Still heading west, they made their way through the roaring wind, searching for any new wards or signs of the sorceress. But soon a pale white mist emerged out of the deep and enclosed the two women; however, it still enabled them to see enough to continue. Rocks and wet moss were another hindrance now that the snow seemed to lessen. They had only walked a few miles through the clearing mist, before the ground seemed to open in front of them. Carved through the hills was a long wide, but mostly deep, ravine. It looked as if a giant meteor had hit the earth with such force it had left an enormous hole; and not even the sun would be able to reach the bottom it seemed. It was about five miles in length and perhaps two miles across. It was gigantic and overhung by the steep slopes on every side. Stocky trees leaned wearily over it, mostly pines and birch. But nothing grew in the bowl, which might as well have been a bottomless abyss, for it was hard to see from the gloom in there.
