Jarrer, Ara, Donday, and Lark took turns clearing the path and continued until they persistently stumbled in the darkness. Even though many of the forests leaves had fallen to the ground, the thick canopy overhead still blocked out most of the light. The blackness was nearly complete. Ara's skin crawled, as her soul encountered all the nocturnal creatures gaping at them. Many were filled with anger that these strangers had come, destroying their serenity and breaking the Elves' boundaries. "Their malevolence is palpable," Ara whispered to no one in particular.
Donday wrapped his cloak tighter around him. "That's merely a taste of the fury that threatens us."
"Ara." Jarrer whispered. "Let them see you're a Nightstar." Ara released the habitual hold of her cloak, and her Nightstar was immediately visible. It seemed to calm the creatures slightly.
Leaning against each other's backs, they huddled together as much out of fear as to fight the bitter cold. Ara fingered her flint, wishing desperately for a warm fire. At first, she shivered violently, but then her body gave up and she just sat cold and miserable—breathing so the warmth of her breath floated up and warmed her face.
Fighting to keep awake as the gnashing and whispers garbled around them, it was nearly dawn before Ara's head finally tipped forward and sleep took her. Even still, a part of her remained alert. So when her Gift alerted her to a presence, sleep dissipated instantaneously. Standing, her blanket tumbled to the ground as she hastily drew her sword. Her companions stiffly drew theirs at the sound. The sound of twigs breaking under the pads of heavy paws elevated Ara's fear. She thought of her bow, but the foliage was so thick it would be nearly impossible to hit anything beyond it.
A pair of yellow eyes peered at her from within the trees. Her soul focused on him—an enormous male wolf. Ara tensed expectantly when his voice growled inside each of their minds. "Why have you not respected the boundaries, Elves?" Numerous growls vibrated through the trees from the just beyond their sight.
Donday stepped forward. "Our Queen no longer knows her friends from her enemies. Hence, we must flee Lourel."
"That explains the other's in your wake." The voice growled again.
Others! Ara thought. We have pursuers.
The voice growled again. "I know you Donday and Lark, children of Sadiki and Keepers of the Path, but I know not those with you."
Ara glanced at Donday and Lark, she hadn't know that they were brother and sister. Though the freckles and eyes were similar, they really didn't look much alike.
Donday spoke, "This is Ara Nightstar and Jarrer of the Blood Mountains."
The wolf appraised them. "You look nothing like a Dwarve, Jarrer of the Blood Mountains."
"I lived here once, long ago."
"You must let us pass." Ara begged.
The intimidating yellow eyes shifted to her. "Even with your pointed rocks, you are in no position to barter."
Ara's soul lighted about. Wolves, bears, and lions on all sides. They were vastly outnumbered. Ara's mind worked quickly. "Do you know the Kanovians?"
Deep growls and hisses filled the air and fury spewed forth like a vapor. "Are you a Kanovian?"
Ara felt them all ready to pounce. "No!" she quickly corrected. "We go to fight them."
Silence permeated the air for a moment, and then the voice growled again. "Many of us have witnessed Torzac's murders. He kills without hunger or use, but then that is the way of Man. He doesn't commit these acts against our kind. Only the humans. We have no quarrel with him."
