Holy Water Can't Help You Now

While the morning hadn't gone without an interesting start, upon collecting themselves, they were making good ground into the neighboring territory. Aresenn moved cautiously along the rugged edges of Gale Gorge, the voice of the wind echoing in his ears as it whipped around them. The walls that edged the descent were certainly treacherous in spots, but they were able to navigate with relative ease. A few hardy plants had already begun their growth with the transition of the season. A few pine trees clung with admirable tenacity to the steep slopes. There wasn't a whole lot of room to split off and take different paths, so he pretty well always stayed in sight of Absinth ... but the majority of that precaution had come from the mountain lion they had killed as well. He had very little interest in replaying that scenario.

Aresenn had never really been one to be drawn to the visual appeal of nature, but the gorge was at the very least, interesting to look at. As they followed the natural path as it gradually receded into the valley floor, he couldn't help but notice the force of the breeze intensifying- creating an eerie ambiance that only amplified the sounds throughout the territory. The spindly pine trees swayed with the force, but at least they did provide some cover.

Once they broke through the tree line, there was some sort of immediate relief. But it quickly vanished when he saw a flash of movement out of the corner of his eye. Suddenly, the alpine thin air was shattered as the howling winds seemed to carry a more sinister tune. Aresenn's ears perked up- his amber eyes darted around searching for the source of the all too familiar yipping, all the while, backing closer to Absinth. Several coyotes materialized from the shadows all at once, their eyes gleaming with predatory hunger. He could see the confidence in they had in their numbers. Though he simply wouldn't be cowed. The wind, once a mere backdrop, now carried the ominous chorus of impending danger. Aresenn's muscles tensed, preparing for the assault.

"Aresenn Praetor"