----
The two of them quickly finished their meal beneath the shade of the trees before packing away the remaining food. The mountain was quiet again, save for the rustling leaves and the occasional cry of a bird somewhere deeper in the forest.
Han Yan adjusted the strap of his bow across his shoulder and stood.
"Let's continue ahead."
Wei Jun nodded and followed.
They had only gone a short distance from where they rested when Wei Jun suddenly stopped in his tracks.
Han Yan nearly walked into him.
"What is it?"
Wei Jun raised a hand, signaling him to be quiet.
He crouched and brushed aside a layer of damp leaves with his fingers.
A clear hoofprint was pressed into the soft earth.
His eyes narrowed.
"A deer."
Han Yan immediately crouched beside him.
The mark was fresh. The edges had not yet collapsed from the moisture, and several broken blades of grass nearby still pointed toward the forest ahead.
Wei Jun touched the soil lightly, then looked toward the trees.
