Nic swore under his breath as another branch flew towards his face in a vicious arc. "Could you perhaps be a little more careful?"

"With what?" Caleb's back was barely visible through the dense leaves.

"With the branches! They are slapping me harder than Jalee."

"Jalee slapped you?"

Thwack!

"Caleb!"

"When did she slap you?"

"A while back."

Caleb's deep sonorous chuckle drifted back towards Nic. The next branch was still swaying from Caleb's intrusion and conscious attempt to set it in its prior state. "Why?"

Now it was Nic's turn to laugh. "I accidentally called her useless."

"Usless? Nic, my boy, there is an entire list of things you should never say to a woman, some more risky than others, but that has a rightful place in the danger zone." Nic noted the amusement in Caleb's voice. "Especially when it comes to Jalee."

"If I had know she was behind me I would have held my tongue. As it were, that woman is like a serpent, creeps up on you and strikes only when she's right in your face." Nic unconsciously rubbed the cheek Jalee had slapped. "She's quite strong."

Caleb smirked over his shoulder, leaves covering half his face. "There will be plenty more of those to come."

"By the Gods I hope not. I have had enough to last me a life time."

"You can hope all you like young man, but the truth is men like you and me are doomed."

"Doomed?"

"With women," Caleb elaborated. "Understanding them and hearing the words they don't say behind the words they do."

Nic laughed. "Maybe you. I, on the other hand, am a charmer." Nic grinned.

"Oh really?" Caleb turned to face Nic who had pulled up beside him. "Says who?"

"None of your business, old man."

"Ha! I hate to be the one to tell you, but..." Caleb stiffened in his seat just as Nic did the same. "You hear that?"

Nic nodded and quickly dismounted, making sure his boots did not break anything lying on the ground, he crept towards the direction of the sound. A sound he had heard too many times before to ignore it. Caleb drew his bow besides him, keeping the arrow pointed forward. It came again, a low growl that could have been mistaken for something far less sinister.

They both jumped as a skeletal beast exploded from the brush. Before it had cleared the ground Caleb's arrow protruded from its flesh. It crashed to the ground, snapping the branches and crushing the undergrowth. Dark blood spilled from the wound as its heart battled to keep beating. Nic ended its suffering with a slash to the throat, staining his boots an even darker shade of black.

"Howler," Caleb hissed.

"A scout." Nic added.