White snow, grey sky. The lowering clouds made landmarks on the Tundra hard to see, but Tal had his compass and his dogs and he kept them heading north by northwest, towards the Fangs. For the most part they traveled in silence; the courier watched the land around them as best he could while Boreal provided sharper eyes from higher up. Both were alert and Tal didn't want to distract himself or Deimos from their search.
But it was Bell and then the dog next to her who pricked their ears forward first, their easy lope changing to something with more tension as they scented the wind. Almost hidden by the white drifts were the heavy tracks of a single bear, and half-obscured by those larger paws were the hooves of what could only be a moose.
Both were large enough to give Tal pause as he turned the sled to follow, glancing to Deimos and swallowing hard. "How fresh d'you think these are?" he asked, proud of himself for keeping the quaver out of his voice this time.
But it was Bell and then the dog next to her who pricked their ears forward first, their easy lope changing to something with more tension as they scented the wind. Almost hidden by the white drifts were the heavy tracks of a single bear, and half-obscured by those larger paws were the hooves of what could only be a moose.
Both were large enough to give Tal pause as he turned the sled to follow, glancing to Deimos and swallowing hard. "How fresh d'you think these are?" he asked, proud of himself for keeping the quaver out of his voice this time.
