"I know proud men achieve many things a healer would not think them capable of," she noted, not hesitating to draw salved fingers along his chest. "Prith and Allis will go with you; the bandaging will prevent you ducking and moving quite as well as a rider must and they may catch stray thread you would otherwise duck." The browns cheeped cheerfully and wheeled off to go salvage firestone pebbles.

"That is a condition for your leave taking," just in case he wished to object.