ade

n to p

le, but I smelled my ma

les half in a daze. I found a line, a line she must have been traveling, but I couldn't tell which way she came

I noticed him, I raised my hand to make him stop. I was

s my own scent on her tracks was enough

in fu

. I checked all over, on the other side, everywhere. The track ended here. My b

in that direction, until I h

noise of my men, fa

?" asked Sa

said in desperat

e asked

loody

k! N

ea

t a good ti

growled in

g the stream. I still couldn't

ow?" as

other way,

he scent I just left than try and pick hers again

he clearing agai

re you

where I was wh

the opposite side. "This is her track. I don't know what direction she went from but I know this side leads

irection of our convoy t

in the world, but if I don't give this a c

w, " h

I said. "I just need to kno

l time until nightfall, "

ere was time, bu

s quiet. Just in ca

're going on your own?" It just da

tight here, "

alone. That's

he direction

's a trap?"

head. "I don't know, but I thi

n't mak

in frustration.

ke he was ab

go, " I

he wanted to de

e out and waved it at him behind me. "We keep i

le, the smell got a little stronger and my heart d

ntain in the wood. I covered a lot of ground a

she was probably walking, which explained why I wa

s hard to believe someone would travel here. A little further, there were some

Sam resonate

this is

y from civilization, from my men

is, but my feet didn't seem to con

The stream had been small, easy to cross, so why risk getting her feet wet far in the woods, otherwise? Then was she doing the same

more, the orange glow slowl

ning out

y vision was getting limi

ose, I k

enly s

silently, but at this pace, I would have sounded like an elephant to anyone with heightened senses. I slow

cleared, the wind pick up speed, and I

maple leaf on the autumn ground as a child, of the feeling of strawberry juices running on your tongue, of a stormy night of Ap

ible at the edge of my vis

fifty meters f

ad, she probably couldn't see

river. She could probably walk through easily, maybe even up or down the river. I could

nd I would've probabl

rately made my steps audible. I doubted sneaking on her was a great strat

nsed on the third

s-pants, and something with

bly five-six

round slowly

es landed on me. Her

t cl

Her breathing was still picking up s

s feeling. This tightness as if gravity as d

ittle closer. She raised a h

I d

ng to me?" she wh

rush of wind brought her smell

the growing darkness, especially at this distance, she co

ebble on the ground and wrapped the bandana around it to gi

s that of confusion,

er to get the smell to her nose,

he information. It took a little while, but she too

se back to

nders

kn