Private Tales The Silver Flame and Violet Cold

[Mikaela Ryurik]

For a foreigner to find a place to sleep among the Nordenfiir, well, it was simply a hard task to accomplish. For someone of the dragon blood to do so was pretty much impossible. No wonder the entire village was gossiping about said creature roaming somewhere near. Where the elder sharpened their weapons just in case, younger cubs curiously whispered to one another about someone who could fly. Mika fell somewhere in-between. No longer a child, but still considered a cub among those who’ve gained their Svalen, she found herself to be more curious than afraid of this mysterioys entity. If they truly could fly, like some said, then they could see the world from above. The mere thought had her dreaming of soaring above the ground, the snowy fields, and the icy mountains. Oh, what she would do just to have access to such great views. Sure, one could climb one of the mountains in the region. There were plenty of those. That, however, wasn’t the same. To simply fall through the air sounded like an incredible freedom to have. Enticed by such dreamy thoughts Mikaela soon found herself gathering the few possessions she carried with her and follow the road where the myth should have gone according to the rumors.

With the leather satchel hanging on her back, the daggers tugged away close to her skin, and plenty of furs to keep her warm Mika wandered further away from the small settlement she had been in for just a couple of days. Having recovered some sleep and traded one of the tusks she had brought from Indeholm for supplies and a new pair of boots she truly was ready to go on for a couple of days if that would turn out to be necessary.

The scent was strong.

She had no trouble following it. That didn’t mean she was following the right one, unfortunately. For all she knew she would run into someone else entirely, but that didn’t stop her from quickening her pace. The happy crunching of freshly fallen snow beneath her boots was the only sound that surrounded her aside from her own breath. The forest was at peace. She loved walking through it, especially when the snow ahead was virgin. Right now there were dents here and there, pretty deep ones too. The sight gave her hope of catching up, considering it hadn’t been snowing for a long time when she left. As long as the traces were visible she couldn’t be too far away from her goal. Worst case she could still follow the scent, that one would linger on for miles and miles regardless of whether it would snow.

* * *​

 

[Szesh]

By the gods it was cold here. Being raised in the mountains of the Spine had given Szesh a good tolerance for cold weather, but the tundra was an entirely different level.

The cold was part of the land here. From the snow and ice that crunched under his heavy footfalls, to the slicing wind pouring endlessly from the north. Had the ground here ever known anything other than permafrost? Did the sea ice ever retreat?

His breath fogged in the air, and he held his wings as close to his body as he could. He had begrudgingly purchased a large sheepskin vest at the urging of another bounty hunter. If you’re going north, he had said, best put something between you and the cold. Szesh was extraordinarily grateful for that advice now. The vest had to be custom made, both for his size and the two extra appendages sprouting from his back, and it had been expensive. But right now he could not imagine being without it.

Despite their reptillian appearance Draconians are warm blooded, and right now Szesh’s body was working overtime to maintain temperature. He was fiercely hungry, and was glad that his quarry seemed to have the same concerns. He had tracked his bounty to a very small, shabby settlement. Small stone structures huddled meekly against the cold. Smoke rose from them, and Szesh moved to the largest one. The footprints he had been following mixed with those left by the village residents, but the treads were unique, and they had gone to the large building as well.

The person he was tracking had gone to great lengths to escape capture. The tundra was unforgiving, but it was probably the best place to be if you wanted people to stop following you. Once you were here, though, there were only so many places you could go and hope to survive.

He ducked through the entrance and let his eyes adjust to the dim torchlight. As expected, his appearance drew the attention of everyone present. Normally he would strive to avoid such places while on the job, but he was too hungry to afford caution. He sat at a low stone bench, and spoke a single word to the host (who remained frozen in place).

”Meat.” He flashed several coins from his belt pouch. Most innkeepers came around once they knew he was a paying customer.

He let his dark eyes glance over the crowd, their movements untraceable. There were only five people, and unfortunately they all looked native. His quarry was either not here, or had done well at blending in.

 

[Mikaela Ryurik]

Closer and closer, her nose told her. She had been wandering through the forest for hours now, but when the smell intensified she knew that it was worth the hassle. With barely any wind the air was filled with the stranger’s smell - actually, multiple ones. There was the strong, overbearing scent of the one she had been following since the other settlement, but there was also another one, a faint one. Perhaps the latter was simply still lingering, while the first one was actually here.

Her excitement grew while her feet carried her across the path taken by an almost mythical creature. The amount of thrill this moment gave her was enough to have her skin become covered by goosebumps. They only multiplied when two Nordenfiir rushed out of a place that could barely be called an inn. One of them was obviously angry, the other one patted him on the shoulder. As the first one spit he spoke between his teeth, she could hear his words ring across the snowy yard.

“Offering his coins as if they’re worth something.. he knows nothing about the Nordenfiir.” His pal nodded, but offered a smile. “No need in spilling blood, Yorik decided to feed him regardless. Perhaps he’ll get some mead from the South with those coins, eh.”

Too absorbed by their conversation they passed Mika without even offering her a curious look or a lgance. Probably a good thing or they might have tried to prevent her from going toward the place they had just left. Nordenfiir took care of each other, always.

Perhaps that’s why the man, who she assumed to be Yorik, immediately motioned for her to get to the opposite side of the stranger once she was inside his little establishment. Barely getting a good look on the huge figure sitting across the room she already found herself seated. Yorik must have just handed the man a drink, or more food. She wasn’t sure why, but he had been standing as she had come in. Awkwardly trying to look around him in order to get a better idea on whom she had followed all they way here she found herself in a disagreement with the older Nordenfiir.

“Don’t look, no need to. On the road, I see. I’ll get you something to eat.” With that, he was off. She fumbled with her satchel to find the little spoons she’s made from wood during her free time. Surely he could use them for serving stew or broth. Perhaps even for cooking, though they were only a hand and a half long.

From her corner she watched the stranger while taking a sip from her fish broth once the exchange had been made. There was a piece of fish and some bread, too. She thoughtfully chewed on them.

Something akin to a moon moved. Silvery in color it shone in the badly lit hut. Almost spilling the broth when the realization of it being a wing settled in Mika rose without really thinking anything through. On the edge of her vision Yorik’s silhouette danced vaguely. Maybe a part of him wanted to make sure she didn’t disturb the meal of a dragon. A part of her wasn’t sure if she should. Bears didn’t like being bugged during their meals either. Unfortunately, this situation was way too tempting to pass on, especially for someone so attracted to everything and anything unknown.

“Good evening,”

Her satchel and the platter with fish, bread and broth had come with her.

“Could I join you?”

He was huge!

* * *​

 

[Szesh]

The innkeeper seemed hesitant at first, making no move. His eyes moved between the coins and the one holding them, perhaps weighing his options. Then, with a sudden change to his face, he nodded and moved to the back to give the order.

Szesh relaxed a bit, leaning his spear against the table. He curled his tail tightly around his feet, keeping it well out of the way of other patrons, although they had given him more than enough space. He felt their gaze upon him, two of them particularly hot. He had expected this to some degree. Remote and isolated settlements were incubators for xenophobia, his own people had been no exception. Draconians were frequently hostile amongst their own villages, and they would have given these Nordenfiir far less hospitality than he was receiving now.

The keeper emerged from the back with a large wooden tray. Upon it was, to Szesh’s delight, two large fish. The smell was so appetizing that Szesh did not notice the two Nordenfiir men leave, nor the girl enter. The fish were plump, with dark metal-blue scales and gray eyes. True to Szesh’s order, there was no bread or vegetables, no additions of any kind save for a large mug of something dark and frothy. Szesh nodded his thanks before grasping a fish in his claws and biting deeply.

The flavor was exquisite, and the deep pink flesh melted away from the bone. The cold-water creature was layered with savory fat, and Szesh finished it whole within minutes. The drink was strong and bitter, but it complemented the fish well. Perhaps it was his voracious hunger, or perhaps the cold weather had given him a taste for the insulating fat, but it was truly one of the finest, simplest meals he had enjoyed in a very long time. If this were the standard, perhaps he could learn to coexist with these northerners after all.

So enraptured was he with his meal, that he did not notice the girl approach. He looked up abruptly at her words. A young woman had come to him, bringing her meal with her. He looked her over with midnight eyes. She was smaller than most of the people he had seen here, but her face looked youthful. Perhaps she had not fully grown. What did she want?

“Could I join you?”

She certainly had the confidence of youth, or maybe the stupidity? Did she not see him for what he was? The natives did not seem to fear him like many of the southern men, but they had kept their distance thus far. Even the inkeeper, who had consented to serve him, looked worredly at the girl.

Szesh’s first instinct was to refuse. He was on the job and did not need idle distraction. Whatever this girl wanted was of no importance to him. But he could see more eyes beyond her, the patrons who remained were watching with great interest. His response would undoubtedly shape their view of him. He remembered the cold, the tip of his tail still tingled from it. It was likely he would need to stay in the tundra for some time, and he would do well to gain confidence with the natives.

Begrudgingly, he moved his tray aside so the girl could place her food on the table, and did his best to condense his large figure so that she could sit. He took another large gulp of the ale.

 

[Mikaela Ryurik]

Well, she couldn’t tell if he was happy with her joining him or not, probably not, but her attempt to start socializing with the dragon was a success. One might find her idea of success hilarious, but when there was the threat of being killed, sitting next to the stranger without losing any limbs was quite the victory. She enjoyed it in silence, for a bit. Soon enough her curiosity prompted her to investigate further. After a couple of more bites she managed to gather enough courage to take the next step: making conversation.

“Do you like it here, in the North?” she tried, unsure if it was neutral enough for him not to be offended. Or was it her?

Stealing a glance, she wondered how in the world she would know if they were a he or a she. Nothing about their form gave it away. The beautiful silver scales were at times hidden beneath wool. Apparently the dragon did like warmth. A sort of surprise to Mika, who had thought that they were fire in flesh. The question whether their scales were warm was already hanging in the back of her mind, but she would, of course, not touch the stranger’s arm without permission.

“If you don’t mind, I would like to get you another fish.” A huge smile was offered, a genuine one. “They’re my favorite!”

Saying these things loud enough for Yorik to hear, she briefly wondered if the man would ignore her, but he didn’t. Soon enough they had two more fish. The smaller one was for Mika - who didn’t mind eating raw fish now and then. Nordenfiir’s teeth were strong, and bears bit hard.

“You should try broth, it’s better than ale.” Of that the cub was quite convinced as she took a sip from her cup. The warmth settled in her belly and she sighed with content before stretching her legs under the table.

Oh!
The side of her foot bumped into the dragon.

“I’m sorry!” Was Mika’s immediate reaction as she turned to look beneath the table. Apparently a part of the tail was resting there, on the wooden floor.

“Hopefully I didn’t hurt you..”

* * *​

 

[Szesh]

Szesh watched the girl from the corner of his eye. She was unusually friendly. Not only compared to how the average person treated him, but compared to her own people. Her first question was simple, almost a pleasantry. Did he like it here? Initially no. It was very cold, and tracking a target in a snowstorm was profoundly difficult. The icy fields did have a stark beauty to them, though. They reminded him of the winters in the Spine, and there was something appealing about untouched wilderness.

”Cold… but impressive.” The landscape itself was awe-inspiring, as were the harsh conditions, but he was also referring to the people. A whole people had made their home in a world so inhospitable that most of the “greater” civilizations of Arethil would be crushed beneath the snow. As to why they chose to live here, Szesh could not be certain. Independence was valuable… but this was quite a cost.

The gift of another fish was quite the surprise, but Szesh accepted the offer with a nod. His recent life had given him a natural cynicism, and he was unclear on what this girl’s motives were. She had not asked for anything in return, and if her plan were to make him feel obligated by treating him to a meal she would be disappointed.

The extra fish was just as delicious as the first course, and Szesh was indeed grateful for it. He ate quickly, in just a few large bites. His teeth were not truly equipped for chewing so much as they simply tore off large chunks to be swallowed whole. Her advice about the broth was similarly appreciated, as a second mug had been brought to him as well. The warm liquid sat wonderfully with the meal, and carried the same fragrant spices. ”Thanks.” he hissed.

He pulled his tail in a bit in reflex, but took no offense at the action. He was, after all, quite outsized for the establishment and had an extra appendage to account for. He waved aside her concerns. That tail had taken arrows, it would survive a foot.

Szesh glanced around the tavern. Faces were still turned in his direction, but the expressions had turned from hostility to interest. This interaction was as strange to them as it was to him.

”Szesh,” He said, indicating himself. ”Is this your village?” he asked. At worst he could be seen as friendly to her, possibly relieving suspicion. At best, she may be able to help him find what he was looking for.

”Do many outsiders come here?”

 

[Mikaela Ryurik]

Thankfully Szesh wasn’t mad about her accidentally touching his tail. Well, it wouldn’t have made a lot of sense for him to be considering she hadn’t meant to, but who knew what a dragon was like? Aside from that, there were Nordenfiir and others who might have kicked her back, simply because. She liked the fact that he didn’t and enjoyed her cup of broth for a moment before shaking her head.

“No, I’m just coming through,” she smiled, not wanting to admit that she had actually been following him. If he didn’t think that she was weird not then surely he would if he knew she was basically tracking him for no obvious reason but being curious. “I was born and raised in Nordengaard, the capital.” Nodding, and quickly changing topics, she knew her smile grew wider as she spoke about her home.

“It’s very pretty, it’s a city on the mountain. If you get the chance, you should definitely go there. Even though it’s a bit crowded.” For the North, it definitely was crowded there.

“Hmm..not really, no. I think most don’t like the cold.” Thoughtfully chewing on the last bits of her fish, she tried to think of any other reasons why so little foreigners came through their cities. “Some might be used to changing round golden pieces for things, where we trade and hunt. So the port cities and the capital see more visitors than other parts of the land. A village like this.. well,” she almost gave away that it hadn’t been really hard to find him.

“You’re easy to spot. Though, I think someone else came through not too long ago. The air is clear here, it’s easy to know.” Sniffing a couple of times she tried to place the scent but couldn’t. Right now the dragon’s presence was overwhelming. Perhaps she had imagined it outside, and when coming in, but Mika highly doubted that. Nordenfiir were used to their own kind, everyone else was like a green patch of grass in a sea of white snow.

* * *​

 

[Szesh]

Szesh wondered what “crowded” meant in a place such as this. So far he had seen only a handful of small settlements, this being one of the larger ones. What qualified as a city in this frozen expanse?

Her comment about coins took him by surprise, but suddenly the innkeeper’s hesitant reaction to his payment made sense. His lips tightened. As if he wasn’t already an obvious outsider.

And then, unexpectedly, he let out a short single laugh, although that was a generous description. It was more of hissing chuckle. Maybe it was the girl’s forwardness, but it took him by surprise. You’re easy to spot. She wasn’t wrong.

”Yes, I suppose am.” he said. It was not lost on him how difficult his job was made by his conspicuousness. A good bounty hunter should ideally move undetected, stalking their prey silently and hidden. Szesh could not hide, not up close. He had gotten good at tracking from a distance, but ultimately relied on his quarry not knowing that the silver monster was after them, specifically. As his success increased, this was becoming more difficult.

Her next words caught his attention. The time for humor had ended, and it was back to business. He recalled what little he had heard of the Nordenfiir through gossip in the Spine. Hardy people, keep to themselves. Animalistic was the word that was used. Good senses. Some said they could even take animal forms.

He tried to play it cool. ”Coming through?” he said, taking another gulp of broth. ”Going anywhere in particular?” He needed her, this much was immediately clear. While he assumed any Nordenfiir could track by scent, only she seemed willing to speak to him, let alone assist. She was young, but there were younger bounty hunters.

Perhaps she would like a job.

 

[Mikaela Ryurik]

He laughed, sort of, and she felt relieved that he wasn’t offended. For it wasn’t his looks she had been talking about, it was his smell. Perhaps most didn’t think of Nordenfiir like those who can track by scent. They looked like the people from the South, just taller. Not as tall as him, though.

Enjoying the last bits of her meal she watched him from the side, again. Unsure how long she could study him without coming across as rude she drank in the scales that turned slightly gold in the fire’s light. They were silver, she knew that from before. His back was clearly silvery as well. His eyes were unlike any eyes she’s seen before. They appeared to be pulling her in, so she turned away.

“Well, I’m looking for someone, but in general I’m heading South.” she nodded. There was no way of saying for sure whether the witch would be at Withereach. As Mika travelled she tried to hear whether anyone had seen Sigrith lately. The woman was a unique figure, one that stood out enough for others to know should she have passed. Like Szesh, but Nordenfiir.

“They might be at Withereach, but I can’t be certain until I get there. What about you?” Using the question to turn toward him in order to curiously eye him up and down, she smiled. “Just enjoying the snow or are you heading anywhere specific?”

Now that she had made contact, perhaps they could travel together for a little distance. Sure, she would be grateful to only spend this dinner with the dragon, but to get to know more about his kind and where he came from.. obviously Mika wouldn’t say “no” to that.

By now the couple of other Nordenfiir had slowly lost their interest. She knew her people to be wary of foreigners but quite alright with those who didn’t make any trouble. Szesh was calm, friendly even. She liked the way his voice had a hiss to it. Somehow it only underlined him being of another kind than them, and that just made him the more precious to Mika.

* * *​

 

[Szesh]

Szesh considered Mika’s words. He could not be sure which direction his quarry had gone from here, but he had been steadily moving North up until this point. It was possible, however, that he had decided to turn back, either to confuse his pursuer or avoid even colder conditions.

The bounty had not contained a great deal of information, save for a rough drawing of the criminal, his crime, and what little else was known of him. It was a human man, named “Arthur Kleftis,” with dark hair and a full beard, last seen wearing a green travelling cloak. Apparently he had used the disturbance surrounding the Shattered City to attempt to steal some very valuable dwarven artifacts from Belgrath. While he had been captured within the city walls, he had escaped custody while awaiting trial and had been on the run ever since. Initially the dwarves had believed all of the artifacts recovered, but it was not until after the escape that they realized one was still missing, presumably still in the thief's possession. The missing artifact was a ring, although the bounty did not give any further details.

The man fit the profile of a career thief, but the dwarves he had stolen from were wealthy, and the bounty large enough that he knew to flee. It was likely that Szesh was not the only one on his trail. Even more reason to ask the girl’s help.

”I am looking for someone,” he said, truthfully. ”But the snow…” he gestured outside, ”Covers tracks. Hides trails.” He took another sip of the broth. Although it had begun to cool, it still warmed his insides pleasantly.

”It is very important that I find him. I cannot track the scent here, but you can. If you can spare time, I can offer…” what was the word? ”...a partnership.”

He watched her, trying to judge a response. ”I can pay, of course. Coins will do you good in the South, but there will be… other compensations, if preferred.” The ring would of course need to be returned to Belgrath, that was non-negotiable. But Arthur himself would at the very least have a nice warm travelling cloak, probably made far away from here. Perhaps that would hold some value to the girl.

Some people may have qualms about using a young girl to do a job. These people had higher moral compasses than Szesh. He hadn’t lied to her, per se, he just hadn’t said what would happen when he finally found Arthur.

 

[Mikaela Ryurik]

“Yeah,” she agreed. There was no way of arguing that looking for someone by tracks was a hard thing to do around here. Before you knew there was no trace left of the one you were following. Even the small broken branches would be hidden beneath a thick layer of snow, making it impossible to trace animals in a traditional way.

“Other compensations?” wondering aloud the young Nordenfiir shifted in a way to make sure she was looking straight at Szesh. Where coins would be handy, because she did plan to travel all the way South one day - and with all the way South she meant across the seas, right now she still had some things to do at home.

“Hmm, well, in general, you can tell me about your home, if you don’t mind. Do you guys have a language you like we do, not the Common Tongue, but one you speak when with family?” Lightly tilting her head to the side while asking, she was done with her meal. All of her attention was now fixed on Szesh and the tales he had to tell.

“Why are you looking for someone? Who are they? I mean.. not that you have to tell me, I’m sorry.” the young Nordenfiir waved away the topic in case the dragon didn’t feel like talking about it. She too would find it hard to tell about the reason she was looking for Sigrith, but if he were to inquire about it, then she surely would try to. Even if it wouldn’t make a lot of sense to a stranger, probably.

“Depending on whether you’re sleepy or not, we can nap here and leave in the morning, or go now while I still think to smell the stranger. Assuming.. you thought them to be here and they smell like human?”

* * *​

 

[Szesh]

Szesh had been expecting to barter goods, not stories. He was silent for a short time, not certain where to begin. The mention of his home had sent a cold, crushing sensation through his chest, and his stomach tightened. It was like a giant, icy hand had gripped him from within.

He had lost his home twice. Once socially, and once more literally. The intricate scar carved into his back served as a permanent reminder of the former. Even in these frozen wastes it burned, a testament to the skill and precision of those who had made it. The design was beautiful but purposeful, and it targeted specific nerve bundles to ensure that the pain would never cease. It marked him as an exile, banished for a terrible crime. For an exile to return meant death on sight.

But return her had, just weeks before. The tremors caused by the Shattered City's emergence had ravaged the Spine, and he had found it impossible to stay away. He had to know, had to see. The village had been crushed beneath the rocky overhang that had sheltered it for so long. Szesh was still working out how he felt about that. The village had cast him out, so why did it hurt so much?

He was not ready to talk about this with a stranger. An abridged version would have to suffice.

"We come from the Spine, where the trees stop." The treeline was ideal, as it provided hunting grounds downhill while being difficult for outsiders to access. "We do have a language, but it has no name in the Common Tongue. It is... easier for us to speak." Szesh's strong accent was as much physical as it was cultural. His reptillian features were not suited for all the sounds that the common tongue required. His lips were more rigid, his tongue less agile. On the other hand, most humanoids could not pronounce his language, either.

On to the business at hand. "I look for a human called Arthur. He took something very important from some people. They asked me to find him, so they can get it back." Again, not a lie, but not the whole truth. This girl seemed clever enough. If he made it clear finding Arthur was the "right thing to do," perhaps she would not need more convincing. Likewise, she would likely see through an outright lie. Szesh had never been particularly good at lying. He had rarely needed to, as few people would confront him even if the truth displeased them.

He finished the last of his broth. "I believe he is close, but he may not stay long." He gathered his spear from beside the table. "We should go now if we hope to track him."

 

[Mikaela Ryurik]

Nodding at the incoming information she committed all of it to mind. Even if it was vague, she might still one day need or expand on it. They way he spoke, well, it wasn’t a surprise that his language would be easier for him to use than the one they were conversing in now. The Common Tongue wasn’t the one she’s been born with, but having learned it early on, Mika didn’t struggle as much as him. That and the fact that her anatomy allowed her to use her tongue and the side of her throat differently. She immediately wondered if it would be possible for her to learn his tongue, but put that idea aside really fast. Others matters were more important, and studying the basics of a language while on the road was pretty much impossible. At least if one wanted to do it decently.

“What did he take?” she automatically wanted to know. “Is he dangerous?” was the next obvious question. A moment or two later she was already on her feet. Wrapping herself into the jacket and scarf she wore, she put on her hood as well. The snow was probably still falling as it always did. A nod of appreciation was sent toward the innkeeper.

“Thank you and until next time!” and with that, she would out of the door into the cold.

Getting away from the inn, she stopped in the middle of what one could call a square. The air here was clearer than next to the inn where the scent of people, food, and drinks mixed together with smoke from the fire. Here it was mostly clean, with smoke here and there that was coming from the other huts nearby. She was used to that one.

With a deep inhale she closed her eyes. The scent from before, the human one, was still there. It had grown weaker already, but he seemed to have touched wood now and then - that helped. She moved between the huts toward the gate. Her nose twisted uncomfortably and suddenly she caughted.

“Ew.. he urinated here.” She showed Szesh a face of disgust. “He could have done so outside of the gate, because he went there anyway.”

‘There’, was a thin path between the trees. Still he had touched the trunks now and then. With no scent of blood hanging in the air, she wondered why he needed the support.

“It’s odd..” Mika considered, Szesh by her side. “it’s as if he’s tired and has to lean on trees now and then. I don’t understand..” the last bit was mumbled, but Szesh might have heard it if he had been paying good attention to the cub. They left the gate behind.

* * *​

 

[Szesh]

"A ring. I don't know any more." he said honestly. While he suspected that it might be magical, given the urgent nature of the bounty request, he quite literally knew nothing more than it was a golden ring. As for the danger, "He is nothing I... we cannot handle."

He stood with Mika, gave a curt nod to the innkeeper, and set out into the snow. He hugged his vest close to his body. He wished he had thought to have something more substantial made. A full jacket, or pants even. His legs stood bare in the snow, and while they were not likely to succumb to frostbite they leaked heat into the ground precipitously.

Mika quickly proved herself to be invaluable, as she located the fugitive's scent almost immediately. Szesh made a note of this. Perhaps it would teach him to be a little more accepting of others' help. Who knows how long it would have taken him to find Arthur's trail on his own?

"He has come a long way," he said in response to her last comments. This was good, he would be easier to catch. He began to walk forwards into the trees. Now that he knew this was the path, he could see the faint remains of a trail. Footprints had been largely filled in by new snow, but the pattern of depressions in the snow still remained. Broken twigs and branches every so often were further clues.

Szesh's breath fogged in front of him, and he moved through the snow in long strides. High clearance was helpful here, as he was able to step over the banks. Mika, although smaller, didn't seem to have any trouble with the snow at all. Hardly surprising, given her pedigree, but impressive nonetheless.

Over time the tracks became more distinct. They were catching up.

The snow absorbed sound. This was good for tracking, and normally Szesh enjoyed the silence, but something had been tugging at his thoughts for some time, and the quiet only made it harder to ignore. He spoke without looking at Mika. "Why did you sit with me?" He didn't mean to question his good fortune, but it was strange that she of all people had chosen to engage with him.

 

[Mikaela Ryurik]

“Hmmm quite the ring it must be to go all the way here..” she wondered aloud. Nordenfiir weren’t all about gold and gems. Steel and fur, yes, definitely that. Gold, however, only had its worth in the South. She didn’t blame Szesh or anyone else who did deem it worth to travel this far in order to hide it, or keep it. In the end, it wasn’t her problem. At least not if he was telling the truth. Looking down at the dragon, she somehow doubted that he was lying. Perhaps it were the funny footprints he left in the snow that let her believe him to be way more gentle than what his looks told about him.

“Maybe we should get you a pair of boots.. well, after we get to the man, because it’ll take an evening for someone to make them in that size. No offense.” Nordenfiir were large people, but Szesh dwarfed even the tallest of them.

Concentrating on breathing and the scent, especially with Szesh so close - she didn’t want to mess up - Mika kept to herself. The crunching of snow had always been one of her favorite sounds. Since childhood she always wanted to play in the snow. Would it be to train or to simply make figures, she loved it, certainly when it was a fresh batch that’s just come from heaven.

Somewhat drowned in thoughts it took her a moment to realize he was talking to her. The silence around them tore. A couple of seconds passed before she answered, not because she had to think so long about the answer, but because she had to process the question first.

“You’re different, we don’t get to meet a lot of foreigners, and while I do plan to travel one day, I kind of am already, going further south west would be amazing. I would like to cross the sea, or use one of the portal stones to see the world. In order to do that, hmm, well, I guess I like learning new people, their cultures, their thoughts. If people remain surrounded by those who think alike, they can’t grow. They can’t challenge themselves. They might get stuck, at least, that’s what I think.”

The rant was stopped with an apologetic smile. He had posed a question and she had tried to answer it as fully as she could, but perhaps he had simply been polite. And here she was, letting him in on her thinking pattern. “I hope you didn’t really mind..” the young Nordenfiir suddenly sounded somewhat shy. Looking down with a light blush across her pale cheeks she frowned.

There were more traces now. A sled? Two of them?

The human smell was still strong, but she smelled her own kind as well.

“He’s not alone.. but I didn’t know there was a village here.”

Not that that was impossible. The maps were rare, frequently incomplete, and sometimes simply wrong. Mika tried to draw routes and maps wherever she went. Foreign maps were a mine of information for her as well, but she was losing focus now. At this moment it was important why the human was among Nordenfiir.

Were they travelling in pack?
Had they caught him?
Had he asked them for help?

She didn’t know. “We should be careful.. just in case.”

* * *​

 

[Szesh]

How was the snow colder here? Sitting just at the treeline, Halzeth had been no stranger to blizzards. Before his exile Szesh spent most of the year around snow. The high altitude and its thin air meant any heat during the day dissipated rapidly, and the winds sliced across the jagged peaks like icy knives. Was the tundra truly so much worse, or had his time abroad softened him?

He was grateful to be walking in a forest of sorts. The trees sheltered them from the worst of the winds and provided landmarks to keep one's place. The open fields were just... white. Open, endless expanses of white. The Nordenfiir must have methods of navigating them, like sailors on the open featureless sea, but Szesh knew none of them. Quite frankly, he didn't intend to stay long enough to learn. But if by some chance he did, Mika was right. He would need proper clothing.

He had surprised himself by asking the question, but he was interested to hear her answer. At first it bothered him. Different. Of course. He was an amusement, and novelty to be gawked at. But as she continued her answer, he realized he had misjudged her. It was a very mature viewpoint. Noble, even. Clearly she had been spared the isolationist ideals of her people. Coming from a xenophobic species himself, Szesh knew all too well the pitfalls of such views. Did he hold pride in his race? Of course, but they were not so different from anything else. People worked. People suffered. People lived. People died.

"No," Szesh confessed to her next question. He had been reluctant at first, of course, his expectation had been to be left alone. And what good would that have done? Clearly it had been a stroke of good luck that Mika had sat with him, otherwise he would not be where he was now, ever closer to his target.

He considered her words, the bare wisdom within them. She was a child, but perhaps that gave her clarity where age had clouded Szesh. He had become jaded, scarred. He kept himself away from people just as much as they avoided him. He told himself he didn't like people... was that true? Maybe he was just afraid. Maybe he was becoming stuck.

Mika's next words brought him out of his thoughts. He looked down and saw the trails. Sled tracks, more unevenness in the snow. Did Arthur have allies here? Was that why he came so far? It was a troublesome new development.

"More humans, or Nords?" he asked. He couldn't see a village up ahead, but he trusted Mika's senses.

He kept more focused as they continued, scanning the trees for signs of movement. Now and then a bird or fox would draw his eye, but nothing sinister. As time wore on he began to pick up scents himself. Wood fires, animals... there was at the very least some sort of encampment up ahead.

"Can you tell how many?" he asked Mika. A small party he may could probably tackle, but a whole host of Nordenfiir would be a problem. Especially if the stories about their "magic" were true...

 

[Mikaela Ryurik]

“Hmm,” she carefully considered his question while thinking about the way things were done in the South and the many differences that came with them. “Not to be annoying,” tentatively, she started out her explanation, just in case he wasn’t aware. “but, Nords are the children of humans and Nordenfiir.. well, they’re a bit of an in-between. Though, I don’t have my Svalen yet, either.” There was regret there, a bit of sadness and quite some shame as well. Mika had not time to dwell on that story, however.

“I would guess three to four Nords or one or two Nordenfiir.. the scents aren’t too strong.. It doesn’t dilute the human one either. All in all it’s a small ground. I would be prepared for two warrior, though. I can help, if they’re younger.” Obviously she wouldn’t be able to handle a bear, but a younger warrior her age, well, Mika was pretty sure of her fighting skills, even though she was young.

As they crawled closer she felt both excited and worried. “Two Nordenfiir.. three, even, but one scent is different, ehm.. it’s complicated, I think they’re my age.” She concluded with hope. If he had to take on three bears.. well, she didn’t know what a dragon could do and he was definitely larger than any bear she had seen, but three were a lot. Aside from the power and magic that came with the transformation, Nordenfiir were seasoned warriors too. She hoped to be able to negotiate with them, but by now she didn’t quite have a lot give for a thief. She would have to prove him to be one, because Nordenfiir really found it disgusting to steal from one another. Surely they would throw the human out of their party if they were to know the truth. Except.. while she trusted Szesh not to be lying, they might not be as easy to convince.

“We don’t like thieves in the North.. I hope we can talk with them..” clearly there was hesitation there. “Proving, however, that he is one.. especially if they’ve accepted him..”

Mikaela allowed Szesh to make his own conclusions on that while keeping quiet as they neared something akin to a camp. Now the choice was to sneak up on them or try to reason with them. Mika knew her way of doing things, but they were two of them and they would have to agree before progressing any further. “If he would hand back the stolen goods, the ring, I mean, would that be enough?”

* * *​

 

[Szesh]

Szesh listened to her clarification, put it away for later use. While she was accepting of outsiders the rest of the people here had not been, and anything that would keep him from offending them was useful. He didn’t care about their feelings, of course, but people were far more helpful when they weren’t angry.

The fact that his quarry was now traveling with a group of potential warriors was troubling. Either he had been captured, or he had somehow joined up with them. Neither option was good. Szesh had nothing to barter with if he had been taken by the Nordenfiir, especially considering the value of the ring he stole. If he had joined the fighters, well, there would be much more fighting than Szesh had hoped for.

The presence of another young one was unexpected. Did the children here always venture so far into the wilderness? Was it customary for parents to take them with them? Perhaps they would not want to fight if they had young with them.

”We don’t like thieves in the Spine, either.” he chimed in. Like most small, community-oriented villages, Halzeth had been brutally unforgiving of crimes. His own situation was an extreme example, but even theft was dealt with harshly. Perhaps there was good reason they were called “draconian.”

As for the proof, that should be easy. Szesh had the bounty notice with him and it had even included an illustration. They were never completely accurate, of course, but it should provide enough evidence for anyone reasonable. It remained to be seen how reasonable the warriors would be.

He was afraid he had to disappoint her with his answer to her next question, though. ”No. He must be returned as well.” The terms of the contract were very clear. Arthur had embarrassed the dwarves, and they would not allow him to go free. Szesh suspected this may be worth more to them than the ring that was stolen.

They reached a small camp, and Szesh crouched in the snow next to Mika. Four tents, each appearing identical to the next. There were many footprints around them, and while Szesh could pick out individuals in the trails leading to the camp it would be nearly impossible to find out who went in to which tent.

”Can you tell which tent?” Perhaps Mika’s nose could help them out again. It would be ideal to not wake the group (if they were indeed asleep). He would have some explaining to do if he killed Arthur in his sleep, but taking him alive didn’t seem likely if they were to maintain secrecy.

He thought about what Mika had said... Svalen... what did that mean? It sounded familiar, like someone had told him before. Did it have to do with the shapeshifter stories?

 

[Mikaela Ryurik]

Returning him would be hard, she realized. No matter what the reason was that he had gone with a small group of Nordenfiir and the like, well, they had probably bonded to some extent. Aside from that a human looked more like them than Szesh did. Where, in fact, they were more like Szesh than most realized. Mika dropped the thoughts, there were too many other things she had to focus on now. Like where the man was sleeping, or hidden, or whatever he was doing in “that” tent. She silently pointed toward one on the side. At least they didn’t have him sleep in the middle, that would have been even harder to get to unnoticed. She mentioned that she would go first. She smelled like their own kind, so hopefully, even if they would awake, no fighting would come from it.

Quietly, gently, she came closer to her target. If it would have only been the ring then.. well, she was lean and quick, she might have even be able to grab it without waking the thief himself, even if that would have made her a thief and had probably given her an existential crisis.

Both fortunately and unfortunately the man wasn’t asleep. Inside of the tent, as she found out when peeking between the thick rags, he was sitting on the ground, some sort of thick layer of branches, cuffed and tied to a chain that came from the back of the tent. It didn’t take her long to realize the ring around his neck led back to the tree trunk behind him. He wasn’t a guest here, he was a prisoner. It surely explained his reaction to her peeking into the tent. He backed off, hands pleading, until his eyes recognized her as someone new.

“Help! Please!” he spoke, loudly. She hissed, rushing in to close his mouth with the palm of her hand.

“Why are you here?” she whispered, eyes wide as to warn him not to shout again. It was probably too late, but at least she might get some answers out of him before the others would come check on his tent.

“I was cold.. I was hungry.. they took me in, but they say I’m to be their slave. For what I got I got to work, they say the mines-”. She stopped him right there. Without a pardon her hand wrapped around his mouth again.

This was bad. Really bad.

Only those supporting the usurper had been fond of slavery. The Queen had banished it. So either these were outlaws and bandits or they were actually enemies of the state. They might even be a small group of a larger party still planning to assassinate Maude. Mika’s blood pressure rose tremendously when one of the rags swung to the side and a figure stepped inside together with a cut of icy wind.

* * *​

 

[Szesh]

Szesh watched as Mika moved through the snow. It was immediately clear how accustomed she was to this environment. Her movements were silent, her tracks subtle. The deep banks didn't seem to slow her at all, and though her black hair clashed entirely with the white backdrop, she would still have been difficult to see.

She entered a tent, and Szesh heard a voice that was quickly silenced. His body tensed. Did he need to go help her? Had she awoken the enemy and started the fight? Silence... a fight would surely make more noise. Unless she had been incapacitated immediately... but that didn't seem likely.

His heart beating quicker, Szesh saw one of the tent flaps open. A huge man wrapped in thick furs strode out. He stretched his back, letting out plumes of steam from his sighs. Sitting in the tent must have been very uncomfortable for someone of his stature. Szesh ducked lower behind the snowbank, flattening out his wings as best he could. For a time it seemed like the man, Nordenfiir for sure, was just getting some fresh air, but then his eyes caught Mika's footprints, and he moved for the tent.

So much for stealth. Szesh leapt up and used his wings to propel himself to the campsite in a single bound. The man opened the tent flap just as Szesh's spear tip pierced through him from behind. Pulling it back as the man fell, Szesh came inside, clumsily. He saw Mika, saw the prisoner with new horror in the man's eyes. It was him, no doubt.

He could hear voices from the outside behind him, there was no time for subtlety. "Go," he hissed at Mika as he stumbled past her, dragging the entryway of the tent behind him with his cumbersome wings. He grasped the tree trunk behind the prisoner with a gargantuan hand and kicked it hard just below where the chain was tied. The trunk broke and the chain slid off. Szesh thrust it into Arthur's arms and barked "Follow the girl!" Arthur, clearly terrified beyond thought, obeyed and scrambled out of the tent.

It wasn't hard, since Szesh had pulled half the canvas out of the ground anyway with his movements. He stood and threw it off and was met with the sight of five people. One was much larger than the other four, and Szesh assumed this was the other true Nordenfiir.

They attacked. Szesh deflected the sword of one of the smaller Nords and slammed an elbow into their face, sending them reeling just as a ferocious red-haired woman swung an axe at him. He managed to catch her in the stomach with his tail so that she just nicked his wing. Though the cut was minor, it stung the delicate flesh harshly. He roared, sending a shiver of snowflakes falling from the nearby trees. The two combatants that were still on their feet yelled back. Intimidation would clearly not work, and his first two attackers were getting back to their feet.

 

[Mikaela Ryurik]

When the tent tore apart she knew that Szesh had come to join her. With a quick tug he tore out the chain with pieces of wood flying into the snow below. She was surprised by his strength but shouldn’t have been. His command wasn’t something the Nordenfiir wanted to follow, however, with the conditions being as they were, she nodded and disappeared with the thief. Her eyes were on him - there should have been pity regarding his situation but there was none. By now Mika trusted Szesh, something about the dragon was different enough for her to feel at peace with his words. Maybe her instincts were betraying her, but the way he spoke and the lack of loud communication around him when she had walked into the inn told her of a character different from dishonest and boasting men.

“Hey,” she growled, standing firmly on the chain though it half-slipped from beneath her boot because of the snow. In the background she heard the scuffle, felt the tension raise. No way she wouldn’t get involved into the fight, even if it was quite dangerous to do so. She had brought him here and would try to get him back to the settlement. These were enemies of hers too. Of her Queen. Traitors.

“You stay here, don’t move, and even if you do, I’ll find you.” she bared her teeth. Sharp as they were - bigger than a usual human’s ones - she showed them off with clear intention. “I can smell you miles across, and if you leave, when I’ll find you, and I will, I’ll take more than a couple of your fingers for thievery.” The North wasn’t forgiving. Neither was she, even at her age. “Understood?”

Whether he was pretending or actually scared from the Nordenfiir or traumatized by his journey so far, the man nodded. With that out of the way, she returned to the camp. One of the axe on the ground gave her the advantage of it flying through the air to split open the back of a traitor’s skull. She would have his tattoo later, as a trophy for Maude to see. For now, with daggers drawn, she had others to worry about. It was a good thing she had taken out one of the adult ones. A sad thing it was a Nord, not the Nordenfiir. Szesh seemed to be engaged with that one. The other Nords were smaller. One probably younger than Mika. She picked her target, the middle one. This while the Nordenfiir and the red-haired woman tried to gain ground on Szesh.

Mika trusted in his skills and his size. As long as she managed to deal with this one here, she could help him later on. The smallest Nord was hiding anyway. Though, she realized soon, they might try to shoot them with an arrow. In order to make sure that wouldn’t be the case, she would have to track them down and at least tie them up if not kill. Right now, however, her focus was on the youngling in front of her. Strong, but not entirely bear, Mika felt confident that she would be able to handle him.

“Betraying the king first.. holding onto forbidden deeds.. having a slave..” with her blades ready, she felt the adrenaline rush flashing through her body. “Disgusting.”

Their knives collided.

* * *​

 

[Szesh]

Szesh readied himself for the oncoming attack, his dark eyes darting back and forth. Who would attack first? Would the other two join or would they let the first pair deal with him, see how they do? An axe whipped through the air in front of him and planted itself firmly in the back of the Nord man's skull. He fell immediately and heavily into the snow, streaks of crimson staining the snow all around him.

The shock wore off of the other combatants quickly, and the red-haired Nord and the true Nordenfiir bolted for him. The third Nord seemed to try the same, but he was blocked by... Mika?! No time to worry about that now, as Szesh ducked under a blade.

His spear met the Nordenfiir's axe with a shower of sparks, and their fist hit him hard in the gut. They were impossibly strong, and Szesh felt the air ripped from his lungs. He managed to push himself away before a second blow connected, but found himself staggered. Had he not been of comparable size and covered in thick scales he would be in much worse shape. That punch would surely have shattered the ribs of smaller men.

The woman charged at him, swinging wildly again. He blocked one swing and ducked under another. His head already lowered, he darted forwards and slammed his skull against her chest. He felt hot blood on his face as one of his horns found purchase in her neck. The woman reeled back, clutching at her throat as red welled up between her fingers.

The true Nordenfiir looked at his fallen companions, saw their blood steaming in the snow. Saw Szesh, as alien an outsider as ever there was. Something in him seemed to snap. He threw down his weapons and and growled. It was feral, gutteral, and, though Szesh would never admit it, frightening.

The Nordenfiir collapsed to all fours. His body began to writhe. Szesh could not comprehend the transformation he was witnessing, could not describe how the man simply ceased to be what he was moments before. All he knew was that in the man's place stood a gigantic bear.

It was larger than any bear he had seen, and it was covered in strange markings. The stories were true. Holding his spear tightly, Szesh uttered a word in his native tongue that would be quite improper to translate.

 

[Mikaela Ryurik]

He was a bit taller, she was leaner. Him being a Nord gave him more power than what usual humans gained, but Mika was a bear through and through. Even without her Svalen she was stronger than she looked. Perhaps it was a mental thing, perhaps it was his scent that caused her confidence to grow. There were various possibilities, but right now she only had to focus on his movements and her own. Nords were appreciated and accepted. They were part of their culture, but they would never know the freedom of roaming their snowy langs in a Nordenfiir’s second skin. She planned to do just that, one day. Hence, with a dive beneath his next hit she managed to cut into his ribs. A superficial cut, but one that left a trace of blood anyway.

“You’re disgusting, a Nordenfiir turning on their own to help a foreigner. He doesn’t belong here and you attack your own people to gain him some time. What type of bear are you?” The young man retorted, paying no mind to the cut. Mikaela saved her breathe. There was no need to explain to him what she thought, no need to have a discussion here and now about what was right or wrong. People always have had and always would have their own opinions. It’s why Maude’s family was dead.

Carefully they danced around one another, but Mika kept in mind that there was another one out there. Hurrying was bad, but if she was to be caught off guard then death was certain. Afterall she had killed one of their group. Aside from that, she wouldn’t want any mercy from those who stood for everything she despised.

Lashing out, she missed, it earned her a punch to the shoulder. Moving backwards before making a sudden dash confused him enough to instinctively try to stab her. She caught the blade. It painfully cut across her palm and as his strong fingers dug into her throat she used her free hand to stab him beneath his ribs. Pushing and pushing, she jerked the weapon up and his iron grip on her neck loosened. Bruises in the shape of his fingertips were certain, but it was worth it because she had him between the ribs. Blood was already leaking down his lips as he tried to pull back his knife and push her away with his now freed hand. He placed it against her chest but she held onto her dagger. Ignoring the pain when he tried slammed his fist into her face she pushed one more time and hit his heart. From there on, it was simply letting go.

Lifelessly the stranger fell into the powdery snow. Together with his blood hers mingled. The cut was deep probably all the way to the bone. She ripped off a piece of his sleeve and started to tightly wrapping it around her palm while sniffing. Where had the smallest one gone to.

Did the trace lead toward the human?
Did they plan to escape together?
Perhaps they planned to murder the man for some mysterious reason?

What if Mika had missed something very essential about this ring, a piece of information this group was aware of, just like Szesh.

Many questions tugged at her mind. They tried to derail her thoughts and drive them to the most extreme scenarios. In the end she didn’t let them. Holding tightly on what honor and pride meant for her, Mika started to search through the tents. The human’s smell was still lingering. One tent was cut open from the side, and it wasn’t the one Szesh had ripped apart. This was the path she had to follow if she was to find the young one.

Question was, would Szesh manage when the traitor’s Svalen came alive in all its fury?

* * *​

 

[Szesh]

The beast snarled and bared yellow teeth longer than men's fingers. Thick steam poured from its maw as saliva dripped and melted the snow below. Its fur was white, the markings a dark gray, and its eyes were a sickening yellow.

The rumbles from its throat were loud, and it pawed at the ground, raking aside huge clumps of snow, dirt, and anything else unfortunate enough to be in its path. Each arm was twice again as thick as Szesh's thighs with claws like black scythes.

It was a rare thing for Szesh to find an opponent that he was not certain he could defeat, but as he looked at this monster he felt that doubt. His scales would do nothing against those claws, and his bones would surely break beneath the bear's weight.

He stared at the bear and focused on nothing else. Not the cold wind ripping through the treetops, not the bloody struggle of Mika nearby. He could not afford any mistakes here. He spread his wings wide, the silver scales bright in the clouded sunlight, and crouched. He returned with a snarl of his own.

The bear charged. Szesh had been expecting this. The beast was anger incarnate, but anger was predictable. He leapt into the air, pushing down hard with his wings. He arced over the bear and jabbed his spear into its back as he flipped over it, landing on the opposite side of the behemoth. The bear didn't seem to notice at all, and turned to face him once more.

Another charge, and Szesh did not have time to prepare for another high jump. He darted to the side and jabbed again, this time catching the bear in the arm. Again, no response. Red splotches stained the white fur as again and again Szesh dodged and parried, piercing more and more holes in the thick hide. Though his spear was bloodied, he seemed to do nothing but enrage the creature.

He would need a new strategy, he would tire long before the bear. He positioned himself in front of a thick tree. The bear charged, and this time Szesh turned. Jumped for the tree, he grabbed at its trunk. With great effort and a swing of his legs, he whirled around the trunk, his claws carving deep gashes all the way around. With the extra momentum Szesh drove his spear deep in the back of the bear, letting go and rolling away before it could strike him.

The first part was done, and the spear stuck out of the bear's back, angled out from its spine. Szesh opened his wings quickly. The next time the bear charged he jumped to a tree trunk and kicked off, hard, again using his wings to gain as much height as possible. With the bear below him he came down on the spear. It tore through the bear's flesh like a great level before snapping, leaving the steel blade deep within the creature.

Szesh fell to the ground, the sudden break had taken him by surprise, and this was enough. The bear turned and swiped backwards with a massive arm that sent Szesh tumbled back across the snow. He felt a horrific pain in his shoulder, and his right arm went limp.

The bear was bleeding copiously from its new wound. Surely it was only a matter of time before it bled out... but would Szesh survive until that happened? He was now without a weapon, disabled, and exhausted.

He hoped Mika was not far.

 

[Mikaela Ryurik]

A true Nordenfiir even if a young one, would make it. She knew that much from her own experience. Besides, there were settlements not too far away from here. If she got shot in the back, then so be it. However, she doubted it. Most importantly, she wouldn’t kill a cub that was younger than her. Certainly not if they were simply fleeing instead of forming a threat. Here and now, the best decision she could make, was to help out Szesh, who, by the looks of it, was having some trouble with the bear.

Damn it.

Mika picked up an axe and a bow. Quickly, slightly panickingly, she looked for arrows. There was no way in hell she could actually take on a full grown Nordenfiir in their svalen form while being unable to unify with her own soul. It’s why she would have to try to help Szesh from a distance now. Two arrows. Not a lot, but better than nothing. There was no time to look for anything else, her newfound friend seemed to be in a very harsh predicament.

Quietly trying to sneak upon the dramatic scene she aimed to shoot her arrow at the bear. The arrow in itself wouldn’t do much. Even if well placed it would be unlikely that it would badly harm or kill the bear. So.. she had to get creative. The first one was shot into one of the paws it was standing on. Of course that got a response. A roar that went through bones. Then a terrifying look. That’s when she loosened the second arrow in her possession. Not the heart was her target, but his right eye.

Wooosh

The arrowhead slammed itself into his eye socket. At least that would worsen his coordination and depth view. Unfortunately it wasn’t strong enough to go all the way into his brain. That would have been wonderful and quick, but it wasn’t meant to be. Now she had to make sure that she would dodge his mowing paws should they come for her.

* * *​