Appalachian Mountains At Night Novels & Stories

Tali's POV Hours later, Dayne is pulling off a winding mountain road surrounded by tall trees that stretch up into the sky. Although it's the middle of the day, in the deep forests of rural Colorado you wouldn't think it is. It's almost dark because of how densely populated the trees are.

POV: Liora By the third day of travel, the familiar lands surrounding Nightbane had disappeared completely. The towering mountains that once guarded Kael's territory now stood far behind us, fading into the horizon like distant memories. Ahead stretched a wilderness untouched by modern packs, a vast expanse of ancient forests and rolling hills where silence carried an unsettling weight. Massive trees rose toward the heavens, their trunks wider than entire cottages, their branches weaving together high above to form a living ceiling that blocked much of the sunlight.

Snow in the mountains does not fall; it descends like a heavy, white shroud intended to bury the sins of the earth. By late December, the winds would howl through the jagged peaks, sounding like a thousand flutes played by mourning ghosts. My grandfather, a man with skin as tough as walnut bark and eyes that had seen empires rise and fall, ran a small provision shop halfway up the mountain. It was a lonely outpost of wood and stone, smelling perpetually of dried tobacco, kerosene, and ancient dust.

But watching Corrian do it now, watching him take such care with something so small, makes me feel cherished in a way I can't quite articulate. Satisfied with the plate, he scoops me up again, balancing me in one arm and the plate in the other. He carries us through French doors, out onto the deck that will take my breath away every time I see it. We're high up in the mountains, and at night the landscape stretches out before us in shades of silver and shadow. The moon’s nearly full, hanging low and huge in the sky, and its light paints everything in ethereal beauty. I can see the dark shapes of pine trees, the jagged silhouettes of peaks in the distance, and far below, the glimmer of water.

“I’ll be in my office.” But things weren’t fine. I practically ate alone, and went to bed alone. When I woke in the middle of the night, the balcony door was open and he was sitting, staring out into the darkness of the lake. The full moon bounced off the glassy surface and in the distance, lights twinkled. “Hi,” I said as I stepped outside. He started, his head snapping in my direction as he drew in a breath. “Hi.” “What are you doing out here?” I moved to stand in front of him, trying not to shiver in the cool air.

“So, what Pack were you taken from, and who do I need to speak with to let them know that you’re safe?” I let out a deep breath as I watched the scenery pass. Upstate New York in late summer was gorgeous, even at night. The green leaves clung to the trees, lush and plentiful, contrasting sharply with the brown lichen covering the ground mixed with pine needles. The mountains were even more spectacular. Wolves could see just as clearly at night as during the day, and I was no exception. “No one.” Tears welled up behind my eyes, threatening to spill over, but I refused to cry in front of Adan Cole. I had done enough of that privately... after what happened.

“She said there was nothing. No buildings, no flowing water, no power lines, nothing but forest.” “Based on what Derrick is saying, they think they’re headed north. Any place north from our location that meets that description?” I ask. It’s quiet for a few minutes. “There’s nothing directly north, but there is a forest on the western side of the Appalachian Mountains that meets these parameters.” “Send us the coordinates. We’re on our way.” Liam and I start back to our cars as the text from my father pings on my phone. I look at Liam. “Got it?”

Summer, 2008 The Adirondacks, New York “the Dark Zone” One does not navigate through the Appalachian Mountains with ease if he does not belong there, especially in the dead of night. The glow of a single propane lantern is hardly enough to illuminate the darkness while surrounded by the great clusters of tall trees.

People walked on pristine sidewalks free of cracks or holes, most with briefcases or cellphones pressed to their ears. Traffic thickened and thinned, becoming smoother when the two lanes we drove down opened up into four. It was at this point the trees began to multiply into densely packed forests, and the magnificent buildings grew scarce. During the drive I snagged Elijah’s phone and looked at the first map I could get my hands on. The Nightfall pack was named for the starry sky that overlooked the bowl-shaped valley it rested in, and was known for its Redwood trees, which stood taller than any other in the world.

They both studied the night and there, not too far from them, were choirs of yellow flames, matching to the other side of the mountain. Ada narrowed her eyes with hate “Barbarians.”