Chapter 43 - Shadowbrothers

Summary

Perrin, Lan, and Loial search the streets of Illian for the source of a Darkhound track and Gray Man attack before returning to the inn, where Lan prepares to leave alone to find Moiraine. Perrin retreats to his room but falls into a wolf dream, witnessing fragmented visions of Mat, Egwene, Nynaeve, and Elayne, and receiving cryptic warnings from the wolf Hopper about the Last Hunt. He wakes in the dark to find Zarine, who has taken the name Faile, waiting for him, and is subsequently confronted by a pale and grim Moiraine who reveals that one of the Forsaken rules in Illian.

Characters

• Perrin (blacksmith, farmboy) — Perrin identifies the scent of Gray Men and traces a Darkhound's paw prints in stone outside the inn before returning to his room. He enters a wolf dream where he sees visions of Mat, Egwene, Nynaeve, and Elayne, and receives warnings from Hopper about the Last Hunt and the Shadowbrothers. He wakes to find Zarine in his room and is then met by Moiraine, who informs him of a Forsaken in the city.
• Lan (Warder, Stone-face) — Lan leads the search for the Darkhound, discovering its tracks in stone, and orders Zarine to swear an oath of obedience or leave. He prepares his gear to ride alone to find Moiraine, answering Perrin's question about the nature of the threat with a grim warning before instructing him to sleep.
• Moiraine (Aes Sedai) — Moiraine returns to the inn in a pale and grim state, bursting into Perrin's room to warn him that the Forsaken are loose and one of them rules in Illian. She notes that Perrin's wolf dreams are as reliable as a Dreamer's sight.
• Loial (Ogier, stone-face) — Loial joins the search for the Darkhound and reacts with distress to the presence of the creature. He later comments on Lan's attire and prepares to sleep, finding comfort in the prospect of dreams over the tension of the night.
• Zarine / Faile (Hunter of the Horn) — Zarine, adopting the name Faile, waits for Perrin in his bedchamber, confronting him about his identity and ta'veren nature before Moiraine interrupts them.
• Hopper (wolf) — Hopper appears to Perrin in his wolf dream, perching on a stone spire. He delivers cryptic warnings about the Last Hunt and the Shadowbrothers, then knocks Perrin off the spire to end the dream.
• Mat — Mat appears in Perrin's wolf dream, rattling a dice cup while gambling with Ba'alzamon, before the vision fades.
• Egwene — Egwene appears in a vision within Perrin's wolf dream, standing with Nynaeve and Elayne in a metal cage as two laughing women watch.
• Nynaeve — Nynaeve appears in a vision within Perrin's wolf dream, standing with Egwene and Elayne inside a metal cage.
• Elayne — Elayne appears in a vision within Perrin's wolf dream, standing with Egwene and Nynaeve in a metal cage.
• Ba'alzamon — Ba'alzamon appears in Perrin's dream, seated opposite Mat with eyes of fire, engaging in a dice game.