Darius Fenner remained motionless beside the enormous fallen tree, watching the dark opening beneath its tangled roots.
Something had moved inside.
The sound had been faint, barely distinguishable from the rustling leaves overhead, but the entire Ironwood Party had heard it.
Whatever occupied the underground passage was considerably larger than the creatures whose tracks covered the surrounding clearing.
Helena slowly lowered herself behind a cluster of bushes, keeping her bow ready.
"Darius, those tracks are fresh," Helena whispered as she examined the disturbed earth. "Some of them couldn't be more than a few hours old. Whatever lives down there has been using this entrance regularly."
Darius nodded without taking his eyes off the opening. "Then we have enough reason to treat this location as a possible nesting ground. Nobody approaches the entrance."
Conrad shifted his grip upon his sword. "You think the larger creature mentioned in the reports is inside?"
