Wiallo was once a Grey warrior who foraged in hills west of Jamar. He was recruited for the force of the Acoma. He was part of a guard band protecting a wagon with Cho-ja silk headed for Jamar; Keyoke had sent him as a trailbreaker. While scouting before evening, he noticed that mulaks and kojir birds were not flying above a lake while sanaro, li and other songbirds were quiet. Wiallo told them about a narrow canyon that bandits used as a camp where the silk could be hidden, defendable by few men.