The summer months had flown by, as quick as a hawk chasing a vole. His journey across the Misty Mountains had been a harsh one, attempted in the early months of spring when snow was still high upon the peaks..
Lost in the thick white blanket, that only was disturbed by the withered tree trunks and stones, the ranger strode forward as it came up to his waist. His hair, drenched with sweat though cold with ice that froze the dark strands to his forehead. His breath came out like steam from a kettle, his arms swimming though he did not move far. Leather boots slipped on ice underneath, and more than once did he fall down and disappear for seconds before emerging freezing cold but still burning hot.
Night fell, and he dug himself a hole into the large snow drifts to get some shelter in the high plains. Howls were on the air, near or far it was hard to tell with the screeching wind that hid all sign of his tracks the coming morning; even snowing him inside his hole. A week it took him to cross those mountains, each day getting harder as the wind blew up his sleeves and bit at his neck. His bones felt like ice, his skin like steel that burned cold.
Eventually, he came down from the mountains, following paths that were seldom tread apart from the occasional beast that is unfortunate enough to go into those mountains. Down he came, and the further he came the warmer it got; and the greener it got. In front of his eyes, a sprawling forest lay out. He looked to his left, and the wood was rich and green with smoke raising amongst the trees from where the Woodsmen make their homes. He then looked right, and saw that the trees turned from green to grey and cobwebs could be seen on a few of them.
By the time he came down from the peaks, it was late afternoon and evening was soon coming. He decided to make camp near a small waterfall, where melt water from the Misty Mountains flowed down and joined into the river. Fish were in an abundance, and many trees offered good shelter for the night as well as firewood.
With a fire burning, crackling its embers up into the sky above, along with a fish slowly cooking over the flames. A fair sized trout, seasoned with salt and other herbs he found nearby. The river rushed by besides him, and he soon drifted off to a sleep that was undisturbed until morning.
With the sun glinting through the canopy, golden beams of light showing the specks of dust that floated upon the warm spring breeze. Birds that had an unknown call to him whistled around, and after a quick breakfast of whatever remained of his food he was soon off once again.
Not far from his camp he came across a well used track, where the ground had been beaten down to a thick mud due to the many boots that traveled it. His boots soon joined these, and he moved down the track with his green cloak wrapped around him and his hand on his hilt; being careful in lands he has only tread once before.
Onwards, for a day, did he walk and eventually he came upon wooden pallisades in a clearing along with a horn blowing, gates opening and men on horses riding out towards him..
