The Beast have been looking forward till the day that Innle brings them to the free-running barud of legend. But…where could such a place be? Animals could only ever be free if there were no humans - and no chance of humans coming into contact with them. If they simply found an untainted area of land, humans would eventually explore that area, find them, and exploit beasts all over again - because humans will forever be repeating their mistakes. So the only way for animals to truly be free is for:

1. All humans die, leaving only beasts, and possibly the inhabitants of Obernewtyn - since they are an evolved form of humans (homo sapien Talentious - the misfits - have different natures to those of their lower evolutionary stage of homo sapien sapien). This could only happen if the weaponmachines were activated I think - and then beasts with the humans would die as well.

2. For all beasts to die. This is really morbid, but…well you know how people say that suicide is the only way to take control of your future? What if the free-running barud is 'beast heaven'. Beasts don't fear death at all. If all animals died - took the longsleep and went to the free-running barud, then humans could no longer control them - and never would again. This is too sad to think about, and I hope that they don't do this! The only way for all beasts to die would be…well, for another weaponmachine to go off.



The other thing that makes me think that the Free running would be death is in TKP, the equines are conversing about it, and say that 'not all beasts will follow Innle to the freerunning' and the like. If the beasts are all going to die, then it seems, by this, that so is Elspeth. They talk of the freerunning barud with the same reverence I've heard the fanatically religios talk of heaven.
Perhaps that's what Maruman means by 'there will be nothing left for Innle after'; because she will have to die to save everyone, and her protectors with her.
Lud please don't let this happen.

I hope you see where I'm coming from and how I can think that…I haven't explained this theory very well. As far as I can see though there is no way that animals will ever be rid of humans. This free-running barud seems like another place too-good-to-be-true, played up by Beast legend. It could be as simple as Sador, or Obernewtyn even - but the beasts will never be free of humans. Perhaps everyone can live together? The Beasts and the homo sapien Talentious (^_^).