Sterling gazed up at the sky, his crimson eyes fixed on the swirling winds that tore through the treetops. He could feel the barometric pressure change in the atmosphere. A second clap of thunder boomed in the distance, sending a shiver of concern through him.
"We have little time left," he cautioned Faye urgently. "We need to find shelter fast. That is snow thunder, and a blizzard is closing in on us."
He extended his trembling hand towards Faye, fingers outstretched, desperate for her to accept it. But she flinched, her body recoiling instinctively, her face twisting in anguish as she turned away from him.
Intuitively, he dropped to one knee, the wet ground seeping through the fabric of his pants.
"Please, Faye," he pleaded once more, his voice tense with severity, "We need to get ourselves and the horses to safety. This storm is ferocious. We are about to face a relentlessly blinding blizzard."
