A light breeze wandered around with very little interest. Crisp and fresh. Not the cold sweep that usually came down off the higher peaks. Optimistic thrushes and a few chuckers danced in the highest tree limbs, calling for spring, but still no new buds on the trees or new grass peeked up through the white blanket. Sunlight, when it was there, glittered against the frost-crusted snow like a thousand tiny jewels. It brightened the harsh landscape and stabbed daggers into the eyes of the Gaudic rescue party whenever they looked too far ahead. Head down. Eyes on the trail. Kern knew that to do otherwise risked snow blindness. Painful eye strain at the least. Still he shaded his brow more often than necessary to gaze ahead. Once he thought he caught glimpse of the dire wolf, still stalking his trail. Or a dire wolf, anyway. But he didn’t worry with so many blades at his side. Instead, he searched for any sign of a Vanir rear guard. Before the Vanir caught sign of them. North and east the trail led them.
