Sienna nodded.
She understood that her presence outside only increased the risk.
A single old man traveling through the valley would attract little attention.
A young woman accompanied by an undead crocodile was another matter entirely.
With a mental command, Sienna directed Gustave up one of the forested slopes.
Despite being little more than a giant skeleton, the undead spirit beast climbed with astonishing ease. Its claws bit into the earth and stone, anchoring its heavy frame as it scaled the incline as naturally as a lizard climbing a wall.
The higher they went, the denser the forest became.
Sunlight filtered through the leaves in scattered beams, turning the air into a shifting mosaic of light and shadow.
The smell of damp earth and resin filled Sienna's nose.
Bird calls echoed from distant branches, and somewhere in the undergrowth, small creatures rustled through the fallen leaves.
Sienna looked around curiously.
