The group continued on their trek southward. They picked up the trail again, but it was only going uphill. As the group traveled higher and higher the wind picked up. They were soon facing a mountainside.

Nothing grew there. No vegetation was in sight and no trees stuck out of the snow. Wherever snow did not completely cover the ground there was only stone.

Erevan made careful note of the trail they followed and estimated where the wolf den would be. With his guidance, the party circled around so they could head further up the mountain. They set up on a ridge where Erevan peered down at the wolf trail below.

The trail led right to a cave mouth. One wolf lay down outside the cave. It was on sentry watching carefully.

“One guard on watch,” Erevan said.

“Guard?” Darton asked. “Aren’t they just dogs?”

“Their predators and they’ve lived in the North far before the time of man.” Ozarrik shuffled next to Erevan.

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

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

“Hah, right.” Darton smiled.

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

Erevan held his hand up and waved it. The ballista aimed in the same direction and waved. The others jumped away when the ballista’s bolt pointed towards them.

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

“Well I don’t need my fingers to count.” Erevan shrugged.

“Was that a joke?” Kalile closed her fist with a glare toward him.

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

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

“He can stay up here with Celise.” Darton knelt down and patted the boar on its head. “Guard.” He ordered his boar.

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

Kalile, Darton, and Ozarrik headed back around to the wolf trail with Erevan leading. They walked up the ravine leading towards the cave mouth.

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

The ballista fired and a bolt slammed into the side of the wolf pinning it down. The animal let out a horrid squeal. Ozarrik pulled a spear back to throw it, but Erevan stopped him.

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

“You are wicked,” Ozarrik said as he lowered the spear.

“I’m pragmatic,” Erevan replied.

Something with a much larger frame moved out of the cave at an alarming speed. It snapped the ballista bolt with one quick bite but swiftly moved on to meet the attackers. The grizzly bear-sized wolf stared down the party.

The beast was like no other Erevan had seen. It had 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 had heard stories from his father…

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

The wolf howled, its breath froze the air and sent shards of ice flying toward the party. Erevan rolled off Ozarrik and jumped to his feet. He glanced backward seeing Darton falling to his knees with dozens of ice shards riddling his body.

“Retreat!” Kalile shouted.

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

The young Burkwood flicked his hand and his ballista fired a bolt at the Winter Wolf. It grazed its side as the beast leaped out of the way.

Celise muttered an incantation before firing an arrow at the wolf. The arrow flew true and ignited upon hitting its mark. The side of the wolf went up in flames. It immediately stopped and threw its body into the snow.

Ozarrik threw his spear at the easy target and it slammed through the side of the wolf's face taking out one of its eyes. Kalile chucked a throwing axe at the wolf and it hit at an awkward angle before bouncing off.

The Winter Wolf charged forward in a fury, but Erevan charged at it just the same roaring his own battle cry. Erevan slid across the snow in a slide tackle, he stuffed the barrel of his blunderbuss underneath the wolf's jaw and fired. The beast slammed to the side, dead.

Erevan breathed a sigh of relief. He looked up to see a few wolves moving cautiously out of the cave mouth. The hunter quickly reached forward and grabbed Kalile’s axe out of the snow. As he backed up his gaze turned towards the cliffside.

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

She immediately launched an arrow at the giant dead wolf, setting it ablaze. The pack flinched back away from the flames. Erevan turned and ran back to Darton. The dwarf was still breathing but in a state of shock as if he'd shut down completely.

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

“What are you going to do?” Kalile grabbed the dwarf and began dragging him.

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

Ozarrik and Kalile took Darton as Erevan ran to the cliffside directly underneath Celise and his Ballista. He slammed the throwing axe into the wall using it to pull himself up, grabbed a hold, and then swung the axe again.

He doesn’t get far this way until Celise tossed down one end of a rope. He took it and started climbing up. The Wolves ran to him and snapped at his heels trying to jump up and get him. Erevan clambered up to the top and rolled onto solid ground.

“Come on!” Celise helped Erevan up to his feet.

“Thank you.” He nodded to Celise as he packed up his ballista and moved it to the sled.

Darton’s boar anxiously pawed at Erevan. Celise scooped the boar up into her arms.

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

“That’s just great.” Erevan let out an exasperated sigh.

He took the reins of his sled and started to churn his feet through the snow as he gained momentum. With a glance to his side, he spotted the other winter wolf below.

Celise easily kept pace with Erevan, even slowing down to let him catch up, as she was relatively unburdened. The small boar was not an issue for her to carry. The two reached the other three in no time.

“Load him onto the sled,” Erevan ordered.

“Gently.” Kalile said to Ozarrik.

They placed Darton on the sled as Erevan said his incantation for lightening his load. The boar wriggled free of Celise and ran to Darton sides. The little beast tried to wiggle its snout underneath his arm.

As soon as the dwarf was secured Erevan took off moving much faster now that his sled was lighter. Even with the addition of Darton; his magic tattoo and incantation made the weight disappear.