The snow fell heavily as Kade made it to the pines. The sky had gone slate gray, the air thick and still. It was the kind of quiet that made it feel like you were trespassing. Kade’s boots left deep prints behind him as he followed the path the mayor set him on. The cold clung to his every breath.
Once he’d made it to the area, Kade picked up tracks. Frozen blood along the trees made it easy to confirm it was the place he was looking for. Unfortunately for the townspeople, there were no bodies around to identify or bring back. Boot prints led away through the trees. As Kade followed the random path, the prints gave way to torn clothing and paw prints. When the path broke into a clearing, the remnants of a hunter’s cabin waited for him. It was half collapsed, one wall bowed outward, and t
