Page 40 of Circle of Days

“Next spring, my Biddy says. It will be born in the Northwest Hills.”

Ani looked around, but no one was within hearing distance. “Please don’t mention their destination to anyone else.”

“No, of course not,” said Zad, but Ani noticed a slight frown.

She said: “You haven’t told anyone, have you?”

“No. Well, only someone who is a real friend of his.”

Ani’s heart sank.

Zad went on: “This friend was very worried about Han, and asked me if he was all right, and would he be murdered by the farmers for stealing one of their women. He was so concerned and distressed that I thought it would do no harm to tell him that Han and Pia were fine and safe, and heading for the Northwest Hills.”

“The friend who was so worried,” Ani said fearfully. “Did he tell you his name?”

“Yes,” said Zad. “He’s called Shen.”

By the third day, Han and Pia were in the hills. Their progress was not fast, mainly because they had to stop and let the cow graze. Meanwhile they foraged for nuts and crab apples. Thunder caught a squirrel, but they let him eat it all.

They were searching all the time for a place where they could build a shelter.

They needed to be hidden from pathways in case the farmers came after them.

They also hoped to find a place where they could hunt and gather food.

The cow would not last forever. They would be living like woodlanders, going out in the morning to find the evening’s supper.

The path led alongside a river. At a place where the river broadened, they came to a derelict house close to a short muddy beach. There was a small stone circle halfway up a hill. Pia thought it might be some kind of holy place, though now it was clearly deserted.

They could not use the house as their shelter, because it was too visible, right on the path. However, there was a small island in the middle of the river. Han said: “Shall we cross the river and take a look?”

Pia said: “Yes, definitely.”

It took a little organizing. Both Han and Pia had been raised near rivers, so they could swim. Cows and dogs could swim, too, but the challenge would be keeping the party together. Han untied the rope from the cow’s neck and retied it firmly. “I’ll keep hold of the cow, you watch Thunder,” he said.

They folded their coats on the riverbank. They would have to come back for those.

They stepped into the water. The river was not fast-flowing. The cow was happy to be led in, but Thunder was reluctant. However, he did not want to be left behind so, after a few moments of dithering, he plunged in and swam vigorously.

The cow was inclined to go with the current, so Han had to keep pulling it back at the same time as keeping his own head above water. Pia saw that Thunder was all right and went to help Han. When they both pulled on the rope, the cow came their way.

Soon they reached the island and scrambled ashore.

Pia saw that the vegetation was lush. There had been a drought here too, of course, but the roots must be watered by the river. She stood up, looked around, and immediately sensed a feeling of peace.

Thunder shook himself, sending a shower like rain over Pia and Han, making them laugh. The cow saw green grass and immediately started to graze.

Han swam back to the mainland and returned with both their coats held above his head. They shrugged the coats on, then Han said: “We should explore.”

Pia looked at the cow and the nearby river.

“She won’t swim back,” Han said. “The grazing is better here.”

Pia accepted that. Han was the herder.

They set off around the island. It was small, and they got back to their starting point in the time it took to boil a pot of water.

There were no signs of human habitation, and Pia guessed that for most people the river, and the need to cross it to go anywhere, would have spoiled the island as a home.

But for two fugitives it was perfect.

There were no deer, but there were pigeons in the air, squirrels in the trees, and hares under the bushes. There were also hazel trees, heavy with nuts at this time of year, nuts that would keep through the winter.

They found a spot in the middle of the island where they could build a roof up against the wide trunk of an oak tree. Han said: “I’ll get some timber from that derelict house.”

“Do it tomorrow,” Pia said. “The main thing we need today is fire.”

Together they collected dry twigs and dead leaves for tinder, then some larger pieces of dead wood. Han found an abandoned wasps’ nest that would blaze up in no time. They struck a spark and started the fire.

Thunder caught a hare. They cleaned it and skinned it and roasted it over the fire. They gave the bones to the dog.

When evening came they built up the fire for the night, then lay down together. They made love in the dusk, firelight painting their bodies, and it seemed especially exciting because this was the first time Pia had done it in freedom.

Afterward they pulled their coats over themselves to keep warm, and soon they fell asleep.

Stam turned up at Yana’s house after a long absence. He was weary and disgruntled. She knew where he had been: everyone did. He had been looking for Pia.

As soon as Yana saw him she knew he had failed to find her. His expression was defiantly sulky. She felt relief and triumph in waves. Hiding her feelings, she said: “What happened?”

He said: “Give me something to eat.”

She put soft cheese in a big bowl and mixed it with chopped crab apple. He ate rapidly and became less irritable.

Yana wanted to know more about Stam’s search. She said: “Why did you go alone? I would have thought you’d take some of the Young Dogs with you.”

“They make too much noise,” he said. “It would give warning that they’re coming. On my own I can be silent.”

“But you still didn’t find anyone.”

“I know where Pia and Han are,” he said, sounding defensive. “Roughly where they are, anyway.”

She suppressed her loathing to talk to him. She wanted more details. “How did you manage that?” she said. “No one can find them.” She knew he would be flattered.

He looked smug. “I followed the cow pats. No one takes cattle to the hills, especially at this time of year. And anyway, there were only enough pats for one cow. They must be in the area where the pats ran out. I searched, but I couldn’t find them.”

They had hidden themselves well, Yana thought. Good for them.

“I ran out of food,” Stam said. “I killed a pigeon, but I couldn’t cook it, because I forgot to take a firestone. Raw pigeon meat is really sickening. I had to give up.”

“What did your father say?”

“He was displeased. He’s always displeased.”

“Well, we can forget about them now. They’ve gone, and that’s the end of it.”

“No, it’s not,” he said spiritedly. “Next spring, when the weather gets warmer, I’m going again.

I haven’t given up.” His expression became cruel.

“Pia thinks she can defy my father’s authority and outwit me.

But she can’t. She’s just a little girl who needs to be taught a lesson.

I’m going to find her, and I’m going to show her who is the master. ”