone speaking。 At least they saw no more ravens。 More than once he thought Faile was about to bring her mare over close to him； about to say something； but each time she restrained herself。 He was glad of it； he wanted to talk to her more than anything； but what if he found himself making up with her？ He berated himself for wanting to。 She had tricked Loial； tricked him。 She was going to make everything worse； make it harder。 He wished he could kiss her again。 He wished she would decide she had had her fill of him and go。 Why did she have to be so stubborn？
She and the two Aiel women kept to themselves； Bain and Chiad striding along on either side of Swallow when one or the other was not ranging ahead。 Sometimes the three of them murmured softly among themselves； after which they avoided looking at him so pointedly that they might as well have thrown rocks。 Loial rode with them at Perrin's request； though the situation obviously upset him no end。 Loial's ears twitched as if he wished he had never heard of humans。 Gaul seemed to find the entire thing vastly amusing； whenever Perrin looked at him； he wore an inward grin。
For himself； Perrin traveled wrapped in worry； and kept his st