Jason saw all of this and his eyes widened and sad light blue seeped into his color changing scales slowly as his gaze wandered around. "What...happened?" He sounded a bit sad.

Ash was staring at the dead forest for a long time, and never answered his question. "Twiggs was right," he muttered, staring at a withered tree. He made as if to touch one of the branches, but withdrew his hand with a shudder. "This isn't natural. Something is poisoning the wyldwood."

Jason put a tentative hand to Ash's shoulder. He didn't know what to say and so he stayed silent. But he thought something he could do would help but didn't want to do it if Ash wasn't feeling up for something at the moment.

Ash didn't notice. He muttered something, crouching to examine a circle of dry grass. "Twiggs said it was spreading, but where is it coming from?" He rose quickly and swayed on his feet, putting a hand out to steady himself.

Seeing Ash sway Jason put a wing behind him to make sure didn't fall. "Are you okay?" He didn't take his hand from his shoulders.

Ash coughed. "This air is making me sick. Let's get out of here." There wasn't anything in the air...Well, nothing except the sharp tang of something metallic, like rust. Ash was already leaving, his brow furrowed in anger or pain.

Jason followed,his wings in tight and tail held close. His color scales where swarming with soft blue and lavender but his freckles where gray.

The howling began a few hours later. Ash stopped in the middle of the trail abruptly. He held up a hand, telling him to be quiet before she could ask what was going on. There was a chorus of chilling bays and howls echoing behind them that was drifting over the breeze.

Jason was shocked and clung to Ash closely,tho not touching him by a few centimeters. His scales pure white with fear.

Nothing could be seen. Ash figured she would be confused so he said, "A hunt," he announced, looking off into the distance, automatically putting his arm around Jason. He grimaced. "You know, I was just thinking we needed to be run down like rabbits and torn apart. My day just isn't complete without something trying to kill me."