The Journey has begun. Winter is coming (apologies to Game of Thrones, but it's just that time of the year!) Tragedy strikes in the Elves' first real contact with a servant of the Evil One as they cross the ford of the great river Afn on Mons Dei, leaving Farinka devastated; it takes many months for her to come back out of her shell. The Elves are "adopted" by a wild child and a wolf pup, Kaaia and Kin, who travel with them to the Western Mountains and the Hidden Valley. The Western dragons take the six senior Elves south to recover Miirshekaar's Blade, but Hlammaeth will not let Nemeth keep it until after they reach adulthood; he tells Nemeth that Tarke has a decision to make first. The time in the Hidden Valley brings to light a wholly new side to Farinka.