Dawn was just breaking, the dismal light struggling to pierce the gray haze.
The group was jolted awake by the cold. They gnawed on a few potatoes with charred skins, cooked in the embers of last night's fire, and then quickly packed their things.
The bone-chilling wind was like blades of ice, fiercer than the day before. It kicked up dust that stung their faces and significantly reduced visibility.
Julian Ford stood at the head of the group, his brow furrowed as he stared at the map flapping loudly in his hands. He looked up at the leaden gray sky that seemed to press down on them, then gave a decisive order. "Sean Rowe!"
"Here, Professor Ford!"
"Inform everyone that we're picking up the pace today! We'll take as few breaks as possible. We must reach the next designated resting point before nightfall!"
Julian Ford's voice remained clear and powerful, even against the howling wind.
