Snow, I never liked it, but I did not hate it either. I preferred a place that rains over it or over anything but freezing. It made everything so much more difficult to move, stiff as if my joints were rusted hinges. On the other hand, my partner's decision was final, and so here we are living in one of the coldest regions in Antirno.
The Antirno living woods.
A living forest far from any village, with the nearest one being a two-day journey down south. It was a peaceful place, I admit, but the first few months were not the greatest. Food and shelter were the first concerns, but after finding and marking the different shelters, things became somewhat manageable, although food was still an issue, and despite being called a living forest, the woods were anything but lively.
"How much do we have left?" Reilya asked as she chewed on a strip of dried meat.
I raised a gloved finger and answered. "A single week's worth left, it should be enough for us to return to the village and try again." We sat close to each other. taking shelter in an alcove that we found in one of the fallen trees. Snow was falling so heavily that we could not see past a few feet out from the wooden entrance.
"You're pouting." She said, nudging her shoulder against mine. "You're not allowed to be grumpy while being this close to me, otherwise I'd be out there than in here.
"I'm not," I replied, and wondered how she knew. It was like a sixth sense for her; whenever we were close like this, she always knew how I felt, and like always, the thought that she could read my mind sent a quiet shiver down my spine.
"I know you hate the cold," her voice held a knowing tone as she spoke. "But we'll find our place sooner or later."
"You're too optimistic." The words left my mouth quicker than I thought.
"Am I now?" She said with a chuckle, "Well, someone has to be the positive one." She said with a smile. A smile that sealed the words from exiting my mouth, and I could only cross my arms over my chest and sigh.
She was really a white sheep, which, in hindsight, she really was. She was a sheepfolk, but also part elf. The latter part I believed more. Her face was fair, and her eyes a shimmer of emerald and gold. And despite her freckles. She looked stunning despite everything.
A breeze blew in, carrying snow and hands of frost. Leaving white flakes at the entrance, and its hands passed through the little gaps of my cloak and clothes, and harassed my skin. Muscles cramped and shivered, and I found myself moving closer to the warmth at my side.
The smugness on her face reminded me of another reason why I hated snow. "Not a word," I said and closed my eyes, saving my energy from her. However, as if breaking character silence was her only reply, warmth drew closer by the minute, and sleep took me quicker than I expected.
OWooo!
I woke up to the howl of wolves and a heavy shoulder. It was no longer snowing outside, and it was no longer day. The snow had only buried half of the entrance, and beyond it was darkness. Tall, wide trunks of trees slowly filled my vision, with the foreground of the starlit sky soon followed.
"Hey, wake up," I said in an urgent voice, but my words left my mouth frozen and brittle. I swallowed air and tried again. "W-"
A furry, gloved hand stopped me, followed by a sleepy voice. "A sleep more of sheep..." She giggled into incoherence. Her fur hood had fallen behind her head, revealing her short golden curls that almost hid the furry nubs of her ears. I sighed and felt weak.
OWwoo.
The howl shot a spike into my system, and for a moment, the world was brighter. I could see through the walls of the alcove and past the dozens of trees behind our position. Down on all fours, a hunched, shadowy figure in sliver-white with bright golden eyes. It smiled, showing teeth of pure white.
A call I could not refuse
I felt my chest sink, and a grumble from my stomach reminded me that I had not eaten anything but water and tea for the past few days. Pulling the hood back on my partner, I slowly escaped from her grasp and made my way out of the alcove.
My breath fogged the air in long streams, and I loosened the straps of my cloak and covered the entrance of our shelter with it, along with loose branches I found lying on the ground. The makeshift door was weak, but it does job of giving her enough time to wake up if any hungry predators would dare try their luck with her.
I tightened the straps of my coat. The thought of what would happen sent a chill through me that was colder than the air. Snow began to fall once again, and I knew my time was limited.
Owoo.
As if clockwork, the howl of the beast called out to me again, and I slowly marched to answer. The forest was always more alive at night. Veins glowing in different hues of blue climbed the grand sky-piercing pines, and at my sides. Flowers rose from the snow; their pastel petals shimmered and shrouded the snow until it mimicked the vividness of the night sky. The way in front remained bare. A white path that rivered through the glowing fields.
It was maybe hours or only minutes, but I did not know how long I followed the path. The sky looked as if frozen in place, and the wonder and chill in the air long since dulled. Silence was what haunted me, and my only defense was the soft crushing steps of my boots and a humming tune made by my partner. But my peace was soon interrupted as I saw my destination.
On top of an open hill, a lone golden-eye figure waited. Sitting on all fours, their body long, hunched, and furred, with a fanged smile bathed in pale moonlight.
"Come." They growled, and yet their voice was ethereal. "I know what you are and what you seek."
Their gaze was too heavy to hold, and I stayed silent in my approach. 'Reilya, I hope you forgive me for what I'm about to do.' The thought flowed in, and my eyes hardened as the reality of the situation became clearer.