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Summary

Mat finishes a camp meal and exchanges teasing remarks with Tuon and Selucia before sharing a kiss that reveals his untreated wounds have become infected and are causing a fever. He takes charge of the group's departure, introduces Tuon to Talmanes, and realizes their planned route through the Damona Mountains is blocked by a landslide, forcing him to urgently find an alternative path while managing his deteriorating health.

Characters

• Mat / Mat Cauthon — He finishes a camp meal and exchanges teasing remarks with Tuon and Selucia before sharing a kiss that reveals his untreated wounds have become infected and are causing a fever. He takes charge of the group's departure, introduces Tuon to Talmanes, and realizes their planned route through the Damona Mountains is blocked by a landslide, forcing him to urgently find an alternative path while managing his deteriorating health.
• Amathera — She screams upon spotting a snake, then clings tightly to Juilin while trembling. Her fear of the creature prompts Mat to explain its solitary nature before the group prepares to move on.
• Selucia — She participates in teasing Mat regarding his hygiene and later scurries to fetch ointments at Tuon's command. Her sharp glares and loud throat-clearing signal her disapproval of Mat's behavior and her protective stance toward Tuon.
• Lopin — He helps Nerim dig a refuse pit in the forest floor and later fills it in before the group departs, demonstrating his role as a reliable camp attendant.
• Nerim — He assists Lopin with camp chores and later wraps leftover food for transport while dousing the fire with water from folding leather buckets.
• Aludra — She plays a game of stones against Thom Merrilin, winning two games despite his usual skill, and comments on the necessity of staying in one place to craft her materials.
• Thom / Thom Merrilin — He contemplates a cross-hatched stones board while stroking his mustaches and loses two games to Aludra, showing his willingness to take care with anyone who can defeat him.
• Leilwin — She chats with Domon, Juilin, and Amathera while deliberately maintaining eye contact with Tuon and Selucia to show she will not avoid them. Her sharp blue eyes and steeling herself reveal her ongoing tension regarding the Seanchan women.
• Domon — He stands beside Leilwin with a shortsword and brass-studded cudgel, engaging in conversation while displaying his readiness for combat.
• Juilin — He draws his shortsword to chase a blacklance snake before Mat orders him to stop, then comforts a shivering Amathera after dropping his conical red cap. His turned-back coat cuffs and tight grip on the thief-catcher's arm indicate his trust in the group and protective instincts.
• Noal — He sits cross-legged on the damp ground playing Snakes and Foxes with Olver while spinning tales about distant lands, inadvertently reminding Mat of his past encounters with the Eelfinn.
• Olver — He participates in Noal's game and listens to stories about foreign cities, remaining unaware of how the board triggers Mat's traumatic memories.
• Joline — She stops at the stream to speak with Blaeric and Fen before attempting to take over Mat's conversation with Talmanes regarding Egwene's status. Her insistence on Healing Mat and her angry glare when silenced highlight her persistent concern and frustration.
• Blaeric — He stands near the stream conversing with Joline before she is drawn into the discussion about the Amyrlin Seat.
• Fen — He remains by the stream alongside Blaeric, observing the group's interactions without intervening.
• Bethamin — She trails behind the Aes Sedai at Joline's gesture and stands behind Edesina while reading a leather-bound book, showing her continued efforts to learn channeling under supervision.
• Seta — She follows Bethamin's lead, positioning herself behind Edesina to read while displaying lingering fear of the One Power and the Aes Sedai despite her recent progress.
• Teslyn — She sits apart from Edesina with a barrier of branches between them, reading a book while maintaining her refusal to teach the former sul'dam. She later lays a hand on Joline's arm to silence her and murmur instructions.
• Edesina — She sits beside Teslyn with a barrier of branches, reading a book while hanging back slightly when Joline takes charge. Her presence underscores the sisters' divided approach to training Seta.
• Vanin — He arrives on a dark bay gelding leading packhorses and deliberately stays clear of Mat while allowing Talmanes to approach alone. He later explains the geographical dangers of the Damona Mountains, admitting his limited knowledge of alternative passes.
• Talmanes / Talmanes Delovinde — He rides up with Vanin, reports that Egwene remains Amyrlin and is besieging Tar Valon, and reveals he has expanded the Band of the Red Hand while securing funding from King Roedran. He bows respectfully to Tuon after learning her identity and informs Mat that their planned mountain pass is blocked by a landslide.