1th of Summer, 516
The few bells of sunlight had only just started to shine when Nemori set out from the hold. It was a pleasant day following light snow and it had settled nicely. The first few layers of snow folded quickly upon being stepped on for the first time. The white elk stables was her destination for today. Work, not adventure. The path was familiar to her, one she had been walking as long as she could walk. The large wooden building was surrounded by flat, white land and she could see trails of hooves darting through the snow. The animals were mostly free to roam within the snow, and most of them were accustomed to the cold against their feet. A few of the elk and horses were already out, enjoying the bells of sunshine for the day. The closest elk to her was an older one. Its fur glittered with strands of grey as it moved slowly through the snow. The land was almost unusually grazable. She saw the older elk force its way through layers of snow to the vegetation underneath. Her walk found her outside the large barn doors. The entranceway arched above her. The doors had been propped open. She could hear a few animals snorting or rattling around in their beds inside, they were lounging inside. It was darker inside the stables, the beams blocking some of light glaring off the snow. Some snow had been trailed into the building but it quickly gave way to solid wooden boards. She found a candle on a plate besides the door and lit it. Her hand wrapped around the flame to protect it from any wind as she carried it into the stable. The orange light showing her the way. A few of the animals appeared to see the intruder and occasionally she would greet them with a gently pet, being wary to keep the flame away from them. When she reached the back of the stable she placed the candle down, allowing its light to illuminate the back wall. Saddles hung on the wall and the smell of leather wafted through the air. They looked recently polished. Everything seemed so familiar. She relished the familiarity, enjoying the simplicity of everything. She placed the candle upon one of the beams. It threw its light across the stable from its position.
Her fingers found the items she needed, varieties of brushes with different purposes and small metal implements that would have looked out of place to some people. A pot full of water had been left and she dragged it slowly over to a small stone fireplace and placed a wooden bucket nearby. The pot was heavy and the wood on the handle dug into her fingers slightly when she lifted it. She was glad she did not have to carry it far. She dragged it over to a small stone fire pit. A few logs and twigs had already been stacked up inside. The bucket found itself near a black pot and Nemori turned her attention to the fire wood, adjusting it slightly. It was mostly set up and for this she was thankful. She used the candle to light some of the smaller sections of the fire and stayed watching it smoulder and attempt to light for a while. It took her two attempts to light it but eventually took and the flames started to lick around the wood. She smiled, pleased that she had not needed to seek help this time. Getting a fire started was always a tricky task. After she returned the candle to its safe location she started to pour the bucket of water into the pot. It did not take long and she was soon able to hang the pot above the fire pit. With a stick she poked the firewood once more, ensuring that it had not gone out while she was not paying it attention. It was catching well and she hoped that she would not have to wait long. She did not need the water to be boiling, in fact that would be harmful. Her intent was for the water to be pleasantly warm and this was the only way of achieving that goal. After Nemori had watched the flames flicker and spread for a while she felt something cold press against her back. It almost caused her to jump but she forced her reaction to restrain itself. AS she had suspected it was merely one of the elk coming to investigate. This was the reason she had to stay so close to the fire herself, the animals were likely to try and inspect it.
“Hold on a second” Nemori whispered, softly petting the elk. “I’m waiting on the water” The elk whined in reply, his horns waving as he moved. “Be careful” Nemori finished, turning her attention back to the water. Every so often a small bubble would rise to the surface and Nemori was starting to feel impatient. Part of her wondered if other places found this task less tedious, the biting cold of the snow covered land did not aid her job. Gently she tapped a finger against the surface of the water, the small motion caused ripples to form across the water. The temporary touch was enough to inform her the water was not yet heated. She sighed, twisting around slightly to look at the elk. He had lost interest in her and was picking at some of the wooden beams with his teeth. “We have to replace that, you know” The comment was more passive then chastising and it was perhaps this tone that meant the elk ignored her and continued his chosen task.
