Time passes at the Keep. The itinerant trader Tzintzan Ryal remains a couple more days before hitching his two flightless birds, Yirk and Yark, up to his talking wagon and making his way back to Last Ferry.
Dewey and Nerfer supervise the clearance of an area within the keep for tilling and sowing which, all being well, should easily provide enough food for the inhabitants of the keep. In the meantime the Dulat settlers have to make do with the supplies that they bought with them, and on whatever Sh'aah can catch.
Preperations are taken for the diplomatic mission to Fanjyr Waystation, outpost of the Zwergenberg dwarves. Sh'aah is to go, as guide, and trooper Fyfe as translator. Arcata, of course, wishes to go and where she goes, so does Bastian. And Brother Comoray is eager to go as spiritual pilgrim and advisor. Cassie also expresses a desire to follow the Lady Arcata. This leaves the keep and the rest of the men under the charge of Sergeant Greggory. Scouts have reported all quiet on the beastman front since Aarach was destroyed. The month of Germinal reaches its end on the Day of the Knife. All seems in readiness to set forth.