West Foot, the westernmost peninsula of LIZARD Island.

The WHORL, the generation ship from which the colonists came.

Wichote, a riverine village on BLUE’s eastern continent.

Captain WIJZER, a master mariner of Dorp.

Tksin, the traveler who robbed and deserted SINEW.

Zeehm, the daughter of the RAJAN’s head gardener.

To Every Town:

Like you we left friends and family and the light of the Long Sun for this new whorl we share with you. We would greet our brothers at home if we could.

We have long wished to do this. Is it not so for you?

He-hold-fire, a man of our town, has labored many seasons where our lander lifts high its head above our trees. The gray man speaks to He-hold-fire and to us, and it is his word that he will fly once again.

Soon he will rise upon fire and fly like the eagle.

We might clasp it to our bellies. That is not the way of hunters, and there are many beds of hide. Send a man to come with us. Send a woman, if it is your custom.

One alone from each town of this new whorl, whether he or she.

With us the one you send will return to our old home among the stars.

Send soon. Send one only. We will not delay.

Speak our word to others. The Men Of PAJAROCU

- 1-

HORN’S BOOK

It is worthless, this old pen case I brought from Viron. It is nothing. You might go around the market all day and never find a single spirit who would trade you a fresh egg for it. Yet it holds…

Enough.

Yes, enough. I am sick of fancies.

At present it holds two quills, for I have taken the third one out. Two were in it when I found it in the ashes of our shop. The third, with which I am writing, was dropped by Oreb not so long ago. I picked it up, put it in this pen case, and forgot both Oreb and his feather.