Fenna came awake, blinking the remnants of sleep from her eyes as the cold bite of the winter air consumed her senses, extricating herself from her blanket and bedroll.  She noted right away that their campfire had not gone out, but was merely embers and a very small flame flickering and crackling now, barely letting off much in the way of heat. The darkness of night was fading around her, the sky to the east that she could see through the trees showing the rosy beauty of the dawn breaking. She got to her feet, stretching and groaning as she did so, moving her limbs and joints to loosen them up, trying to shake off the cold. Fenna moved to where they'd piled the deadwood they'd scavenged the night previous, pleased to see she'd not need to go beyond their campsite to seek any more, there were still four decent sized limbs and an armful of smaller branches and twigs. She carefully fed the smaller bits into the embers and small flame, letting it grow and bringing it back to life and to a reasonable size before she added two of the larger limbs to get the fire roaring at a proper warmth and size for cooking and warding off the cold again.

      Fenna felt the icy air in her lungs, every exhale showing a mist, as one would expect. The Nor'westor almost a week ago had marked the arrival of winter proper, and since then it hadn't really let up much. There was a thin layer of fresh snow, heavier, not powder, and it softly crunched underfoot, a thin icy layer atop the wet snow. She moved to a tall spruce tree near their campsite. The thick knotted rope tied around the trunk that they'd used to haul their food and packs up, keeping them strung well above the reach of bears or other wildlife, was stiff and difficult to get her finger tips to pull apart and untie. However after a few moments of working it, the thick rope knots gave way, and Fenna carefully fed the rope down, getting their strung up packs and supplies back down to ground level, along with a second snowshoe hare that her and Friya had managed to trap the afternoon before.

      Fenna considered the coming day as she set about skinning and gutting the hare, stripping its flesh and meat, going through her pack for a few other rations and some late season harvested vegetation she'd foraged in their travels. The last of the leek, as well as a pair of wild carrots, and a turnip. From Wvota's saddlebags, she unhooked a moderate sized cast iron pot of sorts, having set up a simple rack to hang it from above the fire the night before. Filling this with snow, she hung it above the flames, letting the fire do its work. They were likely only another day or so of travel from White-Bank Ferry, a small river crossing village, and once they made it there, they'd be out of the roughing it territory, after four days of slow going and cold travel. That said, despite the obvious risks of traveling the wilderness in the winter of Suranth, it was beautiful in its own stark way, and Fenna had enjoyed the last few days, even more so with the lack of any goblin sign or other beasties causing trouble. The wind and cold had been their lone challenger thus far, a nice change of pace from the previous week or two.

      Fenna shook her head and chuckled as she eyed two of her companions, just waking with the kiss of the rising sun. Both Tuli and Fredwick groaned as they stretched, sitting up from their own blanket and bedroll, shivering despite the fact that like her, they'd slept nearly fully clothed. Fenna had of course stripped her breastplate, gloves, boots and helm, though she had the boots on now, naturally. Fredwick and Tuli both sat up, stretching, and Fredwick cursed. "How in the bloody hells do you lot survive up here in this dwarf, and how by the Ascended do you wake up humming and chipper to this cold. The air is literally trying to kill me!" the halfman complained as she shimmied himself closer to the fire, keeping himself wrapped up in the blanket. "Are you sure Suranthi blood isn't actually ice water?"

      Another voice responded behind Fenna, a voice that had the dwarf spinning on heel to accept an embrace and a kiss from the human woman as she leaned down to meet her. "Ach, t'is brisk, wee Fredwick, its invigorating, breath deep an' feel the crackle in yer lungs, wakes ye right up!" Friya replied, before accepting the kiss from Fenna with soft loving eyes. "Mornin' m'love" she purred softly, stroking Fenna's cheek with her left hand, then moving past to seat herself by the fire on her bedroll. "Last watch were as calm as t'e rest, though did 'ear wolves ta the west 'bout an hour ago. Likely a mile or two out though. Sounded like an excited pack, me thinks they ran somethin' down, likely eatin' well this morning."

      Tuli spoke up through her chattering teeth, similarly wrapped up in her own blanket much like Fredwick. "Never thought I'd be jealous of wolves, but it would be nice to have a natural fur coat to protect from the cold right now." Tuli stated, clearly a bit grumpy, trying to shimmy closer and closer to the fire to combat the cold early winter air. "I was born and raised here but the years in Valewyr clearly made me soft to this nonsense that is Suranthi winters."

      "Aye, tis t'e way o' our people, ye leave for very long, ye eventually get treated like a foreigner by Laird Winter. Such be the price ta pay on yer first winter back." Fenna acknowledged with a smirk, even as Wvota snorted and let out a rumbling yawn, the boar coming awake as Fenna slid a slate and hardened clay dish under the boar's nose with a bit of salted trout, the last of a fish that Fenna had caught two days previous, with a bit of wild radish, carrot and turnip, as well as various end of season leafy green bits Fenna had simply picked on their travels. Soon enough the boar would be surviving off forage of old and rotting plant matter, dead bits of bramble and stems, roots, and whatever bits of meat she'd be willing to eat. From the saddle bags Fenna had also retrieved some simple spoons of fir wood, and some ashwood bowls she'd bought years back for travel, for they were light weight, easy to clean, and well made. Fenna scooped out some of the simple but hearty stew into four of the bowls, handing it out to each of her companions and then herself. "Eat up, we've 'nough for 'bout two bowls each. Eat it all, an' we travel through mid-day, ta make sure we make White-Bank Ferry 'fore t'e day is over." Fenna instructed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

      There was in fact a stark beauty to the thick wooded hills and the Iron-Spine Woods after such a storm, that was undeniable to behold, the companions had to admit, and it remained even days after, the cold of winter holding it so. The icy snow had clung to the fir and pine trees, creating extensions of the branches like cloudy glass, not unlike the frosted look of the sorts of bulbs and decorations that would be hung from door and window frames in cities and towns for Yuletide, the celebration of the Eve of Hope, though that was still two months away. That icy look played with the sunlight, creating a dazzling almost crystal display, the sun's radiance dancing amongst the frigid crystals even as it slowly, ever so slowly, attempted to melt them, to free the evergreen branches from the storms grip. By the end of the day the sun would likely be successful, for these layers were thin, delicate, a treasure of time. Despite the cold, which was notable though Tuli and Fredwick both knew it would get colder before winter was over, neither could deny to themselves the beauty around them as they traveled.

      The fresh snow formed a pristine blanket, showing a smoothness that felt almost illegal to break, though this had not slowed Wvota and Fenna, nor Friya. Out to their left and right, the landscape seemed almost as if a winter scenery painting, untouched yet alive, the only proper sign one's eyes might note that it was all real being the slight swaying of the trees in the light afternoon breeze. They'd returned to a proper road late morning and their progress now was notably better, traveling becoming easier. The snow was less deep now, the storm clearly having blunted itself amongst the hills and mountains, having lost power as it moved down into the Iron-Spine Woods. As the companions trudged up the road, despite the biting winter air they were in good spirits. Fenna was pleased she could hear the sounds of a river on the wind, only just, but that was the White-Fir River, meaning they were not far from White-Bank Ferry now, only likely another four or so hours of travel left, maybe a touch more.

      This close to villages and to the major river of the region, Fenna and Friya were feeling much less on edge now, though they were keeping their vigilance up. Military patrols and presence would be higher, patrols and just general presence more consistent the closer to the larger towns, like Vorgistal, that the friends traveled, which translated very naturally to lower likelihoods of running into goblins or any other unpleasantness.

      Fredwick glanced over to get a better look at Tuli, as she matched pace with him, whilst Friya purposely lagged a little behind the short legged pair, acting as a rearguard. Unlike Friya and Fenna, whom seemed more relaxed and comfortable, Fredwick could not help but notice that Tuli seemed tense, uncomfortable. Her eyes were overly active, her head not quite on a swivel but she was clocking her surroundings a bit like a deer that had caught scent but no sight or sound of a predator. Fredwick maneuvered himself closer to her side. "We are still quite a ways from Vorgistal, but it would seem your nerves are up and active, understandably so. Would I be correct?" he asked her softly, insuring he kept a kind and caring tone to his words.

      Tuli nodded, letting out a sigh, clearly trying to let out some tension. "Is it that obvious already?" She asked, clearly a little upset he had noticed, mostly, Fredwick imagined, because she had been trying to hide it. "I'm trying to remain calm, but I would hope it is understandable why I would be a bit tense." 

     "You have been put through quite an ordeal, both in your time with the Vorgi, and in the last two weeks or so. It is perfectly understandable, just know that we are all with you, alright?" Fredwick promised her. "I am absolutely confident Fenna and Friya have no intention of letting anything happen to you, and have every intention of handling the situation and Vorgi himself with a stiff and just hand, however they intend to go about it."

      Tuli sighed, shaking her head. "It isn't just that Fredwick. It is hard to simply forget the pain and discomfort this has caused you all. You've all risked your lives and certainly yours safety. You were almost torn apart by my nightmares given life, both Friya and Fenna have been closer to death than either one seems to realize as well. All because of the series of events that was kicked off by my seeking aide. It is hard to simply put aside any feelings of guilt or responsibility."

      Fredwick chuckled, as the short pair trudged along, thankful they didn't have to fight their way through the nearly knee deep snow, Wvota leaving a cleared divot that the pair could follow. Friya had just joined back up with Fenna, and was at this point riding the boar as well, holding her new found lover around the waist. "Look at those two," Fredwick gestured to Tuli, a smile on his face. "In spite of what you feel look at them. Hardship can create honesty, challenges create openness. I firmly believe they would have danced foolishly around their own feelings, using excuses of rank, duty and age if not for the events of the last few weeks. They would be worse off for it might I add." He reached out, and took Tuli's hand in his own. "You cannot simply hold yourself to account. We live in a dangerous world, and the three of us, in one way or another, have dangerous professions. Those two are a Templar and a Magister, by the Ascended's sake. You did not pull them unwillingly into this. If anything, you did something heroic by informing, and then staying to accompany them and offer your medical skill in aide. You could have simply left, and they would still be on this path, because, quite literally this is within the sphere of responsibilities they are bound to by station."

      "What about yourself, though Fredwick? You nearly died at the....force of a living nightmare that was trying to kill me." Tuli asked him, her voice cracking a little.

      Fredwick laughed, then, a bravado and humor filled laugh. "Yes because you think the life of a traveling bard, a traveling performer, is so safe? Wandering town to town, village to village, singing and dancing for one's supper. Playing hearts and taking pleasures where they lie right, the glamour of it all. But the truth of the matter is I do accept a life filled with risk. I've been chased by goblins before, I've near died more times then I can count. I've had the truest of dangers, an outraged husband, ready to carve me up like a boar on a spit regardless of it being a crime, a murder. I've had to flee many a town and city in such a manner, because husbands or wives find their way, dishonestly so, to my companionship. On the roads, I've always been a target. I'm small, and dress flashy and often carry coin and valuables from one village to another, my earnings support my travels, but that means I'm a worthwhile target for bandits, highwaymen or worse." Fredwick shook his head, chuckling still. "I made the choice of a dangerous life long ago Tuli. You hold no responsibility for my being in danger now. I'm a story-teller, a performer. The story is worth witnessing and remembering, and one day will be worth the dramatic retelling. I'd be mad to not take the opportunity, regardless of the risk. Making such wonderful friends, finding such interesting companions is merely the cherry on top." The halfman winked at her then and swiftly leaned over, planting a light kiss on Tuli's cheek. "So put it from your mind, dearest woman. We are friends and companions, and bear no feelings of ill will or blame to you. We have all made the choice to be here."

      Tuli took a deep breath, and allowed herself a small smile, trying to take Fredwick's words to heart, using them to combat these emotions she'd been wrestling with all day. "Thank you." She told him softly.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

      Fenna and Friya were quite comfortable riding together atop Wvota, Fenna enjoying greatly the proximity whilst they traveled up the road. Daylight was fading quickly, but they could just make out the shapes on the horizon of what she knew to be White-Bank Ferry, perhaps only two or three kilometers away. They would make it as the last bits of daylight faded, especially now that they were travelling along a proper roadway and not through the wilderness. It was cold, yet a calm early winter's day, no wind and the sun had still provided enough warmth to shed most of the ice from the pines and other conifer trees of the hill-lands as they'd traveled.

      Fenna felt Friya shift slightly, able to tell she was turning to glance behind them to check on their other two traveling companions. "How they 'oldin' up, m'love?" Fenna inquired as she kept her eyes working ahead, on the road and surrounding hill-lands. 

       She felt Friya shift again and lean down, letting her head tuck into Fenna's shoulder, alongside her neck. "Ach, they be keepin' pace well 'nough m'heart." Friya replied, "an' they seem chipper 'nough nae that we be on proper roads."

      Fenna chuckled at that observation, though she could find no disagreement. Even Wvota had started to get a bit ornery with the constant snow trudging by the last hour or so before they'd made it to proper roadways. The snow was no less deep, however one didn't need to worry about sudden dips, rises or steep drops in the terrain underneath the snow nearly as much now, something they all greatly appreciated.

      They traveled in relative peace, following the Spruce-Stone Byway as it curved and closed to begin running alongside the White-Fir River, the major waterway of the region. Even now with winter coming and the river already showing ice along its banks, one could see boats and barges as they traveled, for the White-Fir was that significant to trade and commerce to the people of the Fir-Jeim Valley. The river generally would not freeze entirely solid and icebreakers were a fundamental part of life on waterways in Suranth. Friya felt a comfortable smile forming on her face as she leaned into her lover, and simply watched the river, feeling a simple pleasure in the calmness and purity of the moment.

      That calmness did not last however, as they followed the road, a sound on the breeze caught their attention, Wvota tensing up, and both Friya and Fenna stiffening as well, as the light breeze coming off the river brought with it not just the sounds of water, but something else, that sounded like a voice. "Help!" came the garbled call amidst the sound of the water and the creaking of the ice floes crunching and grinding. Fenna and Friya peered in the fading light ahead off the road, down towards the river. "Ye 'eard it too?" Fenna asked, feeling Friya shift behind her in a fashion that told her the magister was similarly scanning down the slopes towards the river to their left.

      "Aye, sounded like someone callin' for 'elp." Friya replied. The fading daylight made it difficult to see, however Friya caught sight of something out in the water some twenty or so meters from the river bank. "There!" she cried out, pointing so Fenna would see.

      The dwarf needed no more guidance, seeing the small dark shapes bobbing up and down amidst the frigid water. She roared over her shoulder "Ye two, pick yer way down ta t'e riverbank. Careful like! Tuli make ready ta treat people fer rescue from t'e water!" With that the dwarf gave Wvota a light dig with her heels, which was all the boar needed to be sent headlong scrambling down the slope. As they got closer Fenna got a cleaner view of the situation. There were three people in the water, clinging for dear life to a sledge, likely one that had been being pulled by an oxen or caribou. The animal was nowhere to be seen, likely having pulled loose and either been swept away, or if it was a caribou or moose, perhaps it had managed to get to shore and fled. It was a dwarven family by the looks of it, a husband and wife and their son or daughter. As they approached the scene, the youth, whom looked to be barely conscious, slid off the sledge, clearly having lost consciousness.

      Friya had been shifting oddly in the saddle the entire way down the slope, and Fenna hadn't the faintest idea what the magister had been doing until that moment. "Ye an' Wvota get the parents!" She yelled as she pitched free of the saddle, her mail and tunic stripped. She had even skillfully managed to get free of her greaves and boots as well and as she leapt down she let the clothing and armor simply fall to the snow dusted river bank. Her doeskin leggings were stripped just as swiftly and the magister ran, fleet as can be, out onto the ice. She pinpointed the youth quickly and dived into the frigid water.

      Fenna swore at her lover then, for this was reckless. She had willingly run out onto unstable ice and dived in frigid water of a river known for its deceptively strong currents, naked. But there was naught to do for it, as Fenna herself slid from the saddle, and getting a tightly coiled length of ironweave rope she kept clipped to Wvota's left saddle bags. It was about forty meters of the stuff, so hopefully would be just long enough. "Nae let go, we'll get ye out just 'old on!" Fenna called out, as she looked around the immediate area. Thankfully, a heavy set spruce, quite an old and powerful tree, was growing right down by the bank, perhaps only three or so meters from the water's edge. Swiftly and with impressive expertise she looped the rope around the tree in a paired loop fashion, a makeshift method. She called Wvota over with a whistle and rapidly got the boar hooked onto one end through her harness. "Nae when ye 'ears me shout 'Blood and Stone' ye pull wit' all yer might girl, ye 'ear me?" She whispered to the boar, pleased to hear Wvota snort and kick at the snow covered ground, clearly understanding.

      Fenna moved off, taking the other end of the rope. She didn't dare waste time trying to strip her armor, she had no way to know how long the two people had been out in the frigid water. Instead she simply tied it tightly around her waist, and ditched her shield and sword-belt, before strolling out as fast as she dared, moving along the ice, wincing as she heard it crack with every step. As she got closer the cracking got louder and more pronounced, and she knew she was going to go through when she got up to the sledge and the pair in the water, the edge where they'd gone through. "Listen ta me, when I goes through as I'm sprintin' these last few strides, the pair o' ye need ta let go o' t'at sledge and find some strength. Ye need ta get to me, and simply get a hold of me leg or arm and nary let go, ye understand me?" Fenna couldn't hear their replies but saw their mouths moving and the looked at her, so she had to take it on faith they understood her.

      Taking a deep breath, the dwarf sprinted forward, feeling the ice cracking and giving way under her armored weight. She got within a stride of the edge where the sledge had gone through before she felt the ice just crumbling beneath her. "Blood and Stone!" she roared, as she exhaled and then inhaled as fast as she could, before the frigid embrace of the water swallowed her. She would sink like a rock, but fought it to insure she was as close as possible, until she felt what seemed to be two sets of arms wrap around her, one on her leg, another her torso. In her mind as her lungs burned, all she could do now was pray. She felt the backwards momentum, as Wvota strained against the mass. So many things could go wrong with his, she knew. She prayed Wvota was strong enough, prayed the three of them could hold their breaths long enough. She prayed to Sir Kartheart that the tree bark nor the ice cut the rope.

      It seemed to Fenna that she had held her breath for an eternity, yet just as she simply believed she could not any longer, she felt the cold biting of the frigid air upon her soaking wet head and hair beneath her helmet. Even as she breached the surface, she found the strength and good sense to lift her arms, rip free her helmet and toss it, somehow making it to shore. She exhaled jubilant, as she saw both of her kindred surface on each side of her, their faces pale, their lips a bit blue, as the shivered, but they could touch the bottom now and she was able to help guide them to shore. Wvota had collapsed from the effort, the boar having pulled them some twenty five meters, against the currents and their own combined mass. She was lathered from the effort, and despite feeling her armor freezing and feeling water becoming like ice along her skin, Fenna moved to Wvota, freeing her from the rope, before taking a seat in the snow with her, to fatigued to strip her armor. "Ye did damn good, Tusk-Sister." Fenna told the boar, patting her flank lovingly, her teeth chattering from the cold.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

      Friya felt the frigid bite of the river suddenly, but swiftly her naked body acclimated, which for the moment was a good thing, though long term Friya knew the risk she'd taken. She had at best but four or five minutes before she'd start freezing to death. She swam strongly, moving to intercept the young dwarf and caught him just in time. She hooked his barely conscious arm, dragging him and hear to the surface to fill their lungs. His face was white as snow, his lips and ears showing a slight tinting of blue and black, like frostbite, but he was still semi-conscious, though non-responsive verbally. Thankfully he still had enough sense to take a deep breath, which was all Friya could ask, as she dove down, and began fighting the currents to drag the pair of them back to shore. It was a monumental effort, and at least twice Friya thought she would fail, her grip slipping on the boy or the current simply pushing against her so brutally, even as her muscles began to fatigue from the cold, that she thought they'd simply both be dragged off. However by some miracle, the hardiness of earth and stone was with her, and she managed to drag them both into the shallows and up onto the riverbank. However the monumental effort left her so drained, even as she saw Tuli and Fredwick scrambling forward to help, blankets in hand, and a small fire already going, she simply blacked out.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

      Tuli watched Wvota anxiously, hoping the boar was being careful. She had not allowed Tuli to get to close, and though she had been quite lathered, the exertion of the pull seeing her wet from the effort, the boar seemed unbothered by the cold. She was laying carefully, Tuli hoped at least, atop Fenna, refusing to move, using her own body heat to keep the dwarven knight warm, and melt her hair and armor. Tuli had no doubts to Wvota's intentions her concerns were simply one of mass. The boar was closer to a moose in body weight and so naturally Tuli had concerns about the safety of Fenna having such a creature basically try and be a blanket. However at the moment there was naught to be done about that, so she focused her efforts on the family and Friya. The youngster was still unconscious, but thankfully color had returned to his face in the last hour or so by the fire, having been wrapped in two blankets, and laid so close to the fire she and Fredwick had built that she kept careful eyes lest an ember or sparks land on his face. The two parents were conscious, though weak, and sitting sipping a hot soup Tuli had prepared, huddled as close to the fire as they dared, for she knew whilst conscious the sudden exposure to heat after their bodies being chilled so harshly would hurt.

      Friya, meanwhile, had thankfully regained consciousness rather quickly once dried off and wrapped in her blanket by the fire, and was already back up and dressed, though showing obvious fatigue in her eyes and on her face. Tuli smiled at her weakly as she refilled her bowl with more of the soup that was bubbling over the fire. "At least you managed to strip down so you had dry clothes to come back to. We might need to tie Fenna to a spit to dry her off after this."

      Friya graced the weak attempt at humor with a small smile. "Aye well I mean that nae be the first type of tyin' up I'd 'ave in mind, but we can figure it out ta be sure." she replied, enjoying a bit of vulgarity and the look it put on Tuli's face as she took another spoonful of the soup. The warm soup felt like lava going down, but once it got down it felt so good that the urge to just drink it rapidly was hard to fight off. However Friya knew enough about extreme cold exposure to know that was not a wise idea, she would more than likely just make herself sick if she attempted to do such a thing. Better to work it down at a reasonable pace and huddle near the fire and let her body warm up slowly.

      Almost half an hour passed, Tuli sure that Fenna was either smothered or frozen to death, but then suddenly Wvota moved excitedly and a voice, strong as ever called out, muffled by the boar of course. "Ach, alright damn ye, I'm warmed up, I be awake, an' can move and feel me damned toes nae get yer arse off me!" Wvota snorted in a way that could almost be taken like a chuckle, but obliged, shifting carefully to move her bulk off the dwarven woman. Fenna rose, still sore, her muscles still aching, but thankfully more dry and warm than she'd expected, though her hair was still damp. She retrieved her helmet, shield and swordbelt, buckling the latter two back on, but leaving the helm off for now, carrying it closer to the fire. The rope could wait now, after all they'd likely have to spend at least another hour here and then travel carefully in the dark, elsewise they'd just be sleeping here. After thinking about it, as she sat down, she freed herself from the shield, and nodded in thanks as Tuli offered her a bowl of the simple soup she'd put together. It was warm, had a bit of slight flavor, but minimal substance, clearly more a way to deliver heat than anything else. Likely a bit of wild vegetation the herbalist had known was edible she'd managed to get near the riverbank, for the cold had not yet killed everything.

      Fenna allowed a little more time to pass in silence, eating, then nodded towards Friya and the youngster. "Good ta see she's alright, how's the wee one?" She asked Tuli.

      "His temperature is rising, his breathing is calm and leveled. He'll wake up in an hour or so if I had to guess, he simply needs the rest, his body went through a lot. No permanent damage." she promised swiftly seeing the parents both leaning in, ready to speak. "He did have some frostbite, but was very lucky, in my medical assessment, it will all heal. The worst of it was his lower left ear and two fingers on his left hand. They will heal, but for at least another few days it will be uncomfortable to use his left hand. There was no need to remove the fingers however, it was merely surface frostbite, so given a few days, perhaps a week, it will heal."

      Friya smirked at Fenna across the fire. "Ach, an' ye nae need ta worry about me Fenna, I be just fine, nae any damage, all intact. Even yer favorite bits." she added in dwarven.

      Fenna shook her head at the magister, and replied right back in dwarven, "Yer lucky I nae spank yer arse wit' the flat o' me blade fer doin' somethin' so daft. I understands why ye did it, but it was daft as 'ell."

      Friya merely grinned all the wider. "Don't make promises ye aren't willin' ta keep, lover, ye gettin' me excited nae." she replied, this time in Terran, a language she was teaching Fenna, so they could have a more...private way to talk when they wished. Fenna was proving to be a good student, but it still took the dwarf a few moments to process, translate and realize Friya had said, and it pleased the magister to see the dwarf's cheeks flush then, a rather impressive deep rose color, given how frigid they both had been not long ago.

      Fenna cleared her throat, not having any good response to that comment and simply shifted to those they'd rescued. "I guess nae that we aren't intervenin' in a crisis, we should introduce ourselves. I be Fenna Novikoal, the mouthy one be Friya Ostamore, and these two be Fredwick Rumster and Tulint Zittlidrosp, or Tuli for short."

      The male dwarf spoke up here, and smiled at Fenna. "Ach, we be o' clan Bolarak, I be Yoril, this be me wife Idris, an' t'at be our son Vani. I can nae thank ye enough, ye saved our lives, but we nae can offer ye anythin' as thanks."

      Fenna waved her hand dismissively and gestured to the iconography on her armor. "I be a Storm-Lancer, Yoril, ye nae pay me, tis me honor and privilege ta help me fellow Suranthi in need. That one there," she said gesturing to Friya, "be a Topaz Magister. She nae used any magick so she nae did anythin' she'd normally charge for anyways. The other two are a doctor an' an entertainer, just good folk helpin' where they can. Nae tell us, how'd ye all end up in t'e predicament we found ye in, Yoril?"

      "Sadly, tis a rather mundane an' embarrassin' mistake. Wolves spooked me old caribou, t'ey was likely nae close, but their howls carried an' she panicked. Happened right t'ere at t'at bend, an' afore I could react, she'd pulled us ta close to t'e edge an' we went careening down t'at steep side, across an' out ta the ice, an' as I tried ta get control an' turn her about t'e ice gave way. I cut her loose immediately, knowin' we'd nary a chance if she kept panicking an' pulled the sledge ta deeper water and faster currents but even as t'was t'e crash beat us up pretty badly, so we nae 'ad the strength ta get out. We'd been in t'ere for some time, felt like an eternity, but t'was likely only a quarter o' an hour, maybe a bit less. Sir Kartheart's own guidance must it be t'at ye happened by as ye did, cause even a minute or two longer, an' me son woulda lost 'is life."

      Fenna smiled softly, and touched her breastplate, where she knew her holy symbol rested against her chest. "Aye, well the Storm-father watches over 'is own. Nae ye lot was heading to White-Bank Ferry?"

      "We was, aye. I works at the Dunn Paper Mill, see, we just were returnin' 'ome from me sister's weddin' out in Fisher's Rock, been gone for a week. Only one an' a half day trip, so given I had a week o' leave, we spent three days down there with family instead o' just goin' fer ceremony. Me wife works for Dunn as well in their offices, so twas nae trouble getting the time off together. So thankfully, we nary lose too much from this. A few clothes, a bit of supplies but nary anythin' important 'nough ta lose sleep over compared ta our lives." Yoril replied. Seeing Vani coming awake, the father smiled and sighed. "'Owever the last legs o' this will be unpleasant, we expected back at work on the 'morrow, so if Vani is conscious and once he's warm enough, I guess we gots nae choice but ta walk the last couple kilometers. Pity tis night time, cause only regret I do 'ave is me pistol and me hatchet were on that sledge, I've nae means ta defend me family. It'll be a dangerous walk."

      Fenna smiled widely. "Ye nae need ta worry about that, Yoril. Yer family will be well protected from any predators or ne'er do wells. Just so happens we was also 'eadin' t'at way an' we ta was intendin' ta make it this day. So we'll travel together. Safety in numbers after all."

      Yoril's face visibly relaxed at this, the relief obvious in his eyes and the way his shoulders eased out of a tense and locked position. He glanced to his wife, whom nodded, and Yoril cracked a soft smile. "Tis nary much in way of appreciation or repayment, and we nae 'ave four spare beds, 'owever we does 'ave a spare bed, an' with Ari gone, our stable spot be empty an' open fer use, for yer fine mount. We've spare linens an' t'e like so we can accomdate t'e four of ye fer the night, tis the least we can do."

      Fenna nodded, offering her hand to Yoril. "Ach we'll accept yer kindness with gratitude me friend. Let's finish off the soup, another bowl or so each, an' be on our way. Elsewise me nursemaid companion may get upset, she don't take it to well when 'er patients nary finish their treatment or listen ta 'er! Then we'll get on our way."