After Lynch and Zilvra left the serpent camp, they obviously quickened their pace. They traversed through the northern Pine Forest, using the cover of the snowstorm. Thick snow blanketed the branches here, and the sound of the wind in the woods masked all their noises.
During this season, few animals come out in search of food; they choose instead to stay as safe as possible in their hiding places, relying on the food stored during autumn to get them through this seemingly endless storm. Lynch didn't expect to encounter any animals other than Winter Wolves or Snow Bears, but to their surprise—or perhaps luck—they heard horses snorting nearby.
