A thick layer of snow settled on the ground, piling up around Cisel on the thin pathway. She tightened the fur cloak around her figure, pulling it over her leather leather coat to attempt to ward of the frozen air around her. Yet, despite her bundling and the furs of her jacket, it still felt as if she walked with the ice of the air clung to her skin. It wasn’t one of those relaxing chilly days, where it felt refreshing in the air as long as you bundled a thick layer of clothing around you. No, this was one of those days where the chill crept into you, gripping your bones with every step, laughing in your face as it tricks you into believing there was no possible way to find warmth in your life again. That was the type of weather she and the company journeyed through, and the wind that sent flakes of snow cascading through the air didn’t help the matters of chilliness.
Cisel stopped outside of the camp as the smoke roll up into the sky from the gentle glow that many of the company sat around. A soft breath of air escaped Cisel, the gentle grayness escaping her mouth as she smiled, watching the group converse with one another. Something about the sight gave Cisel a bit of a calmness inside as the sun sunk beneath the mountainous horizon. Despite the grips of the icy cold and the never ending fear of the enemies that trailed behind them, everything was calm in that moment as the company relaxed in their small settled camp outside of a local camp in Forochels.
Cisel knew they had to leave when morning came, but she would worry about that when the time came. She moved to walk across the camp once more, settling down beside the post where the small stuffed mammoth sat. She had been accused of stealing the little creature, which was ironic since for once she had not stolen anything. However, the man then explained to her that the mammoth had been owned by a little boy, lost in the woods and most likely killed. He then told her that spirits went above into the dancing lights to watch over people and guide them home in the night. And that the little boy would watch over the new owner of the mammoth stuffed animal, which warmed Cisel's insides in a way that made her feel as if she was radiating heat.
As Cisel sat in the camp, she turned her gaze upwards, noticing the beautiful lights in the cool night sky. They danced, twisted, and twirled above Cisel, almost as if they were trying to make her laugh. The stars were hidden beneath the beauty of the lights, leading in lines across the sky, like dancers marching for an eternity so all could behold their beauty for the rest of their lives. But as Cisel watched them, they began to fade away, allowing the dark blue of the sky to take over where the greens and yellows twirled.The lights in the sky faded, just as the fire dimmed and the warmth inside of Cisel that had crowded out the endless icy chill caused her to become drowsy, drifting off into a gentle slumber. Though her sleep would not be left as calm as the day she left for it was. Through the night, Cisel tossed and turned, whimpering softly as she longed for daylight to come, hugging the stuffed mammoth tightly to her chest.
When day finally arrived, the company arose and began to pack their bags, preparing to head out. Cisel moved to her horse, Alex, named after her brother, as she stroked his mane, murmuring into his ear. As soon as the bags were packed, they traveled north again, moving through the enormous ice cave. Cisel had to crane her neck back to look up at them, a soft breath of awe escaping her at the size. Though she could not stop, having to continue behind the rest of the company as Cisel led Alex and her dear friend, Agarios’s, steed. The company passed into an ice cave, even more fascinating and breathe taking then it was on the inside as the crunching of their footsteps on the ice echoed around them. An eerie sound answered their footsteps however, sounding as if it was a howl carried by wind, though the company pushed on despite it.
As the howls became louder, the company soon found themselves surrounded by a pack of wolves, forming a circle around the horses as Cisel stood by Rothrian.
“I go’ ya back,” she whispered to Roth as the wolves circled in on them.
One arrow, two arrows, a wolf, now three arrows and before Cisel knew it, a banging sound echoed through the caves and the wolves scattered. In a panicked hurry, the company gathered the horses and fled out of the cave, moving as fast as they could, trying not to lose footing as they traveled. It was not far from the cave that they settled down to catch their breath, setting up camp for the night.
Cisel sat up the hill, away from the rest of the camp though, her thoughts cluttered in worry and sorrow as her nightmares from the night before haunted her mind. She missed Alex, longed for her brother who was long dead. As she sat in the snow, huddled in the ice as she whispers to the sky, “Alex, please come to me. I need ya.”
However, Agarios was the one who came, sitting beside her as he spoke to Cisel. His stories of the Valar always soothed Cisel, making her long for more information about the magical beings he would speak of. Though this time he sang Cisel a song of one in Sindarin, a gentle and warm tune that made her relax, forgetting her guilt and pain. His words made her dream of someday meeting the legends that caused her to relax.
((Note: The Valar are the creators of Middle Earth and are ancient lore found in the Similarian. I highly recommend reading into them because they be awesome. Cisel is acquiring the knowledge about them from an Elvish friend.))
