The Coyote Pack

The coyotes continued to snap and snarl with occasional blood curdling howls from the darkness just beyond the ring of firelight. The horses the guards had ridden were getting very anxious, nostrils flaring and eyes rolling. The messenger's horse stood its ground and bellowed its own challenge to the wild dog creatures.

Kailus waved his flaming brand and wherever he moved forward the coyotes retreated, but they moved around swiftly in and out of the shadows. The makeshift torch in his hand will only last a few more minutes.

Vanya readied herself to receive an attack, but the canny beasts knew better than to launch themselves against an armed and armored human. Their goal was to panic the horses into bolting and then run one down in the darkness.