The air was cold, soft flakes of snow drifted gently towards the ground, adding to the thick layer of soft powder already covering the ground. Twilight was upon the abandoned city beyond the Wall and although most still slept one walked the streets, surrounded by crumbling building and reminders of the past. Some of it was caused by natural deterioration of the stone; a lot of it was caused by fights between the inhabitants. For life to the south was hard; especially during the winter when food was so scarce. Feet padded silently through the snow as the horse sized creature moved slowly, four log legs kept the dark body out of the show. Its movements were reminiscent of a hunting cat, the way it seemed to stalk even when there was nothing around. Sensitive ears listened for the slightest of sounds, any kind of movement that could have been caused by something unlucky enough to become dinner. For daemons were up amongst the highest of apex predators. The same as the sharks installed fear in sea-farers and crocodiles and alligators terrorised the swamps and waterways the daemon was the fear of the south. There was no creature on land that they feared. Daylight was swiftly disappearing and the darkness was taking hold, their natural element as their bodies camouflaged perfectly with the night. However a crumbling city was hardly a place one would think to see creatures like this. Yet it had been the place the daemons had made their home. The city itself was surrounded by forest, though with the winter the trees were bare and offered no protection against the cold, wind or snow. Beyond the forest was a small stream, iced over now with the winter chill and partially covered in snow, a large stone bridge still managed to make a safe crossing point. Beyond that stream was the Wall; a high testimonial of stone easily taller than a house secluding them away from the rest of the world. Over the years small holes had appeared in it and some ever foolish or curious humans had crossed over for reasons unknown. Most were never heard from again. What actually lie beyond the wall was a mystery to him, however. For even though humans had thought to invite themselves into the daemon’s domain, no creature of darkness had ever crossed over to the human side. It remained a mystery to them. And they were content to leave it that way.