"Gaunt. . .Gaunt, stop!" Lykopis was attempting to catch his attention without alerting whatever was doing the whistling.
"What if you weren't wrong the first time?"
"How do you mean?" Gaunt looked over at the Amazon, as a normal person would if they were looking over their glasses. His glasses however, did not move.
"What if there is a hellhound here, and these Wendigo as well? What if there is something. . .more. . .at work here than what we've seen so far?"
The Amazon continued, "You said these things can cause madness. . .that we might be affected by them?"
"Yes. . ." The Shadow Chancellor answered, grasping her point, yet allowing her room to finish it.
"How do you know we have not already been affected by them?"
****************
Outside the ship, walking across the vast plain of ice, several hairy, forms made their way towards the ship. They were easily eight feet tall. Wind and snow slightly obscured them from the vision of any who might see them. Were there anyone around to see them, that is.
Upon reaching the ship, they cocked their heads to the side, as if listening for something. Within moments, several of them leaned their heads back began whistling, various repetitions of the eerie, inhuman undulating sounds heard by Gaunt and Lykopis earlier. As if they were answering a call.
*******************
Within the cargo hold of the ship, something ate away at the entrails of another crew member of the ship. Something that seemed a man, or a wolf, or a bear. Or some horrible combination of all three. Turning away from it's meal, it's ears perked up as saliva and blood trickled from between it's lips. A low growl began to rise in it's throat as the sounds of the bizarre, inhuman whistling reached it's ears.
