Snakes and Thorns
- The headlights grow closer behind them, but they just might make it to the nearest village—but then a tire blows on their car. Drat. They hop out, roll the car partway down a slope into a valley, and scramble up a nearby hill.
- While hiding behind some ruined walls, they see a van zoom past, and then turn back around. Basta and Flatnose get out, spot the car, and speculate about where everyone is.
- They decide to go down the slope in pursuit, and if that doesn't work, they'll get the dogs.
- Once Basta and Flatnose are making a racket, Dustfinger leads Mo, Meggie, Elinor, and Farid up the slope. He says they have to keep going til they reach the coast, and then there'll be enough people to hide them.
- They make decent headway, despite the thorns and snakes (okay, they don't see any snakes, Elinor is just afraid of snakes). Elinor says she has her credit card hidden on her, so they can check into a hotel when they reach civilization.
- Farid seems to making friends with Gwin the marten, but otherwise he's convinced that it's still a dream. Meggie nods off to sleep while Mo carries her on his shoulders.