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Like you promised.”
    “Did I?” He rubbed his chin slowly. “I
never
make promises.”
    “Oh, you! Stop the joking, all right?” She frowned at him. “Really, sometimes I think I liked you better as a bear!”
    “If that’s what you want to see, I can always change back.”
    “What I want is to go to the willow!”
    “Really, now? Why didn’t you say so?” He broke off a twig and tossed it at her. “So when do you want to go?”
    “Now!” She nodded several times. “Right now.”
    “Fine. Old Fungusface will just have to make his own supper tonight.”
    Anna, who had already started climbing down the beech, suddenly froze. “You mean we can’t do it in a day?”
    He smirked. “Not unless you can fly.”
    Cheeeyup!
The sparrow in her apron pocket started squawking loudly.
    “Right, Eagle. You’re right.” Anna reached down and stroked his rumpled feathers. “You’rethe only one of us who’ll ever fly.” Then she turned back to Sash. “How long is the trek?”
    “Two days, at least.”
    “Two days!” Her face fell. “But…”
    “Oh, come on, now. Let the old man make his own biscuits for once.”
    “It’s not that, Sash.”
    “So what’s wrong, then?”
    “It’s…well, there’s no telling
what
he might do if he finds me gone! And when I come back, he—” She shook her head. “No, no, I don’t even want to think about that.”
    She hit the beech’s trunk with her fist. “Wait! I have an idea!” Quickly, she climbed back up and sat on the branch beside him. “In just about a week, he goes out to the Farthest Reef to fish. It’s a long trip, and he needs lots of daylight to do it. So he goes only once a year. On the longest day of summer.”
    “High Hallow Eve,” said the boy quietly. “He leaves you alone on
that
night?”
    Anna gave a slow nod. Below, in the ferns at the edge of the glade, she saw a young hedgehog nuzzling its mother’s side. “Aye, and that’s when we’ll make our own journey.”
    A mysterious smile lit Sash’s face. “That’s a special night in the forest, too, you know.”
    “What do you mean, special?”
    His eyes flashed strangely. “You’ll see. Soon enough.”

Chapter 13
    A T LAST , THE DAY ARRIVED. Aye, and none too soon!
    Anna could hardly contain herself as she helped Master Mellwyn get ready for his trip to the Farthest Reef. She wrapped some scallop cakes, mended his shroud, and checked all his nets—all the while trying to keep her excitement from showing. So she spun no twirls and sang no songs.
    But crab claws, it was hard!
    After breakfast, the master sat in the driftwood chair by the hearth, chewing on the stem of his pipe. He blew a puff of greenish smoke. And watched Anna closely.
    “The moon will be out tonight, girl. And almost full.”
    She looked up from the flask she’d been filling with water. “Aye, sir.”
    “And ye recall what happened afore, that dreadful night?”
    “Aye, sir.”
    He puffed some more, eyeing her all the while. “Ye promise not to forget what I told ye?”
    Anna swallowed and tried to keep her voice steady. “I promise.”
    He continued to watch her pour the water. “Mayhaps I shouldn’t go at all this year.”
    Her hands squeezed the flask, but she said nothing. She just returned his gaze in silence. But under her apron, her heart was pounding like the surf in a summer squall.
    In time, he spoke again. “Blast that larder of ours! Hard as I’ve worked, it still be almost empty. And we’ll be needin’ some bigger fish for smokin’, if we’re not to starve this winter.” He tapped his pipe against the palm of his hand. “So I guess I must be goin’ after all.”
    Anna barely nodded.
    An hour later, the master shoved off. As he rowed across the lagoon, morning light gleamed on the waves like a web of spun gold. Anna watched from the window as his boat, loaded down with extra nets, lines, and bait, vanished over the horizon. Then she grabbed her own supplies—a shredded cloak and a