The group continues on their trek southward. They pick up the trail again, but it’s only going uphill. As the group goes higher and higher the wind picks up.

Nothing grows here. No vegetation is in sight and no trees stick out of the snow. Wherever snow does not completely cover the ground there is only stone.

Erevan makes careful note of the trail they are following and estimates where the wolf den will be. With his guidance the party circles around heading further up the mountain. They set up on a ridge where Erevan peers down at the wolf trail below.

The trail leads right to a cave mouth. One wolf lays down outside the cave.

“One guard on watch.” Erevan says.

“Alright. Erevan and I are ranged so we should stay up here. Draw the wolves out and take them out.” Celise explains as Erevan takes his ballista and sets it up on the ridge.

“I’ll be down there. My ballista can shoot on its own.” Erevan states.

“Hah, right.” Darton smiles.

“I’m serious.” Erevan cocks an eyebrow. “I have an arcane bond with my siege weapon that allows me to operate it telekinetically.”

Erevan holds his hand up and waves it. The ballista aims in the same direction and waves.

“So you are magically strong, telekinetic, and have a gun.” Kalile counts on her fingers. “Anything else?”

“Well I don’t need my fingers to count.” Erevan shrugs. Kalile closes her fist with a glare towards him.

“Alright. I’ll stay up here and keep watch. You three go down and draw them out.” Celise says with a nod.

“Is the boar combat ready?” Erevan nods to Darton’s boar.

“He can stay up here with Celise.” Darton kneels down and pats the boar on its head. “Guard.” He orders his boar.

“Alright. Let’s loop back around and get this fight going.” Erevan says as he collects a belt of cartridges from his supplies.

Kalile, Darton, and Ozarrik head back around to the wolf trail with Erevan leading. They head up the trail until they are back to the cave mouth.

The wolf guarding the cave is already sitting up and sniffing the air as the group draws near. Erevan is raising an arm up with a closed fist to signal Celise to hold her fire.

The bolt slams into the side of the wolf and pins it down. The animal let’s out a horrid squeal. Ozarrik pulls a spear back to throw it, but Erevan stops him.

“That’s our bait.” Erevan says as he starts twisting his fingers. The next bolt on the ballista starts to rack itself.

“You are wicked.” Ozarrik says.

“I’m pragmatic.” Erevan replies.

Something with a much larger frame moves out of the cave at alarming speed. It snaps the ballista bolt with one quick bite, but quickly moves on to meet the attackers. The grizzly bear sized wolf stares down the party.

The beast is like no other Erevan has seen. It has pale blue eyes, a thick white coat, and frost hanging around its maw being blown out with every breath. This beast did not look like the dark furred dire wolves of this region. But he has heard stories from his father…

“Get down!!!” Erevan tackles Ozarrik to the ground.

The wolf howls, its breath freeIng the air and sending shards of ice flying towards the party. Erevan rolls off Ozarrik and jumps to his feet. He glances backwards seeing Darton falling to his knees with dozens of ice shards riddling his body.

“Retreat!” Kalile shouts.

“They’ll outrun us.” Erevan barks back at her.

The young Burkwood flicks his hand and his ballista fires a bolt at the Winter Wolf. It grazes its side as the beast leaps out of the way.

Celise mutters an incantation before firing an arrow at the wolf. The arrow hits and ignites upon hitting its mark. Ozarrik throws his spear and it slams through the side of the wolves face taking out one of its eyes. Kalile chucks a throwing axe at the wolf.

The Winter Wolf charges forward in a fury, but Erevan charges at it just the same roaring his own battle cry. Erevan slides on the snow, stuffs the barrel of his blunderbuss underneath the wolf's jaw, and fires. The beast slams to the side. Dead.

Erevan breathes a sigh of relief. He looks up to see a few wolves moving cautiously out of the cave mouth. The hunter quickly rips Kalile’s throwing axe out of the wolf.

“Celise! Fire arrow!” Erevan points to the massive corpse.

She immediately launches an arrow at the corpse setting it ablaze. The wolves flinch back. Erevan turns and runs back to Darton. The dwarf is still breathing but in a state of shock as if he’s shut down completely.

“Protect Darton and get him as far away as possible.” Erevan says.

“What are you doing?” Kalile asks.

“I’m getting my sled so we can transport him easier.” Erevan snaps.

Ozarrik and Kalile take Darton as Erevan runs to the cliffside directly underneath Celise and the Ballista. He slams the throwing axe into the wall using it to pull himself up, grabbing a hold, and then swinging the axe again.

He doesn’t get far this way until Celise tosses down one end of a rope. He takes the rope and climbs up the rest of the way.

“Thank you.” He nods to Celise as he packs up his ballista and moves it to the sled.

Darton’s boar anxiously paws at Erevan. Celise scoops the boar up into her arms.

“We need to move quickly.” Celise says as she peers down the ridge. “There’s another one of those big wolves.”

“That’s just great.” Erevan takes the reins of his sled and starts to churn his feet through the snow as gains momentum.

Celise easily keeps pace with Erevan even slowing down to let him catch up. The two reach the other three in no time though.

“Load him onto the sled.” Erevan orders.

“Gently.” Kalile says to Ozarrik.

They place Darton on the sled as Erevan says his incantation for lightening his load. The boar wriggles free of Celise and curls up next to Darton trying to wiggle its snout underneath his hand.

As soon as the dwarf is secured Erevan takes off moving much faster now that his sled is lighter. Even with the addition of Darton; his magic tattoo and incantation make the weight an easy burden.

Celise and Erevan spot something up ahead at the same time. Erevan plants his feet in the snow and comes to a skidding halt. Two wolves stand before them. One with a freshly caught rabbit dead in its jaw.

The one with the rabbit quickly pulls back while the other moves forward growling defensively.

“Kalile, reach inside the rucksack closest to you on the sled.” Erevan says.

“What?” Kalile, despite her confusion, does so. Inside is salted venison. She grabs a slice and hands it up to Erevan.

“Go get it!” Erevan waves the meat and tosses it far to the left.

The wolves dash away towards the meat.

“We could have taken them.” Celise says as the party starts moving again.

“We would risk further injury or even delaying so long the pack catches up to us. And if you haven’t noticed. Everyone’s a little battered but you.” Erevan huffs as he drags the sled.

Celise huffs with disapproval.

“Darton needs medical attention.” Kalile says quietly to Celise.

The group moves quietly as Erevan forges ahead dragging the reins of his sled. They spot the orc camp in the distance. Ozarrik whistles and the gates open as Erevan charges through.

“Jarn!” Erevan shouts. “Darton’s hurt!”

Jarn, the male Warlord, and the female Speaker burst through the drapes covering the entrance to the giant skull. Erevan pulls the sled to them, breathing heavy, and struggling to keep his footing.

“You did good kid.” Jarn says as he jogs past him.

He stops at Darton and kneels down by his side. Jarn first puts a hand to his neck, then puts his ear by Darton’s mouth.

“He’s barely hanging on. He’ll die before we get him to town let alone the compound.” Jarn says.

“There friend is dying.” Ozarrik quickly looks to the speaker for help. Speaking in orcish to her.

“And for what? What do you have to show for it?” The Speaker crosses her arms and glares down at the shorter orc.

“We killed a Winter Wolf. There was at least one more in the wolf pack. We had to get him out so we retreated.” Ozarrik bows his head. “Please help my new brothers and sisters in arms.”

“You fought with them against a Winter Wolf?” The Speaker raises her eyebrows.

“And they fought as fierce as orcs.” Ozarrik adds.

“Then we will help.” The Speaker almost reluctantly says.

Erevan translates to Jarn as they talk. Jarn seems far more shocked than the Speaker that the teens fought a winter wolf. Jarn moves out of the way as the Speaker calls over two orc acolytes with robes and veils on.

The first acolyte focuses on an incantation and begins speaking an ancient dialect of orcish not even Erevan knows. Her spell stabilizes Darton. The second acolyte does the same as she focuses on a spell that buffers his life force with temporary energy.

Together they ensure his survival as the Speaker begins her spell. In the same old orcish she bends his life force and fuels it. His eyes snap open and he lets out a scream as his flesh warps and the wounds close.

As soon as the wounds close and the Speaker steps away Darton’s boar leaps onto his lap. The dwarf wraps his arms around the boar as he begins to sob. Kalile and Celise drop to the snow overwhelmed with exhaustion in an instant.

“What do I owe you for helping my friend?” Erevan asks in orcish to the Speaker.

“Nothing. The Warlord's son has been bloodied in combat against a winter wolf. This is a great honor to any child of the Frostblood Clan.” The Speaker comments.

“You would still allow me to stay here to build the ballista?” Erevan asks.

“Allow you?” The Speaker casts a curious glance at Erevan.

“I have no interest in human society.” Erevan admits.

“Then your an orc until you outlive your use.” The Speaker says as she turns and leaves.

Erevan walks over to his sled and pulls his fathers journal and charcoal out. Erevan hated practicing his writing, but had been forced by his father to learn the skill.

He quickly writes down a list of components pertaining to the construction of a ballista. Erevan walks over to Jarn who is kneeling next to Darton. The teen Burkwood hands the paper over to Jarn.

The older hunter takes the paper, scans it, and looks up at Erevan.

“I can’t read.” Jarn glares at Erevan.

“I can.” Darton snatches the paper from Jarn and reads the list. He nods and mouths a few things to himself.

“I need all of that to build their weapon.” Erevan puts his hands on his hips.

“Wait, you’re really staying here?” Celise looks over at them.

“I gave my word.” Erevan says.

“You’re a good man.” Jarn nods in approval.

“The list?” Erevan turns to Darton. “What can you get?”

“My clan can get you all of this. I’ll take inventory of the stores in Arfall and the personal workshop in the hunter’s compound. But most of your mechanisms will arrive in two to three weeks time.” Darton answers.

“Agh. I’m glad that everyone worked so hard to save you. You're a real asset.” Erevan says with a pat on the side of his shoulder.

“You did most of the work.” Kalile looks at Erevan.

“I dragged his sorry ass down a mountain. All downhill. Didn’t even phase me.” Erevan waves her attempt at a compliment away.

“Yeah Kalile,” Celise steps next to her, “you could tell that he didn’t even break a sweat by the way his heavy breathing imitated a beast in heat.”

“Alright. Before nights fallen. Let’s get back to Arfall.” Jarn says.

He helps Darton onto his feet and corrals the two young female hunters. They start to head towards the gate. Erevan waves goodbye to them as the gates close. Darton looks back with his boar piglet in his arms and waves goodbye.