Closed Memoires in the Ice

[Kent]

The sting of the dry, powdery ice on one's brow would cause anyone untrained for the Talderan tundra to panic and tremble with fear.

But not Delvin Kent. He had lived in these conditions all his life. It was nature to him. His natural state.

The temperature was 20 below. Snow fell like a bucket of spilling paint, and not a light or sign of civilization could be seen in any direction. Kent had set up camp near a cave only half an hour earlier. From the taste of the wind, he had detected a possible snowstorm, but he had miscalculated its appearance. Now he needed to wait it out, or risk traveling in the wrong direction, wasting time and energy.

Meticulous. Intelligent. Patient. These words described Delvin Kent. One had to learn to respect his or her resources and, above all, respect the tundra. He sat in his fairly sized tent, staring at his map and rubbing his hands through his ice covered, stiff short hair. The tent was made of mammoth skin, and it was quite good at keeping the cold out. According to his map, he was only a short ways from Avanthal. He needed to get back and replenish supplies to get ready to leave the blessed city. For a while this time. It was time to make connections, friendships, and get a career. This would always be his home, however.

Stepping outside of the tent and into the frigid onslaught of the falling ice, he nearly crushed his pathetic fire underfoot. He stooped low to turn the spit, roasting half a Woollie's leg. "This would have been great with seasoning..." he thought to himself. Detecting a soft crunch behind him, he turned to see his horse, Gavine, twitching as the ice piled onto his neck and mane. Gavine was a native to this land, a Frostmarch stallion. However, it wouldn't hurt to provide him with some sort of comfort. Kent ducked into his tent, and returned outside with his blanket. He wrapped it around his horse's back and patted his neck. "Easy boy," he boomed, "we'll be out of this fix in no time." His vibrant blue eyes darted back and forth as they searched through the slow moving storm for a clearing; any sign of civilization at all. "It isn't the first time we've been stuck. And it won't be the last." He shook his head vigorously, causing built up snow to fly off his head and icy water to slowly drip down his face.

"It won't be the last."