Gudrun tried again and again to see something of Gunnar, each time sending part of herself to find him, and each time being rebuffed by a cold, black barrier. After the second try she passed out and someone put her in a wagon, wrapped in a blanket. She awoke later, and didn't hesitate to send out her sight again. This time, she attacked the barrier itself, striving to get a vision of what was behind it. She'd been warned never to seek someone that death had taken. To look into the realm of Hades was to die yourself. She understood the warning but tried anyway. For a brief instant, the barrier between them cracked, but what she saw wasn't Gunnar. Instead, she gazed upon a monstrosity of teeth and talons, its legs too many to count. Angry, multifaceted eyes stared back at her before the barrier reformed and she was thrown back to her body. She lay in the wagon, tears streaming from her blind eyes, until something heavy climbed into the wagon and lay down next to her, pushing her to the side. A cold nose snuffled her face and neck before a rough tongue licked her. She knew immediately what it was, and hugged Goodboy, burying her face and hands in his soft fur. Visions came to her suddenly, unbidden. She watched as a pack of Snarlfangs chased prey in the far north, Goodboy leading them. Then a frozen death as the Beastmaster he'd trusted froze him in a glacier. Rebirth came later, a hungry time in a land of small prey. Then, a true death and the cold greyness of unlife, serving a new master with little thought of his own. A final rebirth and death followed closely, and then the voice of Jarl Benjamin calling him back. The visions ended and she understood. "The darkness is not always the end. Death, life, a cycle. Thank you."Goodboy just woofed softly and encouraged her to scratch his ears. She rested more as the wagons travelled swiftly to their destination and didn't try again to see Gunnar's fate. He would come back to her, or he wouldn't, there was no way to know. When the wagons stopped, she got out of the wagon, Goodboy following her. She could smell woodsmoke and sawdust, blood and sweat. Shouting came to her ears. She knew they were close to tribes.Someone walked over to her, and scratched Goodboy under his chin. It was the Shepherd, his power suppressed now, but she could see nothing more about him. It was the same black barrier, blocking her sight. She tried not to tremble."Hi, I'm Rolly, but you probably know that. It's rough, isn't it, worrying about someone else? Lots easier if you're the one in danger. I really hate it. But we'll get through it."She stood taller, a little angered by his calm tone. "If Gunnar dies, I will never 'Get through it.' This is my burden, not yours."His voice was low and calm, "You have your worries, and I have mine. Both of us have someone we love in danger. We're in this together. I sent my little princess north with the flyers and she promised to take care of your Gunnar. I don't know where she is right now, but she's in trouble. It's dark and cold, but she isn't dead yet. That I would know immediately. And if she's alive, I bet your Gunnar is too. They just need some time to get out of whatever jam they are in and get back to us."Gudrun's blind eyes stared at Rolly, and he didn't flinch as she said, "I saw beyond her barrier, to what is beneath. She's a monster, and very close to what drove my people from these lands.'He nodded. "I won't deny that. But if you go looking for monsters, and not heroes, you'll find monsters. I'm one for sure. So are my friends Ozzy and Suzette. We can all be terrifying when we need to be. But we're heroes too, and so is my little princess. We're going to work hard to save your tribes, and that fight I see coming isn't going to be a pretty thing. Fights never are except in old songs." Gudrun nodded. "I know all of the legends of my people, and the lists of those who were heroes is dwarfed by the long tally of the fallen. Gunnar wanted so badly to be a hero, and I knew it wasn't my place to stop him when his destiny came to claim him. I want him back.""They'll be back soon."She shrugged, "And if you are wrong?"His voice became very serious and she sensed the monster that hid inside of him. "Then the two of us will walk to Hades and bring them home. On that, you have my promise." The conviction was so strong, that she actually believed him.As Rolly and Gudrun had talked, Billy held a quick meeting. The wagons were camped a mile away from the tribes on a small ridge, a small, fast moving river between them. "Alright folks, there's a lot of people over there: Families that just got driven out of their homes and soldiers who just lost a war and probably aren't too happy about things. I'm going to head down there and talk to them. I don't want anyone to do anything that looks dangerous. No scouting, no showing off any magic. Keep loaded up and ready to move. If they do something belligerent like trying to kill me and my lovely Baroness, I want you to head south and join up with the Duchess. Then come back and kick their ass, or the giants, or whoever else is here trying to claim my land. Don't charge down the hill to fight. That's an order."Ozzy stepped forward, "I assume you aren't going down there just the two of you."Layla and Billy both grinned, she said, "Oh no. We've just taking a few trusted advisers like you, pretty little Suzette, and the handsome Jarl Benjamin. You can all be so charming and clever when you need to be."Billy added, "And we can't insult our bodyguards by leaving them behind." He snapped his fingers and his war golem ran to stand beside him. Billy turned and patted one of his razor-tipped claws. "Follow my lead. No fighting until I say so, just glare around with those glowing red eyes. Today is just setting up for the real fight tomorrow." Layla addressed her own troops, speaking in the hisses and strange sounds of their own language, "This may be prey, or allies. I will decide. If they attack and I give the signal, we will destroy them, no matter how many there are. Until then, it is the Time of Watchful Peace."They growled and nodded. The Time of Watchful Peace usually ended in the Time of Savagery and Blood. Billy and Layla walked down to meet the people of the tribes, crossing the rough bridge they had made from fallen trees across the river. Ben preceded the group across, Mudfoot dancing across the bridge followed by Goodboy who loped down from the wagons with Gudrun on his back. They approached the ten Jarls and their picked warriors. Ben dismounted and so did Gudrun, his voice rang out for all to here, "As promised, I bring warriors to aid you in your fight."Cragstone motioned for Jarl Redhoof to accompany him as he stepped forward. The three men clasped forearms in the northern manner. Cragstone was looking at Gudrun. "Indeed. But I see so few and our enemies are many, in all directions. And you have found one of our own." He looked at the girl, "Seer Gudrun, tell me what you have seen."She stepped forward, and the Jarl's listened. It didn't matter that she was young. Seer's saw more with their blind eyes than a dozen men with the eyes of eagles. And their words might hurt, or be blunt, but they always told the truth."These people are few, but powerful. They may be our salvation, or simply part of our doom. Your actions will determine that in the next few minutes. Do not underestimate them. Some of them have fought the tribes before. They defeated the Clan of the Cave Bear and stole their spirit. Their hands are red with the blood of the tribes, as ours bear the blood of the people of the Empire. Their Baron is crafty, but his words may be trusted if set to paper or accepted by the great spirits of the land. He has found a strange path that may be wise for us to walk."Cragstone nodded, "We will speak then. Now tell me of Gunnar. Where is my son."She stared at him, "The spirits showed me a path to delay our enemies and avoid the destruction of the tribes, at least for two days. He led the raiders from the sky against the Bumbles marching through the Knife Edge, mounted upon the Spirit of the Great Owl that appeared before him. Many of the Bumbles are dead, and the rest must take the westward pass, costing them days."There were whispers after she spoke, but none spoke but Cragstone. "And Gunnar?""He still fights for his life. He may return a hero, or may join the great Jarls in the afterlife. His fate is unknown."Cragstone stood still for a moment. "Time to rejoice or mourn later. Jarl Benjamin, I will talk with your Baron. We meet under the watchful eyes of the gods, and let no man break the peace, lest the gods smite him dead."Ben motioned for the Baron and Baroness to come forward, and said to Cragstone. "No one wants that. Why fight now? It will spoil a great night of drinking together before we fight together against a horde of giants." Jarl Redhoof smacked Ben on the back, "Well said. I like a man that sees what's important!"