There was a trail of blood through the snow. Joel doesn't think he'd have noticed normally, but today he had time. Patrol was dry anyway and any hope there was of catching an animal untainted by disease was appealing.

He steered his horse off the path, tracking the trail of blood, his gun out and ready to defend himself if need be. At the crack of a branch, birds fly off in a startled group, surprising him. He gets down off the steed and gently pads through the snow, it crunches under foot.

There's an eerie quiet before he can see a shadowy figure bolting away from him. Is it friend or foe? He's determined to find out. As quickly as he can, he gains traction, running along to catch up.