The night air was filled with the stench of rotting flesh. Fritz could smell it now. Wafts of rancid scent traveled through the trees stinging his nose. The smell made him gag, as he marched behind Ada and Neva. Wolves howled remorseful songs in the distant woods. Moonlight barely touched the forest floor. The orange light of their one torch was like an island in the dark night. His crossbow was taught and ready. The carbon fiber frame jostled against his shoulder, ready to be drawn and used.

Fritz's legs burned and his feet hurt, as he traversed over root, gulley, and bramble. His companions wordlessly marched close to him protecting him from what lurked in the night. Bushes rustled as small animals ran from their trudging boots. Ada and Neva pressed forward from the front.

In the gloom of night, a pair of yellow eyes reflected their torch. Neva and Ada stopped. Just ahead a pack of mangy wolves advanced upon them. The stench of decaying flesh rolled over Fritz in a wave. Glassy, pale eyes regarded them as they advanced from the dark woods.

Ada leveled her spear, as Neva drew her sword. A mote of fire swirled in her open hand as she extended it out towards the attackers. Behind him, Marcelle drew a dagger and rummaged in her pack for something. Fritz struggled for breath, as the decayed stench overpowered his senses. The dogs advanced, closing in on their prey.

In the flickering light of the torch, Fritz could see their form. Black flies buzzed around them like a cloud. Rotten flesh clung to exposed wounds. Rancid puss dribbled sick green liquid onto the ground. Flecks of dried blood stuck to their fur. Dark forbidden magic reflected in their cloudy eyes as their rancid slobber dripped from hungry mouths.

"What the hell?" Fritz gagged out. Pulling out his crossbow, he loaded a bolt with one hand.

"Stay back! We'll handle it!" Ada said sternly.

"There must be another necromancer nearby. She must be raising them to hunt us! Marcelle, watch our backs!" Neva commanded.

Four dead wolves fanned out in a semi-circle before the party. Ada and Neva tensed up, raising their weapons. All at once, the wolves pounced forward together. A whip of flame, met one of the wolves as it tried to drive into Neva. The wolf was pulled into the leaping path of its nearby brother. The two were sent down to the forest floor. Seizing the opportunity Neva advanced upon them. Bolts of fire peppered their undead flesh as she stabbed repeatedly with her sword.

In the meantime, Ada threw her spear. She impaled one of the leaping wolves, sending it straight into a nearby tree. It wriggled and snapped its jaws at her, yet couldn't free itself. Drawing her sword, Ada met the charge of the other undead wolf. The snap of the wolf's jaws met nothing but air. Ada's sword chopped rancid flash away from the wolf. Fritz could see the white of exposed ribs and skull. Yet for all its mounting injuries, the wolf still attacked. Circling around to its most injured side, Ada cut off its leg. The wolf's blood encrusted leg flew out into the woods landing somewhere hidden. Slobbering yellow teeth snapped at Ada's leg. Yet Ada was too agile to be caught. The beast stumbled falling to the ground. Seizing the opportunity, Ada hacked at the beast with her sword. With three successive strikes, the wolf's head came clean off. The impaled wolf attached to the tree wriggled forward slowly. She quickly jogged up to its immobilized frame and severed its head.

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Fritz watched the fight unfold before him. The two wolfkin were able to subdue their enemies with impressive ease. Awkwardly holding his modern weapon, he looked around for some way to contribute. A shuffle of movement to Fritz left alerted him to a pair of dead eyes leaping for him. Fear gripped him. He felt his muscles tense involuntarily. His arms moved to his face for protection. A purple flash impacted the wolf, sending its body flying back into the underbrush. Marcelle stood there with a dagger and empty flask. Her purple eyes flashed with hatred at where the beast was sent flying.

"A potion of giant's strength." Marcelle said. Fritz merely nodded dumbly at her, as he tried to regain his senses.

Neva finished burning the beasts. The charred skeletons of her enemies were entwined together. After scanning the forest for more danger, the party regrouped.

"We need to keep moving." Neva said quickly. Ada nodded. She jogged over to her spear. Dislodging it with a swift motion, she slung the wolf innards to the forest floor. Fritz grimaced at the viscera.

"What happened to the wolf you... kicked?" Fritz asked Marcelle as he searched for the right word to describe her actions.

"I shattered the wolf's spine. It's crawling somewhere in the underbrush." Marcelle said as she slid closer to Fritz.

"Enough talk, we need to move." Neva barked, projecting backwards to Fritz and Marcelle. She paused momentarily to sniff the air. "Shit! It's hard to tell if anymore are nearby with these bodies around. Ada be alert for any sound. These dogs were scouts. Someone is hunting us. Or worse yet, herding us. We need to keep moving."

"Understood." Ada responded.

The party ventured forth. The tree's pressed in close. The sounds of the night kept Fritz alert. His mind raced at every sudden movement. His head swiveled around as he looked for ambushing danger. The stench of putrid flesh filled his lungs. He couldn't escape it. It stuck to his nose, making him paranoid that more of the undead beasts were nearby waiting to attack. Putting his crossbow away, he conjured a machete in his right hand. Gripping it tightly, he stuck close to his companions. A faint orange flow was ahead of them. Neva called a stop to their group. Hiding her body behind a tree, she peeked towards the light.

"What is it?" Fritz asked.

"A fire." Ada said confidently. "Smoke is in the air."

"I can't smell shit." Fritz replied. "Any chance they are friendly?"

"Not likely." Ada said. "Only outcasts and bandits this far out. One of your witchy friends?" Ada asked Marcelle. Marcelle gave her a strange smile that seemed to say no.

"Let's avoid them. Let's not take any chances tonight." Neva said. The others nodded at her assessment.

Peering between the trees Fritz looked into the clearing. Smoke and fog obscured the inside of the clearing. He squinted his eyes as he tried to focus on the faint orange light ahead.