By the time the old road disappeared beneath the eastern trees, Nova could no longer see the broken crossing behind him. The trunks grew close together, their branches forming a roof that admitted narrow strips of sunlight.
He followed the survey stones carefully. Several had vanished beneath moss, but those remaining pointed east. Lunaris walked a few paces ahead, stopping whenever a beetle crossed his path, while the Auri kept beside Nova with its injured wing folded.
Cooking smoke mingled with the bitter smell of crushed bark.
"Someone's certainly having breakfast," he said. "I just hope they don't consider us part of it."
Lunaris looked back at him and meowed.
"No, I'm not going to ask them for fish before I ask who they are."
The cat seemed disappointed.
