At the beginning of The Eye of The World, Egwene is living in Emond's Field with her family, and has just begun to braid her hair to show she is of marriageable age. Nynaeve has told her that she can "listen to the wind", and may be able to become a Wisdom. She sneaks into the stables when Rand and the others are preparing to leave with Moiraine in EOTW 10, insisting that she come too. Moiraine allows her, and she leaves the village riding Bela. They run from the Draghkar and cross the Taren River. In EOTW 12, Moiraine shows her that she has the inborn ability to channel.