OOC: And here. We. Go.
There it was, the edge of the forest, visible in the distance. It had been a whole day since the strange encounter, but nary a question had been asked as of yet. Come to think of it, the silence had, surprisingly, gone unbroken while those who'd submerged their gullets in ale sobered up. The tromping of the snow almost seemed to lessen in the face of the trees that were approaching, a promise of more forgiving lands not commonly seen this far North. Liten checked behind himself for the umpteenth time, the group he'd ended up with was quite the motley crew at best. At worst?..... He didn't really want to think about it. The wolf was fairly sure he'd seen the squirrel around a couple of times before, though he didn't quite seem to fit his role in town for reasons he couldn't put his claw on. The others he knew nothing of, and the presence of any sort of reptile in a land this cold mystified him. He turned his attention to the forest ahead, gauging the distance as best he could on an otherwise nondescript landscape. Without turning around, he shared his estimations with his companions, "If we hold this pace just past nightfall, we should be able to make cover before we completely lose the light. We'd be getting to sleep late, but we could probably afford an extra hour in the morning."
"We oughtta get a fire started before then," said Plenith, from the back of the group. "Got to find dry wood before it gets too dark t' see."
The pine marten took a look behind them, and their footprints that led off for miles back to where they had started. He was having his doubts now. Why did he even go on this crazy quest? He didn't know any of these creatures. He hardly ever even went into town. So why did he jump at the opportunity to travel to some far-off land to fulfill the indistinct dying wish of some frost-bitten weasel? It must have been the alcohol.
Then again. . . There was nothing left for him back there.
When he could help it, Xemyss always stood in the back of the group. This allowed a minimum of five tail-lengths distance between himself and the others, giving the the great green monitor the personal space he found necessary to have if he was to be content around these furred creatures. Without speaking, he swiveled his reddish eyes and scrutinized Plenith, pulling his multiple cloaks of fur around him. Firewood?
"Xemyss come with you," the reptile said, his first words to any of the strangers since he had agreed to go along with them.
"Xemyss knows all about the fire."
"Xemiss better help anyway," grumbled Plenith, looking sideways at the lizard. "We're gonna need all the wood we can get."
The marten set his eyes forward, intent on saying nothing more.
Freen glanced around her, adjusting her cloak as she looked at the rest of the group. They were a sorry bunch, the otter was sure of that. She wasn't exactly sure why she had come along, though. They don't even know where we're going! Freen thought with a scowl. Still, she'd felt the urge to help lay the weasel's spirit to rest. It seemed the right thing to do.
She broke out of her thoughts when some of the others started talking about firewood, "Do you really think you can find dry wood in this weather?"
"Dead branches," said Plenith, turning to Freen. "Everything on the ground would be wet, but ones that are still attached on the trees are dryer."
Liten spoke, out of habit more than anything else, "Actually, yes. Since the snow around here doesn't melt, you can find quite a bit of dead brush under most stands of trees, the older they are the better... Even so, not sure I'd go looking around here, we'll be under more dense tree cover in a few hours, so there's no point hauling wood that far."
A few hours...? Bryn wasn't sure he was going to make it. The squirrel groaned aloud tossing his hardwood walking staff into the snow and collapsing on his tail, rubbing dejectedly at his sore footpaws. His paws hurt from the marching, his head hurt from the effort, his eyes hurt from the constant frozen wind, and icicles were growing at his whiskers like tiny crystal stalactites. The northlands were unforgiving to the weak willed, the constant elemental challenge, even ever so lessened in their foray southwards was only to be surpassed by those of at least some mental fortitude, a grit Bryn lacked.
He'd been the first to volunteer his services and rally their small band of adventurous. The rewards seemed to outweigh the negatives then, surrounded by friends, with a few mugs of ale in his belly, and a cheery fire glowing in the hearth. A little glory, adventure, and excitement seemed welcome. Plus there might have been generous compensation involved as well, who knew. Besides, how far away could a place like Mossflower Wood be? Apparently more than a league like Bryn had expected.
Hours past now, Bryn was starting to wonder if turning back was still an option. His travel worn paws would prefer he dropped right on that spot and fall asleep right then and there, but a basic sense of survival told him to do so was to freeze and die on the wastes. His current compatriots might have tolerated his incessant whining so far, but there was little chance they'd carry him should he quit. Better to arrive at the unknown Mossflower Woods tomorrow, rest and reap the rewards there, and then go back home the next day, further adventuring be damned.
Pressing a paw over his eyes Bryn peered longingly at the distant tree line, posing a question for their unofficial wolf leader. "Be that Mossflower Wood? They seem a great way off, why don't we pitch camp here, build a fire, eat and drink maybe? I could march for another day, maybe even two without stopping but some of the others... They're looking fit to drop, maybe, for their sake not mine, we could stay here the night." There was a pleading simper to Bryn's voice that would put even an exceedingly calm creature on edge. Even more so to one whose patience for nonsense was short.
Liten rolled his eyes, allowing himself a grunted chuckle before responding, "Heh heh, heaven's no, that's the southern fringe forest, we'll have quite the trek just to get through there. After that, my knowledge of the terrain goes little further than what kind of lands we'll be blazing through. Don't you worry though, we should hit the trees in just under an hour now, possibly half if we kick it up to a trot." His head shot up as the whistling of the wind spoke up, causing the hairs on his neck to perk up just a little bit more. The wolf stopped in his tracks and turned to face the group solemnly, "Belay that, If we don't make it in twenty minutes then this band will be scattered." He turned and accelerated to a light jog, "When the wall hits, stay close, and stay low! You stand up during the gale and you'll find that birds aren't the only creatures that fly. Abide by those words and you've little to worry about." Anybeast who'd spent any decent time in the roughs would see the common "white flashes" as nothing more than a nuisance, but most of the creatures present seemed less of the traveling type.
Plenith grabbed hold of Bryn's arm and pulled him back on his footpaws, kicking him in the rear end. "Get up. There ain't no resting if there's a storm comin', so get movin' or freeze." He frog-marched the squirrel a few places to get him going, then followed after Liten as best he could himself.
OOC: @ me in the ooc if you want me to change it
@Ashleg IC:
Yipping as the marten's unrelenting boot connected with his tail end Bryn slogged forward surely and resentful, muttering protests under his breath. Plenith's dogmatic presence behind him kept him moving, but only just. It was only when the snow around his footpaws grew soft, shifting and moving under his weight, and while the wind nearly swept him off balance and wayward that he hastened. Liten's warnings of the storm to come gave a fresh determination into his weary limbs, even more so than Plenith's boot had. Bryn struggled on, pressed until he was second in line, right behind Liten, even grabbing ahold of the wolf's scruffy tail for good measure as the wind began to pick up. It was only then that he remembered he'd left his staff in the snow somewhere. He glanced over his shoulder at the way they'd come, peering into the endless winter white. The windswept snow had covered their tracks efficiently heartbeats after they were made, and Bryn was sure nobeast would be willing to turn around to retrieve his lost stick. Certainly now that finding it would be near impossible. A shame really, Captain Hornwallom would have his tail for losing an issued town's watch weapon.
Liten was leading the pack, with Bryn directly behind him, Plenith the marten, and Freen the otter trailing just behind, stomping along in the wolf's paw prints. Bryn had never been the most observant creature in the world, some might even call him hapless in the regard of noticing important details, but his random glance back touched on something else that was missing besides his quarterstaff. "Hey!" Bryn yelled, looking over their group once more, a note of confusion in his voice. "Hey, what happened to that lizard chap?"
Plenith's head whipped around, looking back at where he thought Xemyss had been minutes before. "Lizard!" he called, the wind blowing his voice back to slap him in his own face. "Xemyss!"
The damn reptile! Where did he go?
Liten could hardly be bothered to care about the squirrel holding on to him, and merely offered a grunt upon hearing the unsurprising news that the lizard was the first casualty. Without so much as a glance, he spoke to others behind him, "Lizard's as good as dead back there without any source of heat. If any of you get separated, your only hope is to lie down, cover yourself with the largest piece of whatever you're wearing or can find, and wait for the storm to pass... Your best bet is still to make cover in the next few minu..." The wolf stopped in his tracks for a second, then bolted forward, ignoring the impact on his back and the jerk on his tail as he shouted the last warning, "Time's almost up! The treeline should be a half mile away!" a mere moment later, the whistling could be plainly heard by all, soon followed by a glimpse of, "the wall." Aptly named, as it was quite literally a sheer wall of snow sliding it's way over the landscape, carried on by whipping winds.
Freen gave a small shriek and started to run. "Are we going to make it?" She called, a fearful tone in her voice. It was a little hard for her to move in the snow that was already accumulated and she'd already fallen to the back of the group. A shudder went through Freen as she thought of their lost lizard companion, and she attempted to move quicker.
Plenith puffed and grunted as he ran after Liten, his coat coming undone and flapping around his body as the wind whipped at him. His nose and chin felt like they were frozen, and he could hardly feel his feet as they dashed madly toward the trees. He wasn't used to running like this, but he had to get to those trees.
The sudden movement near wrenched Bryn's arms from their sockets as he was dragged along behind Liten, struggling to keep his footing. He failed, losing hold of the wolf's tail and tumbling into the snow head over tail, white powder burst and blinding him. Bryn picked himself up, spitting snow and brushing frost from his fur. "Gah, ouch, hey wait for me!"
Scurrying onward Bryn trailed at the back of the group, chancing a glance over his shoulder at the oncoming white wall. The roiling tsunami of snow and ice surged across the land at breathtaking speed, covering the group that took them hours to cross in mere seconds. The unstoppable force howled like a army of wolves, and the edging wind whipped at Bryn's scarf and tail, whisking them about without his consent. The lad's heart dropped to his footpaws and he scampered forward as only a squirrel might, swiftly outpacing the larger, lumbering creatures whose endurance, though far superior could not contend with his fleet pawed speed. His teeth ached and his breathes were ragged and terrified, but he reached the trees first, setting his claws into the frozen bark scampering up into the lower branches, before thinking better of such an act and descending, hiding himself behind the forest giant's bulk.
Peering out Bryn waved his paw, willing the three others to hurry. He shouted himself hoarse over the wailing wind, and he wondered if such power would kill upon impact or not. He certainly hoped not.
Plenith ran past Bryn, wanting to get further into the safety of the old-growth trees. He was terrified, and dared not look back to see if the others had followed him deeper. He only wanted to escape the gale and find some warmth.
Casting one sad glance back at whom he assumed to be their surely doomed one-time companions Bryn scurried after Plenith not waiting to see the wolf's and otter's fate, the winter wind whipping as his tail and ears like frozen daggers. Whether they made it or not he did not know, all he knew was to keep close behind Plenith and he might still survive. The storm cut through the forest, even as Bryn rushed deeper, snaking around trees and sending flurries of ice whisking through the open spaces between the trees. For a moment Bryn thought the natural wall of wood would give altogether before the furious onslaught, and although the older trees groaned and the youths bent, they held true. Bryn crouched behind a tree, pressed close to Plenith his body shaking from shock and cold, his burning lungs sending great clouds of steam into the frigid dark forest air.
"Do you think they made it?" He chattered pulling his cloak tighter around him. He had to raise his voice in order to be heard over the whistling wind and moaning trees. Bryn was glad he'd be incentivized to move by the marten earlier, even within the tree cover the wind cut like a knife through his cloak. "We need to find some sort of cover, or warmth." he managed over his shivering teeth clattering together. It wasn't even that cold, he was still wide-eyed over how closed they'd skirted death. "We'll freeze out here without a fire."
OOC: A bit of PP (Corn), I'm assuming it's okay?
Liten saw the two that made it, which made for one last beast, the otter. As he was making the trees, the wolf planted his feet, bent low and held an arm out towards Freen. He managed to wrap his arm around the base of her neck and drag her down under his cloak just as the rush battered it to the ground. As the initial shock let up, he pulled her up behind him as they sprinted deeper into the trees. He heard the others the very next moment and made his way to them, "Yes, we did indeed make it... Not too dangerous as long as you know what to do really." He turned the corner of a tree and sized up the situation before continuing, "We should be fine as of now, a little deeper and we can break some branches down to form tent of sorts against a tree or two. Drizzle some snow on top of the outside, and we should be safe enough to build a fire."
Freen followed closely behind Liten, her eyes wide as saucers. The thought of thanking the wolf never crossed her mind. "Wouldn't the snow melt and drip on us?" She inquired, not wanting to get wet in the cold temperatures.
"The branches should only cover about three quarters of the way around the stump, leaving a space for air to vent freely." Liten didn't stop to explain anymore as he padded further into the trees to find suitable branches for their prospective tepee, as well as wood dry enough to be burned... "A squirrel, an otter, and a marten....." he paused to plop a gnarled log onto his ever-growing pile of assorted burnables, "... And half a wolf." He sighed, the quest they were on seemed quite silly really, but there was a.... presence, of sorts. He couldn't put his finger on it, but even before the weasels' death, he had noticed something seemingly hidden in the air. A will so strong that it had survived the death of its' bearer, but it definitely didn't belong to the creature he had received the sword from... No, it was a will imbued into the sword... Liten grunted out a chuckle at the thought, "Snow's gone to my head too it seems." He trudged his way back to, "camp," hoping that at least some semblance of progress had transpired in his absence.
Freen harrumphed, staring at the stump then figure retreating into the snow without an explanation. "Oi! Where are you going?" She called, but Liten didn't seem to hear her. She turned back to the stump, frowning at it. "Branches. Right. Just branches. Of any length and size, I assume?" She muttered with a scowl before looking at Plenith and Bryn, "Are you going to help, too, or not?" She snapped.