A loud noise came from the Gnarled Grove. It was like a roar, a rolling thunder, and it tore the earth. The sound was travelling in a way as if it was chasing after them. Even the most seasoned elite soldiers would have lost their courage, hearing the angry roar. All they could do was keep moving through the mountain pass.
Everyone had descended from their horses and hustled through the narrow mountain pass on foot. They hurried the war horses in front them, and at times, they even let the animals go when they came to a forked road. They did that for the safety of the group because once frightened, the horses could behave hysterically, posing a threat to everyone on the narrow path. And considering the loud sound coming from behind, the horses could very well get frightened.
¹ The Tunguska was a large explosion that occurred near the Stony Tunguska River in Yeniseysk Governorate, Russia on 30th June 1908.