Reply to thread

Message

<blockquote data-quote="Lazybones" data-source="post: 7465362" data-attributes="member: 143">Chapter 181Night in the Reserve was almost pure black.&nbsp; The forest was not quite still, as the breeze rustled the canopy high above and the soft sounds of nocturnal creatures provided a steady background noise.&nbsp; But in the camp, everything was quiet.&nbsp; The fire had burned low, the glowing embers barely bright enough to reveal the outlines of the sleeping travelers wrapped tightly in their blankets.Two of the Rangers kept watch, one in the trees above and one on the edge of the hollow, but neither observed the dark figure that crept out of the camp in the deep hours of the night.&nbsp; Even the predators that hunted the night failed to note the intruder, who did not stop until it had traveled several hundred feet from the camp.&nbsp; There it paused in the lee of a fallen tree that had formed a sort of embankment, with fresh growth sprouting in and around the rotten wood as part of the forest’s endless cycle.Even though the tree offered excellent cover, the dark figure crouched low.&nbsp; For the briefest instant the faintest glow shone from within the folds of its garments, coming from a small object it carried.&nbsp; The light was not bright enough to reveal the figure’s face, and it was quickly shrouded between its body and the bulk of the dead tree.&nbsp; The figure bent over its treasure, and for a few moments there came a sound of whispered words, so soft that someone would have had to been leaning over the edge of the log itself to hear what was being said.The covert communication, if that was what it was, lasted less than a minute.&nbsp; Then the figure retraced its steps, returning to the camp.&nbsp; No more attention was given to its return than to its departure, and soon a perfect stillness returned once more to the dark hollow.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Lazybones, post: 7465362, member: 143"] Chapter 181 Night in the Reserve was almost pure black. The forest was not quite still, as the breeze rustled the canopy high above and the soft sounds of nocturnal creatures provided a steady background noise. But in the camp, everything was quiet. The fire had burned low, the glowing embers barely bright enough to reveal the outlines of the sleeping travelers wrapped tightly in their blankets. Two of the Rangers kept watch, one in the trees above and one on the edge of the hollow, but neither observed the dark figure that crept out of the camp in the deep hours of the night. Even the predators that hunted the night failed to note the intruder, who did not stop until it had traveled several hundred feet from the camp. There it paused in the lee of a fallen tree that had formed a sort of embankment, with fresh growth sprouting in and around the rotten wood as part of the forest’s endless cycle. Even though the tree offered excellent cover, the dark figure crouched low. For the briefest instant the faintest glow shone from within the folds of its garments, coming from a small object it carried. The light was not bright enough to reveal the figure’s face, and it was quickly shrouded between its body and the bulk of the dead tree. The figure bent over its treasure, and for a few moments there came a sound of whispered words, so soft that someone would have had to been leaning over the edge of the log itself to hear what was being said. The covert communication, if that was what it was, lasted less than a minute. Then the figure retraced its steps, returning to the camp. No more attention was given to its return than to its departure, and soon a perfect stillness returned once more to the dark hollow. [/QUOTE]

Verification