Noct Yaegir Do You Wanna Build An [Abominable] Snowman?

[Sigrith]

Frostpeak Keep
Eretejva Tundra

"How do you do it, Darkstride?"

"Do what?"

"Stay warm!"

Between the location and the current season, the young and newly christened Yaegir, Uhtred of Crobhear, had very little chance of finding Frostpeak an easy place to stay. While plenty of locals had joined the Yaegir for the extra coin, safety of the keep, and a consistent source of food and shelter - many of them were lacking in instinct or instruction on just how to survive in the wilds of the tundra.

Darkstride stared at the young Yaegir for several drawn-out moments as her thick pelt of black fur ruffled in the winter winds. Finally, she snorted. Opting for humor over exasperation as she was typically want to do.

"Can't you like... magic me into a wolf too?" Uhtred asked, breath billowing as clouds in the air between them, "or a bear. Being a bear would be pretty cool."

The Keep's Warden, Heragrim Froskir the Nordwiir, had asked for Darkstride to stay behind and help her train some of the fresh recruits, but not to fight monsters. Simply to survive the wilds. Now she found herself awaiting the rest of the retinue's arrival in the courtyard as one by one they slowly filtered out from whatever hall or corridor they'd been seeking shelter from the cold in.

"That's far from the point of this training," the oversized wolf replied, a black ear shifting in the direction of boots crunching through snow.

"That's not a no-" Uhtred raised his brows at her and then indicated to himself, "I'd make a pretty good bear if I do say so myself."

 

[Arturo]

Arturo had enjoyed the crush of freezing winters and snows before, but Frostpeak Keep in the Eretejva Tundra was very different. While the layers of his gear kept him warm in cold weather, he was in need of a bit more here, especially in the wind. He knew some basics, had spent enough time surviving in different wilds under all seasons, but the mountains here were different. Rather than dread the cold, however, he found it immensely thrilling, especially for the wind.

It pelted his face and whipped back his hair and tugged at the edge of the heavy cloak as he stood up on one of the walls. Snowflakes cut through the air, stinging against his face. The scarf wrapped around his neck had been tugged down so he could feel all of the harsh weight of the wind. There was something about feeling the air around him that felt right. Even in this cold, it was like a sort of caress. It was cold, but it made him feel alive.

Rhyss leaned against the wall at the base of the stairs, shivering and largely finding his leader an idiot. The rest of the team was busy with cleaning gear or socializing or training with others in the Keep. Sane, functional, indoor activities.

“Arturo!” Rhyss shouted up at him. “Get down from there already, you’ll freeze your face off.”

He grinned and put his back to the rampart wall, leaning there and looking down the steps, wind trying to tug off his scarf and hair. “We should have come here sooner!”

“Wipe that smile off your face already. How are you not cold?”

He shrugged, but kept his smile, largely because he knew Rhyss hated it. In truth, he was cold, but Ellis had provided some helpful tinctures that ensured he stayed cozy. Granted, exposing himself to the elements like this had been something they expressly told him not to do. But he had to test out the effects somehow.

“I’m built warmer than you, we both know that.”

Rhyss snorted, glancing over at the yard. “Darkstride’s forming a group for something,” he noted.

“La Loba was asked to lead some sort of training,” Arturo noted as he reluctantly trudged down the stairs.

“She has a name.”

“Aye, Zancada Obscura, la loba negra,I know, I know. She's very fancy,” Arturo noted as Rhyss shook his head. “Also very capable of crushing my windpipe.” He had heard plenty of stories. “She's not a mindless beast, you know,” he added as he led the way to the yard. He had nothing but curiosity for most of the hunters here. Capable as he considered himself, there was always room to learn from others.

Arturo gave the large black direwolf an admiring glance. She was a powerful presence, from her dark fur, to the inked and scared leg, to the feathers. Her mismatched eyes and the tips of white added a different, lighter aura. He hadn't known her more than in recent passing, but couldn't help but be curious. Rhyss, on the other hand, seemed more in awe.

They arrived just in time to catch the newbie’s comment about making a good ‘bear.’ Rhyss couldn't contain a laugh and shook his head, looking the young man up and down. “Maybe an otter?” He offered, leaning against one of the surrounding posts.

Arturo smothered a chuckle. “Don't crush the boy's dreams, Rhyss.” The flashy tanned Yaegir folded his arms and offered the direwolf a nod, looking over the rest of the assembling group.

 

[Naeris]

Nearby, one such Avariel had to admit they too might consider donning a new shape if they were forced to endure this type of chill day in and day out.
Bundled in much more layers of black clothing than they were usually given to wearing and still shivering, was Naeris.
Where the strong winds might normally have lifted his mood the biting cold had his wings firmly tucked about himself like a second cloak. He leaned his elbows on one of the railing, standing where he could vaguely keep an eye on Rhyss and his companions. Of the keeps and dens that he had tagged along with their little crew of Yeagirs to this was steadily creeping toward the bottom of places to revisit.

There was certainly some appeal to it but Naeris wasn't convinced that it was worth being so miserable with cold. His hands clutched a tin mug which had once been warm with tea.
Of course Naeris had already been told that he could stay inside where it was much warmer. Yet, his desire to see the training that was being cooked up outweighed the urge to huddle by the fire.
For as much as he was seriously considering apprenticing with one of the archivists, Naeris hadn't chosen to muck about down here just to end up walled off again.

Naeris watched as Rhyss and Arturo traded some warm laughs in spite of weather they seemed in high spirits.
They were hearty bunch, it seemed an unspoken requirement of Yeagir's this unknown quality of grit.
He had opened his mouth to ask Rhyss what the training might be, but surely that would be revealed in due time.