The Great Hunt/Chapter 44

==Summary==
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Perrin is with Mat and Hurin as they search for the Horn of Valere. They are scouting ahead of the main party. Hurin picks up the trail of Fain who passed through the village they are visiting but not with Trollocs. As they decide to leave the town, Perrin sees Whitecloaks entering. After riding for a while, Perrin asks the nearby wolves to check if they are being pursued. The wolves see more Whitecloaks, but none of them moving the direction of Perrin. They decide to follow the trail a bit more before returning to Ingtar.
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Bornhald sees Perrin and remembers that he was the lad who claimed to be a blacksmith. Bornhald does not want to hurt any of the villagers so he plans to lock them up in the inn. They will eventually get the courage to break out, but that will be long enough. He is trying to avoid notice by the Seanchan or letting anyone get away who might report them. Seanchan patrols had fought with the Children and the one damane they faced caused a lot of casualties. Bornhald did not like fighting their women, even the ones on leashes. He does not expect to leave Toman Head alive, though, knowing that they will be fighting channelers. Bornhald incorrectly believes the channelers fighting for the Seanchan are Aes Sedai breaking their oaths to not use the One Power in battle. He commands Byar to hold himself away from the battle and then escape to report how things went. Byar needs to survive to report that Aes Sedai are now willing to fight with the Power and that the Questioners had manipulated the rest of the Children. He mentions that he had seen Perrin as they entered in the village to encourage Byar to survive to return with the report. They do not see the huge winged shape above their heads.
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Ingtar watches Rand practice with the sword while they wait for the group searching for Fain. Rand is concerned that the scouting party is long overdue. Loial is reading but clearly concerned. Verin is unaffected and is only using a stick to write in the dirt repeatedly before clearing it away and starting over. Ingtar comments on Rand's use of Heron Wading in the Rushes, saying that he would find it irresistible to aggressively attack Rand in that stance, even while knowing he would be open to counterattack while doing so. Rand says that he is just practicing it for balance.
Uno says there are horses coming. The others finally return and Mat says that they found Fain's trail and followed it close to Falme. Perrin tells Ingtar they also saw Whitecloaks. Ingtar acknowledges that Verin was right all along and they could have gone to Falme much earlier had he listened to her, but Verin is unconcerned over the delay, saying it is the Pattern's design. Ingtar says he will take a small group with him to Falme since all the locals have said that anyone is free to enter the town. Verin manipulates the group so that only five men will set out for Falme - fulfilling the prophecy that five ride forth. Rand, Mat, Ingtar, Perrin, and Hurin are the ones chosen either because they are needed or because they volunteered before others did. Many more wish to go but Verin is firm and there are no more objections. Verin draws spokes of a wheel in the dirt as the party members are chosen. Then she scuffs the wheel and Rand sees that one spoke is missing. Five ride forth, and four return is the passage in the Karaethon Cycle.This passage is first mentioned by Vandene in .
==Characters==
*Perrin
*Mat
*Hurin
*Geofram Bornhald
*Jaret Byar
*Rand
*Ingtar
*Verin
*Uno
*Loial
===Referenced===
*Padan Fain
*Dain Bornhald
*Eamon Valda
*Pedron Niall
*Lan
==Groups==
*Seanchan
*Children of the Light
*Questioners
===Referenced===
*Darkfriends
==Places==
*Toman Head
===Referenced===
*Falme
*Almoth Plain
*Tar Valon
*Amador
*Two Rivers
*Aryth Ocean
==Items ==
*Horn of Valere
*Ruby-hilted dagger
==Sword Forms==
*Heron Wading in the Rushes