The scraping beneath the broken road continued long after the last light had left the thorn flats. Nova sat against the inner wall of the lookout, one hand resting beside his weapons while Lunaris slept against his thigh. The Auri remained awake near the entrance, watching the shallow channel that ran below the stones.
He had considered moving farther uphill, but the ground beyond the lookout had shifted twice in the space of a few minutes. The bank offered cover, a reasonably firm foundation, and a clear view of the eastern shelf. For now, that was worth more than an unfamiliar path in the dark.
Another scrape traveled through the channel. Small stones clicked against one another, followed by a wet dragging sound that made Lunaris lift his head.
"I heard it," Nova whispered, stroking the cat's neck. "I'd appreciate it if you didn't go down there to investigate."
