He abandoned himself； pushed his mustang after Bannor。
Part of him knew that Morin and then Elena followed him； but he paid no attention to them。 He locked his eyes on Bannor's back and tried to cling there for the duration of the descent。
Before he had gone a hundred feet； the skittishness of his mount drove everything else from his mind。 Its ears flinched as if it were about to shy at every new groan within the fall。 He heaved and sawed at the reins in an effort to control the horse； but he only aggravated its distress。 Faintly； he could hear himself mumbling； 〃Help。 Help。〃
Then a loud boom like the crushing of a boulder shivered the air。 A swath of slide jumped and shifted。 The rubble under Covenant began to slip。
His mount tried to spring away from the shift。 It shied sideways； and started straight down the slope。
Its lunge only precipitated the slide。 Almost at once； the mustang was plunging in scree that poured over its knees。
It struggled to escape downward。 Each heave increased the weight of rubble piling against it。
Covenant clung frantically to the clingor saddle。 He
fought to pull the horse's head aside； make his mount angle out of the slide's main force。 But the mustang had its teeth on the bit now。 He could not turn it。
Its next plunge buried it to its haunches in the quickening rush of rubble。 Covenant could hear Elena shouting stridently。 As she yelled； Bannor's Ranyhyn sprang in front of him。 Plowing through the scree； it threw its weight against his mount。 The impact almost unseated him； but it deflected his horse。 Guided by Bannor； the Ranyhyn shoved against the horse； forced it to fight toward the cliff。
But the avalanche was already moving too heavily。 A small boulder struck the mustang's rump； the horse fell。 Covenant sprawled down the slope out of Bannor's reach。 The rubble tumbled him over and over； but for a moment he managed to stay above it。 He got his feet under him； tried to move across the slide。
Through the gathering roar of the fall； he heard Morin shout； 〃High Lord！〃 The next instant； she flashed by him； riding Myrha straight down the outer edge of the slide。 Fifty feet below him； she swung into the avalanche。 With a wild cry； she whirled the Staff of Law and struck the fall。
Fire blazed up through the slide。 Like a suddenly clenched fist； the rubble around Covenant stopped moving。 His own momentum knocked him backward； but he jumped up again in time to meet Bannor as the Bloodguard landed his Ranyhyn on the small patch of steady ground。 Bannor caught Covenant with one hand； swung him across the Ranyhyn's back； charged away out of the slide。
When they reached the relatively still ground against the cliff wall； Covenant saw that Elena had saved him at the risk of herself。 The stasis which she had applied to the slipping tons of the avalanche was not large enough to include her own position。 And an instant later； that stasis broke。 An extra breaker of rubble dropped toward her。
She had no second chance to wield the Staff。 Almost at once； the wave of scree crashed over her and Myrha。
An instant later； she appeared downhill from Myrha。
The Ranyhyn's great strength momentarily sheltered her。
But the fall piled against Myrha's chest。 And Covenant's mustang； still madly fighting the slide； hurtled toward the Ranyhyn。 Instinctively； Covenant tried to run back into the avalanche to help Elena。 But Bannor held him back with one hand。
He started to struggle； then stopped as a long clingor rope flicked out over the slide and caught the High Lord's wrist。 With his Ranyhyn braced against the wall below Covenant and Bannor； First Mark Morin flung out his line； and the adhesive leather snared Elena。 She reacted immediately。 〃Flee！〃 she yelled to Myrha； then clutched the Staff and heaved against the waistdeep flow of scree as Morin pulled her to safety。
Though the great mare was battered and bleeding； she had other intentions。 With a tremendous exertion； she lunged out of the mustang's path。 As the screaming horse tumbled past； she turned and caught its reins in her teeth。
For one intense moment； she held the mustang； hauled it to its feet； swung it in the direction of the wall。
Then the avalanche swept them down a steep bulge。 The sudden plunge sank her。 With a rushing cry； the weight of the landslide poured over her。
Somehow； the mustang kept its feet； struggled on down the slope。 But Myrha did not reappear。
Covenant hugged his stomach as if he were about to retch。 Below him； Elena cried； 〃Myrha！ Ranyhyn！〃 The passion in her voice appalled him。 Several moments passed before he realized that his rescue had carried his panions more than two…thirds of the way down the slide。
〃e；〃 Bannor said flatly。 〃The balance has broken。 There will be more falls。 We are imperiled here。〃 His efforts had not even quickened his breathing。
Numbly； Covenant sat behind Bannor as his Ranyhyn picked its way along the wall to the High Lord and Morin。 Elena looked stricken； astonished with grief。 Covenant wanted to throw his arms around her； but the Bloodguard gave him no chance。 Bannor took him on
down the slope； and Morin followed with the High Lord riding emptily at his back。
They found Amok awaiting them on the grass at the bottom of the valley。 His eyes held something that resembled concern as he approached the High Lord and helped her to dismount。 〃Pardon me；〃 he said quietly。 〃I have brought you pain。 What could I do？ I was not made to be of use in such needs。〃
〃Then begone；〃 Elena replied harshly。 〃I have no more use for you this day。〃
Amok's gaze constricted as if the High Lord had hurt him。 But he obeyed tier promptly。 With a bow and a wave； he wiped himself out of sight。
Dismissing him with a grimace； Elena turned toward the landslide。 The piled rubble creaked and retorted more fiercely now； promising other slides at any moment； but she ignored the hazard to kneel at the foot of the scree。 She bent forward as if she were presenting her back to a whip； and tears streaked her voice as she moaned； 〃Alas； Ranyhyn！ Alas； Myrha！ My failure has slain you。〃
Covenant hurried to her。 He ached to throw his arms around her； but her grief restrained him。 With an effort； he said； 〃It's my fault。 Don't blame yourself。 I should know how to ride better。〃 Hesitantly； he reached out and stroked her neck。
His touch seemed to turn her pain to anger。 She did not move； but she screamed at him； 〃Let me be！ This is indeed your doing。 You should not have sent the Ranyhyn to Lena my mother。〃
He recoiled as if she had struck him。 At once； his own instinctive ire flamed。 The panic of his fall had filled his veins with a tinder that burned suddenly。 Her quick recrimination changed him in an instant。 It was as if the peace of his past days had been transformed abruptly into umbrage and leper's vehemence。 He was mute with outrage。 Trembling； he turned and stalked away。
Neither Bannor nor Morin followed him。 Already they were busy tending the cuts and abrasions of their Ranyhyn and his mustang。 He strode past them； went
on down the valley like a scrap of frail ire fluttering helplessly along the breeze。
After a while； the dull detonations of the landslide began to fade behind him。 He kept on walking。 The smell of the grass tried to beguile him； and within the pine stands a consoling susurrous and gloom； a soft； quiet； sweet rest； beckoned him。 He ignored them； paced by with a jerky； mechanical stride。 Thick anger roiled his brain； drove him forward。 Again！ he cried to himself。 Every woman he loved…！ How could such a thing happen twice in the same life？
He went on until he had covered almost a league。； Then he found himself beside a trilling stream。 Here the bottom of the valley was uneven on both sides of the brook。 He searched along it until he found a grassmatted gully from which he could see nothing of the valley's northward reach。 There he threw himself down on his stomach to gnaw the old bone of his outrage。
Time passed。 Soon shadows crossed the valley as the sun moved toward evening。 Twilight began as if it were seeping out of the ground between the cliffs。 Covenant rolled over on his back。 At first； he watched with a kind of dour satisfaction as