animal smells and porcupine quills

As Sitri addressed their next problem, Mordecai peered back to the deep cover the herd had seemingly lodged itself into. The fact that they couldn't see them was a problem. But it was easily remedied with the suggestion provided. Mordecai nodded to Sitri and this time gave the surrounding landscape a good look. Figuring out which way they could go without being seen was a gamble, but it was simply one that the pair would have to make. Hopefully the cover in the Spine would mask them from their potential prey.

“Let's try circling around them. That should put up higher up than they are. We might be able to see them through the tree cover,” he whispered back. Then, as quietly as he could muster, Mordecai began to slink off their trail to the depths of better cover, and started for the higher side of the foothills. There was little doubt in his mind that the herd had chosen to cut through the dips in their basin-like region, if not for water then for the advantage of having cover from the very wolves that lived within.