Closed Snow Cannot Lie

[Rayne Deroux]

30th Day of Spring, 514.

A little ways away from the icy gates of Avanthal was a heavily cloaked figure that disappeared just as soon as it appeared. It seemed to have left something behind, although what it had left behind was hardly something small, nor easy to carry. It was a living breathing human being that was dumped into the snow and left there. With all of his possessions on hand just as he had them the last time he could remember. His breaths were slow, his skin was a rather pale color and veins were easy to see.

The snow was melting under him making his clothes a little wet, the fog made him hard to see, so Rayne would have to hope for a miracle, if he could even call out, he was out for the count. He hadn’t expected to end up so far north doing a small job for someone, in fact if asked he wouldn’t be able to remember who that person he did the job was or what that particular job entailed. A rather huge blank was left in his memories that would span seasons. The teenager had been stabbed in the back by someone he tried to help, yet he wouldn’t be able to be angry at that person, he needed memories for such a thing.

The only plus he had at the moment was that he snored rather loudly; the cold was certainly going to have an effect on him. He was lying on the floor belly down, his head turned to the side, and snow was even in his ears. He’d be feeling the pain once he woke up that was for certain. He was wrapped up well, but he didn’t have the resistance for the extreme cold nor was he able to dry his clothes that were slowly getting wet as time passed.

[Ablation]

e


It wasn't very often that travelers wandered so far north, though when they did they often ended up in the same situation as the man before her. Drenched in sweat and snow his improper clothing stuck to his skin showing the skeleton-like ribs and boney elbows that screamed a malnutrition rarely seen in Avanthal. Unlike many other cities in Mizahar the Vantha worked intimately together and few were left to starve so long as they contributed. Thus as the girl hunched over the man and poked him gently she couldn't help the shudder that traveled down her back as her finger touched bone.

Grabbing him under the arms she silently dragged the body toward her dog sled and onto it's front. Her dogs yipped at her begging to begin again. Leaping at their leads and whimpering one turned in its harness tentatively running its warm tongue over Rayne's face, sneezing as the cold hit his tongue and nose.

Soon they were racing across the tundra the woman's red and orange streaks tucked under her heavy hood. Her coat was wrapped around her tightly fastened by a wide belt. They sped through the gates just as Synas rays were dipping over the tundra. Not pausing at the gates the Vantha nodded to the guards and rushed the man toward the Whitevine hold.


e