A. H. Lee

Gradually, he became aware that someone was riding beside him. The stranger was dressed like a cavalry officer, with the full beard of a man who had been living in the wilderness for some time. Sairis noticed that in spite of the man's easy movement on the horse's back, his tack and bridle made not a rustle or a clink. Sairis could hear his own horse's footfalls and breathing, but his companion's animal walked as silently as a great cat.

"Who are you?" whispered Sairis, but the man did not turn to look at him.

Something stirred in the fog to his left. Sairis turned and saw another figure, this one surely no older than himself. The fellow was jogging in full military gear, his light armor bumping against his body, a sword slung over his back. And yet his movements made no noise. Beyond him, Sairis caught sight of another horse and rider, more men on foot, more horses... There were hundreds of them, perhaps thousands, moving through the fog.