Chapter 44: Five Will Ride Forth
Perrin, Mat, and Hurin move through a half-empty village on Toman Head. Hurin confirms Fain's trail is present but old—unmistakable and worse even than a Myrddraal's stench. When the Children of the Light ride into town, the three bolt for their horses and escape westward through the low hills.
Once clear, Perrin reaches out to a nearby wolf pack to confirm no pursuit. The wolves are startled to encounter a two-legs who can speak to them. He goes through the formal introductions—giving his wolf-name Young Bull and his own scent, as wolf custom demands—before they agree to look. They report the Whitecloaks milling through the village but none riding west.
The POV shifts to Bornhald, who has marched more than a thousand Children nearly the length of Toman Head in secret, fighting three Seanchan skirmishes along the way. He secures the village by locking its people inside the inn with nailed-shut doors and shutters, buying himself two or three days before they find the courage to break out. He pulls Byar aside and gives him private orders: when the final engagement comes, Byar will not fight. He will watch from a distance, then carry word to Dain and ride to Pedron Niall in Amador with reports on the Seanchan threat and a warning that Aes Sedai will now channel openly in battle. Bornhald expects to die and does not regret leaving a world where Aes Sedai wield the Power on the battlefield. He briefly notes that Perrin of the Two Rivers may have slipped away when the column rode in.
Back at the hilltop camp, Rand works sword forms to keep from thinking while Verin sketches in the dirt and Loial reads. When the scouts return with news that Fain's trail leads to Falme and that Whitecloaks are swarming the area, Verin calmly declares the Pattern has brought them here at last.
She draws a five-spoke wheel in the dirt and names the party that will enter Falme: Rand, Mat, Perrin, Ingtar, and Hurin—five, few enough to slip in without attracting attention, and fitting that three of them are ta'veren. Loial cannot go; there are no Ogier on Toman Head and he would draw every eye. Verin herself will stay behind, fearing that channeling would alert the damane. Uno and the Shienarans will follow at a distance and stay out of sight. 'Five will ride forth,' she murmurs, then scrubs the wheel away.