Beneath the pinkish-orange hue trickling through clouds like the snow that never fell in the gorge, Adam dismounted. He rubbed the fur of his warg's head, receiving a gentle lick from the creature. From midday to twilight, it had charged through thorny shrubberies and rocky ground without complaint. A hell of a last ride, he nodded. But the time to say goodbye had come.
Bao pawed the muzzle of the beast with a sad whimper that Adam understood as: "You're big and scary, but we're friends. Thank you for letting me ride you."
She rushed to Adam's shoulder, pressing her wet cheeks against his neck.
"I wish you a happy life," he muttered as he handed the bridle to an orc thicker than a wardrobe. All the guards around him wore leather plated with thick metal, and adorned with skulls and broken chains just like Adam's own belt. "Take good care of it."
