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Unable to speak, Almen turned and pointed back at the orchards The apples were red specks, dotting the green like freckles

"What’s that?" Uso asked, rubbing his long face Moor squinted, then began running toward the orchard

"Gather everyone," Ales nearby, people passing on Shyather and pick"

"Pick what?" Adim asked with a frown

"Apples," Alrows on apple trees! Listen, we need every one of those apples picked before the day ends You hear me? Go! Spread the word! There’s a harvest after all!"

They ran off to look, of course It was hard to blame them for that Almen continued on, and as he did, he noticed for the first tireener, healthier

He looked eastward Al hione

Apples first, he thought Then…well, then he’d see

Chapter 2

Questions of Leadership

Thunder rurowl of a distant beast Perrin turned his eyes toward the sky A few days ago, the pervasive cloud cover had turned black, darkening like the advent of a horrible storm But rain had come only in spurts

Another ru Perrin patted Stayer on the neck; the horse smelled skittish--prickly, sweaty The horse wasn’t the only one That scent hung above his enorees as they traround That force created a thunder of its own, footsteps, hoofbeats, wagon wheels turning,

They had nearly reached the Jehannah Road Originally, Perrin had planned to cross that and continue on northward, toward Andor But he’d lost a great deal of time to the sickness that had struck his camp--both Asha’man had nearly died Then this thick mud had slowed them even further All told, it had been over a month since they’d left Malden, and they’d traveled only as far as Perrin had originally hoped to go in a week

Perrin put his hand into his coat pocket, feeling at the small blacksmith’s puzzle there They’d found it in Malden, and he’d taken to fiddling with it So far, he hadn’t figured out how to get the pieces apart It was as con of Master Gill or the people Perrin had sent on ahead with supplies Grady had ateways ahead to send scouts to find the to worry about them