Icebound Taiga

I swear I can feel someone's eyes burning into the back of my neck… Not literally, of course… though come to think of it, any source of heat would be welcome. I make these little jokes to calm my anxiety because this taiga makes me nervous. I've been sensing all kinds of hidden presences today – while I was fishing, while I was grilling my meager catch, and then when we set off again. It feels like something huge came through here, between the tall pines and the sequoias, leaving a wake behind it in the form of an intense cold. It must have been a formidable presence, because it displaced all kinds of animals as it passed through, and they're just now starting to come back as its essence gradually fades. But with them have also come... other things. I feel a hot prickle on the back of my neck. And I know what that means: We are being watched. I have to stop myself from looking back every couple of minutes.

The terrain seems to open up before us, revealing a hilly clearing, still surrounded by gigantic trees, including firs and birches with cracked trunks. Seems like a good time to tackle this situation head-on. We stop for a moment and I peer into the woods. Suspicious rustling, branches moving on their own… The atmosphere is tense. The other presence, still as strong as ever, seems to be keeping the spies back as long as we remain in its wake. With a bit of Mana to help me, I close my eyes and open my mind to the taiga. I project myself around the space, searching the bushes through the Skein. My breath grows more ragged as I sense the Belisenki gradually surrounding us. I open my eyes and warn my companions. We'd better keep moving. And we should stay on the trail created by whatever is making our watchers maintain a respectful distance. That's our safest option right now.

RIN

393 AC