Page 127 of Circle of Days

“I haven’t given permission for this.”

“No need. Your permission isn’t required.”

“Yes it is. What you’re doing might impinge on farmland.”

“It won’t.”

“I don’t believe you.”

“Wait and see.”

While Troon was trying to think of a reply, Bez spoke to him. “It’s my permission they need, not yours,” he said. “You’re in woodlander territory now. And by the way, watch out for snakes. There are vipers underfoot.”

Troon looked down anxiously, and Bez laughed. “Better to keep out of the wood altogether,” he said.

Troon muttered a curse, turned around, and left.

Bez spread the woodlanders out across the strip, at the river end, and told them to walk slowly north, staying inside theboundary Seft had marked and looking for hazelnut bushes and trees. Each time they saw one they would call Bez and Ani.

When they came to the end of the wood, Ani had counted twelve hazelnut bushes. She showed Bez the number with her fingers and toes. Bez said: “We must have the cows before you start digging.”

“Very well,” said Ani. There were no cows nearby, but looking across the plain she saw a herd in the middle distance. “Wait here, if you would,” she said.

The woodlanders sat on the ground and Ani headed off. When she reached the herd, she was pleased to see Zad there. She explained her task. “They are losing twelve hazelnut bushes, so we need to give them twelve cows.”

Zad was not happy about this. He said: “That’s very generous!”

“Not really.” Some herders did not share her sense of the rights of woodlanders. “They practically live on hazelnuts, and they prune them and shape them to produce more. They’re sacrificing something of great value.”

“I suppose so,” said Zad.

“Cut out twelve beasts from the herd. And don’t bring me sick and dying cattle—the woodlanders are not stupid, they’ll know, and they’ll make a fuss.”

“All right.”

Zad separated twelve cows from the herd, with the help of a dog.

Ani said: “You’d better come with me. We need to make sure the cows reach the village. After that it’s up to the woodlanders to stop them wandering away.”

They drove the cows to where the woodlanders sat waiting, then went on with the whole tribe. The woodlanders chattered loudly, excited to be going home with such a prize, perhaps looking forward to roasted beef.

They stopped at a point where Bez seemed to know they were close to the village.

Zad said to Bez: “They don’t need grass. They’re browsers. They’ll eat leaves, herbs, small plants, and even tree bark. They’re fine in woodland. But if they hear the herd they may try to return, so you should tether them at night.”

Bez said: “Thank you.”

The woodlanders drove the cattle into the wood. Zad and his dog returned to the big herd. Ani sighed with relief. She had succeeded.

She headed back toward the Break, to see how Seft and Tem were getting on.

The bank and ditch were now marked out. Troon had not reappeared. Perhaps he had realized that the new Break would do him no harm, and decided that he might as well leave the herders alone.

It was now late afternoon, and Scagga arrived with his young army.

Everyone sat down to eat the cold food they had brought with them. Tomorrow they would roast a cow.

Ani slept heavily and woke up when the camp stirred. The youngsters eagerly began work on the bank and ditch. Seft and Tem had done their job, and headed back for Riverbend. Ani went with them. She felt a profound sense of satisfaction. She and Sefthad made a plan and seen it through, and a new Break would be made without quarrels, without violence. She was content.