Chapter 6 - The Westwood

Description

In the dark of night, Rand struggles to transport his gravely wounded father Tam through the woods toward Emond’s Field, using a makeshift litter crafted from cart pieces and blankets. While tending to Tam’s mysterious wound—a seemingly minor gash that burns with fever—Rand must constantly hide from passing Trollocs and a terrifying black-cloaked rider who searches the woods with supernatural intensity. Throughout the journey, Tam drifts in and out of fever dreams, speaking of ancient battles, a tree called Avendesora, and most disturbingly, a revelation about finding a baby in the snow and naming him Rand, causing the exhausted young man to question his very identity as he desperately tries to reach the village with his father.

Characters

  1. Rand al'Thor - Desperately tries to save his injured father by creating a makeshift litter and dragging him through the forest, evades a dark rider and his Trolloc band, and struggles with disturbing revelations from his father's fever dreams.
  2. Tam al'Thor - Suffers from a fever due to a Trolloc wound, deliriously speaks about past battles, the Tree of Life, and finding a baby in the snow, revealing potentially significant information about Rand's origin.
  3. Nynaeve al'Meara - Mentioned as someone who could potentially heal Tam if they reach the village.
  4. Haral Luhhan, Master Luhhan, Mistress Luhhan - Briefly mentioned in a comparison to describe a Trolloc's size.
  5. Kari al'Thor - Though deceased, is mentioned in Tam's fever dreams as Rand's mother.

Takeaways

  1. Tam reveals through fever-dreams that he found Rand as a baby on a mountainside during a battle, and that Rand was not born to him and Kari.
  2. The Myrddraal (dark rider) and twenty Trollocs pass by Rand and Tam's hiding place in the woods, with the Myrddraal sensing their presence but failing to locate them.
  3. Rand struggles to transport his severely wounded and feverish father through the woods toward Emond's Field using a makeshift stretcher.
  4. Tam's wound, though seemingly minor, causes an unnaturally severe fever that makes him delirious.
  5. Tam's fever-dreams mention historical events involving battles, the Tree of Life (Avendesora), and someone named Laman whose pride led to bloodshed.