Slowly coming back to consciousness, Mordankell experienced an extremely unsettling sensation. He felt as though he'd slept far longer than he meant to. He could not remember having gone to sleep, nor could he seem to figure out where he was. His eyes seemed reluctant to open. He'd needed sleep so much that it seemed even the several hours he must have gotten were not enough. As he pried his eyes open, his surroundings swam before him, blurry and indistinct. After several hard blinks, he managed to clear his vision enough to see that he was sitting at the side of a forest trail, and his memory returned to him.<br/><br/>He sat bolt upright, gasping in surprise at his carelessness. He'd been truly foolish to allow this to happen. He was in the middle of a dangerous forest, sitting right on the side of the road. If anyone dangerous were to come along, it would have been here. As that thought crossed his mind, he became aware of a figure beside him. Immediately, he prepared himself to cast, should it become necessary. He was on his feet, shouldering his pack before making the conscious decision to do so.<br/><br/>He was unaware of the fact that a shadow so dense as to be nearly tangible was gathering around his hand in preparation. Should this being become a threat, he would be ready.