Kenki throws a rope against the tree, the momentum of his throw makes it wrap around the tree bark and he catches it as it returns. He ties it around his waist, pulling it and testing the tightness.

'Perfect.'

He shifts his gaze to the scene below him.

Dozens of wolves stand there, their eyes directed straight at him. The hunger in their body language is evident.

Wrapping his legs around the tree branch he's sitting on, he takes out his bow.

"I counted forty-three wolves." Ken's ears twitch as he hears Goro's voice. The man, like him, had climbed a tree and secured himself to it using rope.

"Looks like the information was correct." Ken nods. "But seriously, are these really starving wolves? They're massive!" He points to one of the particularly large, growling beasts. "That one standing on all fours is probably taller than me when I'm on my tip toes!"

"Is this the first time that you've seen a wolf?" Goro replies in an abrasive manner. "These aren't like the mutts in the village. This is their normal size." The man readies his bow. "Though, we are fortunate. Look at them, they're large but they're all skin and bones, that means that we'll be able to easily exterminate the pack."

"How so?"

"What do you think will happen if they are forced to sleep outside on a freezing winter night? A regular wolf won't feel a thing but these ones?" He sweeps a hand over all the hungry beasts below them, eliciting a wave of growls and barks. "They'll turn into ice statues. All we need to do is clear out their den, and I've got just the thing to accomplish that." Goro chuckles maliciously.

'Right…'

With practiced ease Ken draws a dozen arrows from his quiver. The winds blow in between his fingers, numbing them. However, all of his training hadn't been for nothing, the numbness has a minimal detrimental impact on his performance.

"Are you ready?" Goro asks him.

Ken nods, pulling the bowstring. The broadhead arrows in his hand glint under the sunlight.

"I'll try and take out the three directly under me. You pick whatever other wolf strikes your fancy." Goro pulls the bowstring on his bow as he speaks.

There is a moment of tension that even the wolves under them are able to feel. They stop their growling and barking and the few that had been laying on the snow in wait stand up at attention.

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"Go!" The man shouts as he lets loose an arrow.

Ken is quick to follow, shooting directly into the eye of the large wolf he'd commented on earlier. It hits, going through the eye and penetrating into the brain, instantly killing the beast.

Normally he would not attempt such a daring shot but the wolf had been staring at him without moving so he'd been confident in striking true.

As for the rest of the wolves…

They were overtaken by confusion, not realizing what was happening. It was the first time that these particular beasts had encountered the arrows of a hunter. It was during these precious few seconds that Goro and Kenki dealt most of the killing blows.

The arrows they use have broadhead tips. It's a type of arrow made in such a way that it sticks to the flesh once shot. Impossible to remove by animals.

Going for body shots, Ken tries to shoot as many wolves as possible. All he needs to do is stick an arrow inside them and the broadhead will do the rest of the work. Moving will be a risk to the wolves' lives as any type of motion will make the arrow bury itself deeper and deeper.

'That's twelve.' Ken reaches for his quiver once he's out. At this point most of the wolves have realized the danger that the two humans pose and have begun to scatter.

Nocking another arrow Ken shoots at the fleeing wolves. Managing to hit a couple more of them.

'Hmm. They left my range.' Ken changes his target to one of the wolves that had been incapacitated during the attack. It's alive but barely so, a couple arrows to the neck take care of that problem easily enough.

He exchanges a look with Goro.

"Come on." Goro begins untying the rope wrapped around his waist. "The den is nearby."

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The two of them exchange supplies after the fight with the wolves. Ken gets some ration bars and Goro gets some more arrows.

They're back on the move in no time at all.

'These things are hard when cold.' Ken crunches into the ration bar, grinding it into dust in between his teeth. He'd always secreted small amounts of saliva so it takes a while for the food to moisten.

He looks at the three wolf corpses around them. One each from Ken and Goro's first shot. The third wolf had been incapacitated by a hit to a vital organ, Ken had finished it off with a couple of arrows to the neck.

Goro even seems to have more energy in him after witnessing the wolves. He moves faster and with more determination towards their destination.

Apparently because he's eager to get this job done and cash in an easy check. Ken shakes his head. He laments the loss of the money he'd spent several years collecting. For a moment he even contemplates if he would have been able to do this by his lonesome but the thought is stricken as soon as it is formed.

I wouldn't even know how to find the den.

They proceed at an even pace. Even with the increased speed Ken is easily able to keep up.

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"Hold on." An hour later Goro stops. So far they hadn't encountered the pack for a second time but maybe it's time for that to change. Ken had had his eyes peeled for any wolves but so far he hadn't seen any.

Surveying their surroundings he still fails to find any.

"Wolves?" Ken asks in confusion, at which Goro just shakes his head.

"Look." Goro points to the snow in front of them. Tracks left behind by the pack by the look of things. They were not the first ones they'd encountered so he'd subconsciously ignored them.

What's weird however is that in the dead center of the trail of pawprints there is a path through the snow. As if a horse had passed through there.

"Isn't it a bit too close to the den for there to be any other animals here." Ken asks.

"Maybe it's one of the horses from the caravan that escaped… I can't tell. It's been a while so the new snow is obscuring the tracks. Maybe it's one of them ents, or a bear."

"Ents?"

Goro wordlessly nods. "If the trees begin to sway and shift unnaturally - that's a good sign for us to leave."

"Come on, we're almost there." Goro stands up.