The tracks led north over the snowpack, rising up the ridge to a distant point in high above, where the rising sun was just now edging over the mountains. The light reflected off that pure white-blue escarpment was brilliant and blinding. Absent protective goggles it would have been almost impossible to see anything. They paused to rest at midday; high on a saddle where a great swath of tracks converged in the snow. Z’meer bent down to look at the great paw prints as she chewed a ration bar. “How many do you count?” she asked her padawan. “Focus not so much on-“ “Yes,” Z’meer agreed quietly.