Halt woke early the next morning to deal with the woodsman's wolf problem. He slipped silently from the bed to get dressed careful not to wake Pauline. He pulled on his clothes without making a sound slipping into the kitchen to make himself some coffee before heading out. He stood near the warm stove waiting for his coffee to boil when a pair of arms encircled him and nearly made him jump out of his skin. "Gorlog's beard you scared me" he said when he could finally speak again. Pauline smirked and kissed his cheek "I learned a few things from my rather stealthy fiance" she said taking the pot off the stove as the coffee blackened and boiled. She poured him a cup of the strong black drink and spooned honey into it for him handing it over. "Be careful today" she said. Halt nodded thanking her for the cup "I will be... I'm sure it's just a wolf that's lost it's pack and wandered to close to the fief." Pauline rubbed her arms as if feigning off the cold "what's wrong?" Halt asked softly. "It's just a feeling... It's probably nothing" she said softly. He studied her a moment longer before nodding "alright" as he set the cup on the counter. He leaned in slowly and kissed her, she smiled "be home by this evening and I'll have a nice early supper for you" she said. Halt smiled "alright I'll try my best I want to make sure the beast gets run off before we have a mess on our hands." Pauline nodded and bid him farewell on the veranda before returning to the warmth of the cabin.
It was an uneventful morning he rode all the way out to the North wood and from one end of the creation to the other he did not see so much as a sign of the wolf that Crowley had mentioned. He sighed the temperature was starting to drop and it was already far later than he had intended to be gone. He turned toward the cabin and set at an easy canter that he knew Abelard could hold for quite a distance. He was at the last long slope that lead home when Abelard's head shot up ears pricked. Halt stopped him easily looking around "what have you seen, hmm?" he scanned the woods. Abelard gave a soft whinny that Halt recognized as warning and he drew his bow but the little horse didn't seem able to indicate the direction from which danger was coming Halt continued to scan the woods. Suddenly the situation exploded, Abelard barely had time to turn his head as the wolf jumped at them the horse and rider having no warning, Abelard instead gave a terrified scream as the animal lept at them slamming into his unprepared master on his back, the force of the blow catching them both off balance. Halt was knocked from his saddle and Abelard was sent tumbling. Halt didn't even have time to register what had happened to him before his head hit the frozen ground and Abelard tumbled onto him. As soon as he hit the ground the little horse scrambled to his feet to protect his fallen and crushed master. The wolf rounded on him ready to make a killing blow to the limp form laying just a few feet away. Abelard snorted and pinned his ears back at the wolf and as it lunged the horse spun and kicked catching the beast in the head and chest with his back hooves. The wolf fell limply dead before it hit the ground from the force of the little horses kick. Abelard dropped his head and nosed at his master. Halt didn't move and a crimson stain began to form on the snow beneath him. Abelard lifted his head looking about as if contemplating what to do before letting out a loud whinny.
Pauline was out on the veranda lighting a lantern it would be dark soon and Halt still wasn't home she was beginning to worry. She was starting back in the door when she saw a horse coming down the road her heart lept but then sunk when the form got closer it wasn't Halt it was Crowley. "Crowley, where is Halt?" she asked. "He's not back yet? It's nearly nightfall" Crowley said. "He left early this morning I expected him back by now" Pauline said. "I had better go look for him" Crowley said. "I'm coming with you" Pauline said going to fetch her own horse from the small barn. The two set of shortly thereafter walking up the trail following Halt's track through the deep snow. The sky was beginning to darken rapidly now and both of them were losing hope though neither would admit it "we are going to have to stop and look more in the morning" Crowley said "it's getting to dark to see." Pauline knew he was right "just a few more minutes I hate to leave him out in this cold... what if something has happened" she said. Suddenly both horses heads popped up the riders observed the animals and as the wind died down they could hear what had caught the horses attention. A shrill whinny on the air the riders quickly set off toward the sound. A sick feeling sank into Pauline's stomach she knew something was wrong 'hold on Halt' she thought to herself silently.