In the Vale of Mists, while Ashlynn and Heila were making their way toward the Briar and preparing for the multitude of changes their journey would bring, other adjustments were occurring at home.
With the complete destruction of Old Nan's village and the brutal way that Owain's men hunted down anyone attempting to escape, a ripple had spread through the outlying villages. Arguments broke out among many village elders and even between members of the same family.
The humans had sent raids into the hills outside the Vale of Mists before, but those raids rarely breached the defenses of a village. More often than not, after a skirmish or two in the wilderness, both sides retreated while licking their wounds, each one hunkering down and swearing that the other side would pay a greater price next time.
