Tristran dreams that the moon is asking for help protecting its child. When he wakes he hears another voice telling him about her own dream. The voice tells him the god Pan came to her and asked her to help Tristran on his journey. Tristran realizes that the voice belongs to a tree, and she tells him she used to be a nymph who was transformed by a magician. Tristran tells her his story about how he captured Yvaine to bring to Victoria, and the tree is angry with him. She agrees to help only because Tristran unchained Yvaine himself.

She tells him Yvaine is in danger, and there is a carriage coming that Tristran must intercept. Then she gives Tristran one of her leaves. Tristran hurries to catch the carriage but misses it; however, it stops not far ahead because of a branch that has fallen in its path. The carriage belongs to Primus, who is struggling to move the branch out of the way. Tristran helps him, and Primus, after consulting his runes, agrees to let Tristran ride along.

In the mountains, the witch-queen is preparing for Yvaine’s arrival. She turns her goats into an innkeeper and his daughter and her carriage into an inn.