Chapter 44 - Five Will Ride Forth

Summary

Perrin, Mat, and Hurin scout a village on Toman Head and track a faint scent of Padan Fain before fleeing the arrival of a large force of Children of the Light. Meanwhile, Geofram Bornhald secures the village, detains the villagers, and orders Byar to carry a message to Amador warning of the Seanchan threat and the betrayal by the Questioners. Back at camp, Verin Sedai uses a drawn wheel to dictate the composition of an infiltration party, selecting Rand, Ingtar, Mat, Perrin, and Loial to ride to Falme while dismissing the rest of the group.

Characters

• Perrin — Perrin scouts a village with Mat and Hurin, using his wolfbrother senses to confirm the Children of the Light are not pursuing them. He later returns to camp and is selected by Verin as one of the five who will ride to Falme.
• Mat — Mat accompanies Perrin and Hurin on the scout; Hurin finds the scent trail of Fain, and Perrin reports the presence of Whitecloaks. Mat returns to camp and agrees to join the infiltration party to find the tainted dagger.
• Hurin (sniffer) — Hurin tracks the scent of Padan Fain in a deserted village and later confirms the trail leads to Falme. He is selected by Ingtar to lead the infiltration party into the city.
• Bornhald / Geofram (my Lord Captain, Lord Captain) — Geofram Bornhald commands the Children of the Light to secure a village on Toman Head, detaining the villagers in an inn to avoid alerting the Seanchan. He orders Byar to ride to Amador with a warning about the Seanchan and the Questioners' manipulation.
• Byar (Child Byar) — Byar receives orders from Bornhald to secure the village and later to deliver a message to Pedron Niall in Amador regarding the Seanchan threat and the betrayal by the Questioners.
• Rand — Rand practices sword forms in the camp while waiting for the scouts. He is selected by Verin as one of the five who will ride to Falme and feels unease regarding the incomplete wheel drawn in the dirt.
• Ingtar / Lord Ingtar — Ingtar oversees the camp preparations, accepts Verin's prophecy that Fain has gone to Falme, and orders the group to saddle their horses for a night ride. He directs Uno to keep the rest of the soldiers hidden behind the main party.
• Loial — Loial reads in the camp and volunteers to join the infiltration party, offering to carry the chest. Verin dismisses him, stating that Ogier would attract too much attention on Toman Head.
• Uno — Uno reports the approach of horsemen and urges his inclusion in the group to protect the ta'veren. Verin rejects his request, and he is ordered by Ingtar to keep the remaining soldiers out of sight behind the main party.
• Verin (Aes Sedai) — Verin draws a wheel in the dirt to dictate the composition of the infiltration party, selecting Rand, Ingtar, Mat, Perrin, and Loial. She refuses to join them, citing the danger of damane, and confirms the pattern has brought them to Falme.