Bab 462: Death at every corner

In the depths of his slumber, Derek's senses jolted awake as a familiar and unwelcome scent of death permeated the air around him. His instincts for sensing death were honed to a razor's edge, and he knew that his perception of impending doom had never steered him wrong.

As the scent wafted into his nostrils, he realized that the danger he had anticipated was now closing in on their location. The dwarves—the very threat he had warned his family about—seemed to have arrived.

Despite the darkness shrouding the night and the stillness that had settled over their camp, Derek's night vision, heightened senses and honed instincts guided him. Slowly and silently, he rose from his sleeping position, careful not to disturb his slumbering parents. The moonless sky concealed his movements, granting him the cover he needed to assess the situation without being detected.