- What should we do ? asked Eerik.

The guide looked at the mule, then at the forest in front of them in the canyon. He frowned while answering.

- We take another way.
- What ? Are you seriously thinking to make a detour because of an animal ?
- Mules are clever. If she doesn’t want to go, there is a good reason.
- I can’t see any danger and since I pay, I decide. Let’s go.

Without looking back, Eerik went toward the forest, enjoying the soft smell of the pine needle covering the floor near the river. He quickly looked back and caught a glimpse of Bjorn and the mule still at the same place. A small doubt crossed Eerik’s mind as he went forward. The guide won’t abandoned him, after all he was paying. Or was this way really dangerous ? He thought of the sea monster and why he hired a local guide to lead through the maze.

All in his thoughts, he didn’t realized that the path was getting smaller and that the light was darkening. Suddenly he felt something tickelling his head. He looked up and a leaf rushed into his left eye. As he rubbed his sour eye, he realized that the path was no longer bright and large, but was now a dark and narrow trail with the trees almost burrying it. He felt oppressed. Like if the forest was closing up on him, swallowing him into his guts and will never let him out.

A drop of sweat rolled from his forhead to his chin and fall on the floor. Eerik could almost hear it hit the ground. That’s when he realized the surnatural quietness of the place. No bird singing in the foliage, no rabbit sneaking in the bushes, no squirrel scratching in the trees. Something was wrong, really wrong.

All his body was wet and cold with fear. He started to hurry back. He didn’t want to run, because, well, he was not that afraid. It’s only a forest after all. Then he heard something on his left, hidden by bushes and trees. By the noise it made, Eerik could tell it was heavy and mighty. He turned his head to see and catch a glimps of a fury, some flash of white, maybe the teeth. Then he heard a profound and threatening growl.

Now Eerik was running.

He came out of the forest and fell on the floor, panting, near Bjorn and the mule that were waiting for him still at the same spot he left them.

- I can see now, said Bjorn, why this is called the shivering forest.

That evening no words were spoken. Eerik’s body seemed unable to stop shaking, even as he sat dangerously close to the fire to try to get some warmth. He wrapped himself in all the blankets they have, even the one for the pack saddle of the mule.

Eerik was glad that Bjorn didn’t brag about being right to trust the mule’s intuition.

- Next time, I follow the mule, said the treasure hunter. For that, you have my word.

Bjorn nodded silently while Eerik wondered if hunting treasures was indeed more easy than hunting wanted people.

The two days that followed the swamp event were a lot alike. The two men and the mule wandered through valleys, sometimes they turned left, some other times it was right. Eerik felt completely lost in this mountainous environment. So many peaks and cliffs that even his dreams were full of rocks.

The third day, the path took them along a narrow trail skirting a cliff on the left and overlooking a fjord on the right..


16 cliffs.png