Deep in the Heavenly Mountains, vast flocks of sheep moved slowly across the plateau meadow like white clouds scattered over the green grass.
Farther up, clouds like balls of cotton really did drift around the mountaintops, only a little whiter than the sheep.
"Harimu, just keep an eye on my sheep. They're very well behaved. As long as they don't head into the woods, you can leave them alone," Jade Mountain River told Harimu. "I'll be back by sunset at the latest. If I'm late, just help me drive them into the sheepfold."
"What are you going all that way for?" Harimu asked from horseback, a rifle slung over his back as well. "What exactly are you tracking?"
"I don't know either." Jade Mountain River mounted his horse with his rifle on his back and explained, "Yesterday I saw that wild mountain goat chewed down to a little hide, some bones, and its head. I figured either a wolf or a bear killed it. I haven't gathered many hides lately, so I wanted to try hunting it. If it's a bear and I get it, I can take the hide to Li Long and feel better about going to see him. Before I left, I specifically asked him to fix up my winter camp. He certainly wouldn't have forgotten."
"Now you've put it that way, I want to go too." Harimu took down his rifle and checked it on horseback. "Last year he made that winter camp of mine as good as new..."
"You can't go. Between our two families, we've got two herds of cattle and sheep. One man has to stay here. What if a wolf pack comes?" Jade Mountain River hurried to put the idea out of Harimu's head. "I'll go have a look first. I might