Thom had bad feeling about all of it.\u00a0 Bad feelings weren\u2019t that uncommon anymore and they no longer came as a surprise.\u00a0 Visitors, however\u2014those tended to be surprising.<\/p>\n
His lips pressed into a thin, white line as he jogged down the hill toward the gates.\u00a0 Thordin had every right to be paranoid.\u00a0 They all did.\u00a0 Their luck had been holding too much lately and it was bound to run out sometime, probably soon.<\/p>\n
Only one of that pack showed up.\u00a0 That can\u2019t be a good thing.\u00a0 I sincerely doubt it\u2019s a good thing.<\/em> \u00a0His lips thinned and he picked up his pace.\u00a0 They\u2019d be lucky if Thordin hadn\u2019t done something that couldn\u2019t be undone, especially with the razor\u2019s edge he\u2019d been walking lately since Sif\u2019s arrival.\u00a0 Thom wasn\u2019t sure where the pair stood\u2014he wasn\u2019t sure that even Thordin knew.\u00a0 It hadn\u2019t come up yet.\u00a0 Things were tense, but quiet.<\/p>\n He shook his head at himself.\u00a0 I should tell Drew that one of his brother\u2019s pack is here.<\/em>\u00a0 But Drew was out at the greenhouse with Greg, checking on the salvaged plants.\u00a0 It would have to wait until Thom knew why the werewolf had come\u2014and whether their latest visitor brought good news or bad.<\/p>\n Phelan\u2019s voice echoed in the distance as Thom ducked through the open gate.\u00a0 \u201cThordin!\u00a0 Back off!\u201d<\/p>\n That doesn\u2019t sound promising.<\/em>\u00a0 Thom broke into a run, swearing as his bad ankle protested.\u00a0 Even though it had healed well enough, it still chose the worst possible times to protest when he did things like running in the snow.\u00a0 He hoped it would get better in time, but he wasn\u2019t going to hold out much hope that would happen.<\/p>\n \u201cI said back off<\/em>, dammit.\u201d\u00a0 Phelan looked about ready to judiciously apply his staff to Thordin\u2019s head as the bigger man menaced a cowering, curly-haired man hunkered in a bush. \u00a0Thom winced, slowing as he came within the last few steps of Phelan.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat the hell is going on out here?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI told him not to move an inch and he didn\u2019t listen,\u201d Thordin growled.\u00a0 \u201cHe\u2019s a stranger.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s not a stranger,\u201d Thom said.\u00a0 He knew he man\u2019s face, recognized him as the quietest, smiling but shy member of Daniel\u2019s pack.\u00a0 \u201cHe\u2019s been here, shared our fire.\u00a0 Step off, Thordin.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThomas,\u201d the werewolf breathed in relief.\u00a0 \u201cDanny hoped you\u2019d still be here.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know where he\u2019d imagine I\u2019d go,\u201d Thom said, shoving his hands into the pockets of his jacket, watching Thordin out of the corner of his eye.\u00a0 Thordin eased back but kept on clutching his axe like he was ready to cleave the newcomer in half.\u00a0 \u201cWhat\u2019s going on?\u00a0 Where\u2019s Daniel?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019re still west of here, other side of the lake,\u201d the werewolf said.\u00a0 \u201cSaid they\u2019d catch up, sent me ahead.\u00a0 I\u2019m the quickest, y\u2019see, and I wasn\u2019t afraid to run the ice on the lake.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat happened?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s more survivors,\u201d the werewolf said.\u00a0 \u201cMore like you, across the lake.\u00a0 They\u2019re trying to hold out.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHold out against what?\u201d\u00a0 Phelan asked, fingers white-knuckled as he gripped his staff.\u00a0 \u201cWhat\u2019s out there?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMonsters,\u201d the werewolf whispered.\u00a0 \u201cMonsters coming out of the west.\u00a0 They\u2019re coming and I don\u2019t know that they can be stopped.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Thom had bad feeling about all of it.\u00a0 Bad feelings weren\u2019t that uncommon anymore and they no longer came as a surprise.\u00a0 Visitors, however\u2014those tended to be surprising. His lips pressed into a thin, white line as he jogged down … Continue reading