[html]
<style type="text/css">
.dresden1 b {font-weight:bold; color:#9db8cf; letter-spacing:1px; }
.dresdenooc { font-style:italic; padding:0px; font-family:verdana, sans-serif; font-size:10px;}
.dresden1 p {text-indent:25px;padding:5px 10px;margin:0px;}
.dresden1 {width:425px;border:3px solid #9db8cf;background-color:#353E4B;text-align:justify;margin:10px;font-family:georgia, serif;font-size:12px;line-height:13px;color:#12171b;}
</style>
Dresden might have still be relatively new to this region compared to the many others who called it home, but he had been travelling around here long enough to tell when something had changed. The warrior had been making his way south again, thinking of finally pushing far enough in his wanderings to see what lie beyond the territory of Cour des Miracles. He had taken to the familiar path through the forest that he had ventured through on numerous occasions already, but there seemed to be a new roadblock in the form of a new pack. He caught wind of the territorial scent markers and came to a halt in surprise. Well, that certainly hadn’t been there before. Well well, if the people around here weren’t busy waging war on one another, it seemed they were busy establishing packs all over the place.
Not about to barge through the newly-claimed territory to continue on the old forest path, the warrior resigned himself to circling around it. He led Stranger back the way they had come for some distance before angling southward to try to skirt around the packlands. By late afternoon, decided that it would be best to stop for a rest. He and the dark stallion settled down in a small clearing. The husky first set about feeding and watering the horse, who when finished, settled onto the grass for a nap. Dresden himself sat down a short distance away, legs crossed in front of him. He reached into the large satchel that hung from the back side of his belt until he felt a familiar smooth, metal surface. He pulled out the dull gold idol of Apollo and studied it with tired blue eyes. The figure of his patron Lord and the object that had been the cause of endless trouble for him. Dresden closed his eyes and muttered a short prayer to the god before setting it down on the ground before him. The dull metallic shine of the statue contrasted against the dark soil beneath it.