# quick snip from Lost Empires



## Ampolitor (Jul 1, 2003)

As Kalaren neared the crest of the hill, he knew he was in trouble. It has been over an hour since he lost sight of those accursed wolves. 
He peered through the falling snow as he pulled his cape around him tighter. The snow is getting deeper, not good this will slow me down for sure. Why have they stopped, they could of easily caught me by now. This does not make sense.
Kalaren looked down the hill into the valley through the falling snow, no sign of the creatures anywhere. He laughed to himslef, maybe they gave up. He laughed to himself more as he turned towards the hill and began climbing once more. He remembered the stories he had heard as a boy, the warnings of wandering into the valley, his valley. The creatures would stalk their prey tiring them out like prey, until he arrived. Thene they would back off letting the master claim his prize.
He laughed once more trying to assure himself. Damned stories, stories to frighten the little ones. This time tommorow I'll be in Northgate sipping some Milandrian wine and eating some Wilderian Hagar.
He gripped his sword tighter and whirled into the snow as the silence was broken with the shrill cry of a lone wolf in the distance. The damned things! They are persistent arent they.
Then to the left another howl, and to the right. A eerie chorus of wolves filled the valley like a thousand tortured souls let loose, all around him almost deafening. Musn't panic, got to keep me wits about me, they're only wild dogs as long as I keep me wits I'll be fine.
As Kalaren ran he realized he was in trouble, he was running, faster and faster, as fast as he could through the snow. "I'll kill that damned Jared when I get back to the Northgate, him and his damned mission". His legs burning Kalaren collapsed into a snow bank heaving and gasping for air. 
"even the damned air here is cursed, too damned hard to breath". Then the deadly chorus stopped. Kalaren stood up and peered down the hill where he swore he saw movement. The hair on his neck stood up on its end as he heard an unearthly gutteral growl from behind him.
"By the Gods its him, Silvara protect me!"
Kalaren drew his sword and turned to face his enemy.
There in the snow stood the figure of a wolf, no a man-wolf. It stood over him making his 6 foot frame seem tiny in comparison. Its eyes red as a fire coal watched him and its teeth as sharp as a row of carefully filed daggers seemed to almost let out a sneer as if amused. The long white shaggy coat blended with the snow perfectly as if the snow was created just to hide this one thing.
Then he knew, the stories were real and that this was the valley of Gevadaun, the White wolf, and in a flash it would be all over.
A loud shrill heard so many times before travelled along the valley only to be drowned out seconds later by the sounds of falling snow.


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