Chapter 29 - Eyes Without Pity

Summary

Perrin, Egwene, and Elyas Machera, accompanied by his wolves, flee across the plains to escape a massive flock of ravens acting as the Dark One's eyes. Elyas leads them in a frantic, zigzagging course, constantly scouting ahead to ensure they do not run into the birds before they can cross into a stedding, a sacred Ogier sanctuary that repels the Dark One's influence. After a grueling day of near-misses and witnessing the ravens' lethal hunting tactics, the group reaches the edge of the stedding and finds a pool of water and the massive, eye-shaped remains of a statue dedicated to the fallen High King Artur Hawkwing, which Elyas identifies as the last remnant of the man's glory.

Characters

• Perrin — Perrin endures a exhausting flight, mentally relaying warnings from the wolves and experiencing vivid, painful visions of the wolf battle with the ravens. He arrives at the stedding, drinks from the holy pool, and eats in silence while grappling with his growing ability to sense the wolves and his fear of being tainted.
• Egwene — Egwene accompanies the group, initially anxious about the pursuit and the ravens, and later confused by the strange sensation of entering the stedding. She fires her sling at a descending raven and eventually vomits from fatigue. Upon reaching the stedding, she questions Elyas about the history of the statue and its relation to Artur Hawkwing.
• Elyas (the fur-clad man) — Elyas leads the desperate escape, using his heightened senses and wolf communication to navigate around the raven hunt. He guides the group into the stedding, explains the history of Artur Hawkwing's statue, and maintains a grim vigil over the landscape.
• Bela — Bela carries Egwene through the plains, showing fatigue but endurance. At the stedding, she stands expectantly, nostrils flaring at the scent of new grass, and is eventually ridden to the pool.
• Dapple — Dapple, the gray wolf leading the pack, communicates the approach of the ravens to Elyas and Perrin. She rallies the pack to pursue the birds after they cross the stedding's boundary, sustaining wounds in the process.
• Hopper — Hopper, a scarred wolf in Elyas's pack, joins the pursuit of the ravens beyond the stedding's edge, fighting alongside Dapple and sustaining injuries during the battle.
• Wind — Wind, one of the primary wolves, participates in the pack's chase of the ravens, sensing the threat and joining the battle that takes place outside the sanctuary.
• Wind / Dapple / Hopper — The wolves of Elyas's pack, led by Dapple, scout the land and communicate the presence of the raven hunt. They pursue the ravens past the stedding's border, engaging in a fierce aerial battle that leaves them wounded.