A heavy blanket of moisture-clinging night air carried the smell of wet earth and with it the fading tension of the night battle. The first ray of light cut through the early morning mist to settle softly over the wide space of the clearing where the pack had faced the dark plane. Disheveled leaves scattered about, bruised underbrush, and the very ambiance had been imbued with a shared sense of urgency, purpose, and determination.
Blair stood by the border of the clearing, recalling in her mind the unseen battle that weighed heavily on her heart. They had backed off the dark force once again, and she knew it was no time for readiness sleep. The laughter of the creature echoed in her mind, a reminder of that which struck fear into beyond their borders.
"Blair!" Kade said, interrupting he
