The retreat did not become a rout.
That alone was a testament to Aliyah Winters.
Yet neither did it become peace.
From the first hour after the withdrawal began, the orcs made it clear that they would not allow the Winters' Army even the smallest illusion of safety. They did not charge. They did not attempt encirclement. They did not test the archers in force. Instead, they followed. Always close enough to be seen, never close enough to be fought.
The shadowy orcs were the first sign.
They appeared as shapes at the edge of vision, fleeting shadows between trees, figures crouched atop rocks or ridges that should not have been reachable so quickly. Threian scouts learned to fear the sudden absence of birdsong more than the sound of horns. When the wilds fell silent, it meant eyes were upon them.
The Warg Cavalry followed not long after.
They did not gallop. They paced.
