\u201cI\u2019m still trying to figure out how you know exactly where that howl came from,\u201d Matt said, squinting against the late morning sun. \u201cEvery other time we\u2019ve gone toe to toe with anything like that, they\u2019ve come from the ravines.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWell, there\u2019s a first time for everything,\u201d Thordin growled, eyes narrowing as his gaze scythed across the hillocks of snow and brush. The remains of M-45 stretched toward the river, where the roadway ended abruptly, raggedly. \u201cIt came from this direction. Maybe they\u2019re coming down from the north instead of west.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMaybe,\u201d Matt muttered, hunching in his jacket and shoving his hands deeper into his pockets. \u201cWhat do you think it was?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cA wolf.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt sure sounded like one. You think it\u2019s more than just<\/em> a wolf?\u201d<\/p>\n Thordin sighed, watching his breath steam in the air. \u201cI don\u2019t know. It\u2019s hard to say, really. We\u2019ll know once we find the trail.\u201d Easier said than done right now. Either this is a damned smart wolf, or we\u2019re dealing with more than the standard wolf.<\/em> That boded ill, but they\u2019d only heard one. One meant they were dealing with a scout or a loner, probably not another slew of hamrammr <\/em>or worse.<\/p>\n We\u2019ll have to hope anyway. I\u2019m not too keen on going up against them again this soon. Hoping we sent them packing when we bloodied them south of here before Phelan got ripped into by the <\/em>Dirae.<\/em><\/p>\n A flicker of movement caught his eye and he twisted, battleaxe coming to hand easily. He scanned a line of bushes dotted with trees every few feet, more decorative than functional.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat is it?\u201d Matt asked.<\/p>\n \u201cShh.\u201d Thordin prowled forward a few steps, listening. He could hear the breathing of the man at his side and the sound of the wind. He strained his ears, eyes fastened on the bushes.<\/p>\n Come on. Move, you bugger.<\/em><\/p>\n There it was. A rustle of branches, a flash of gold.<\/p>\n \u201cThere,\u201d Thordin whispered. \u201cIt\u2019s right there.\u201d<\/p>\n His weapon in hand and expression grim, Thordin marched forward, Matt trailing just a step behind.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" \u201cI\u2019m still trying to figure out how you know exactly where that howl came from,\u201d Matt said, squinting against the late morning sun. \u201cEvery other time we\u2019ve gone toe to toe with anything like that, they\u2019ve come from the ravines.\u201d … Continue reading