The Freak Is The Mate Of The Lycan
The wind was gone, blocked by the valley walls and the forest.
And the noise…
It wasn't the sound of the keep, all hushed whispers and clanging armor. It was the sound of life.
It was the distant, rhythmic clang-clang-clang of a blacksmith’s hammer. It was the sound of children shouting, laughing, their voices high and bright. It was the rumble of a hundred conversations, the lowing of cattle, the sharp, barking orders of men training.
And the smell.
It hit me all at once. Woodsmoke, rich and heavy. The sharp, metallic tang of the forge. The savory scent of roasting meat. The... life-scent of thousands of people, all living, breathing, and existing in one place.