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Daniel shrugged and started driving the buggy onwards once more. Steph watched the wolves over her shoulder as they left. They currently seemed completely uninterested in the vehicle. She then looked at Daniel. He may have shrugged at her concerns, but his brow was furrowed in a way she had never seen from him before except when Michael was around.

They passed the beaver lodge. The beavers were still going about their business collecting sticks for their dam. Upon hearing the buggy, they swam for the safety of the lodge. Steph wondered how much protection the lodge would really give them if the cave bear found itself determined to get in. Had been an issue yet? Also, what was the cave bear’s territory like and what were its usual routes?

A thought then occurred to her. Howhadthe territories beenshaped? Was there data on it? There had to be! The predators were chipped. Surely there was information on where they spent their time and where they roamed. Could they really afford to shrink their natural square milage of roaming ground to suit what was available? She had her thoughts on this.

Daniel slowed his speed to a crawl.

“Right, keep your eyes open,” he said.

Steph scanned the trees around them. Nothing. It did occur to her that the likelihood of them stumbling across a tree that potentially housed Fergus’s remains was somewhat slim. It might be that they would have to get out and walk to have any luck.

The radio kicked in. It was Davey.

“Daniel, you there?”

The voice didn’t seem panicked which was a positive.

“Daniel?”

Steph looked at Daniel who was continuing to scan the trees as he trundled slowly forwards.

“You going to answer that?” Steph asked.

Daniel sighed.

“I suppose so.”

He picked up the radio and clicked the button on the side.

“Yep?”

“Where’re you two? You find anything that we didn’t find the first time?”

“Yeah, some scratch marks. Seems the cave lion had waited on the roof to ambush Fergus.”

“Fucker!”

“Poor bastard!” came a voice in the background.

“Who’s that?” Daniel asked.

“It’s Roger,” Davey replied. “I just picked him up to take him to the main house whilst this is all sorted. Where’re you now?”

“Just past the beavers. Looking for that tree you mentioned where you had seen kills being hidden.”

“But you don’t know where that is!”

“I know it’s around here somewhere!”

“I’ll come and meet you!”

Steph watched Daniel mouth a curse before replying, “No need!”

“Don’t be stupid! I know where it is. You think some of Fergus is there?”

“You have to get Roger back though, don’t you?”

“I don’t mind popping along,” came Roger’s voice in the background. Steph found herself suppressing a smile.