2
Five or so minutes later, he was already in the woods and running along the turbulent, clear stream. The forest floor was free of dead branches and trunks, but the numerous rock fragments littering the ground were getting in the way. Moreover, the terrain was getting steeper, and the climb was rapidly draining his energy. Afraid of a new pursuit, Ivan jumped into the stream at one point to hide his tracks from the Alsatians. The water sent a punch of icy coldness through his feet, burning his soles and forcing him back to the bank after some twenty steps. He climbed the rocky slope, pulled the bolt to reload the pistol, stooped to pick up a bent cartridge that had dropped on the stones, and suddenly froze. The babble of the brook behind him was now mixed with the sound of human voices.
