Jeng and Vikali had been traveling together for a few days now. Ever since leaving Talfrid some days back, the two had remained in company with each other. Talfrid had to return to his pride, as he felt he had been too long away from them, and had a growing sense of foreboding as he thought of them. His duty to his home and his followers forced him to leave, though it was clear he was having a nice time with them. Jeng wondered about that sense of duty, and if she would ever feel that way about something, but she could not easily imagine it.
So, for now, she was sticking with Vikali. It was a little surprising that the God of Durability wanted to hang out with her, as she thought he had only been being polite in the company of the three of them. Once the chance to leave popped up, as it had with Talfrid breaking company with them, she thought he would have gone too. Instead, he asked her if she wanted to walk with him back to his pride instead, and she was happy to accompany him as long as he wanted to keep her with him.
It was nice. The weather was getting cooler, the further north they went, and she could feel the hills growing steeper as the green grass gave way to dying browns and sparse, leafless trees. It was difficult for things to grow up here, she noted, but soon none of that was visible, anyway, as white snow coated the ground and clung to everything in fine sheets. It was almost a shame to step on it, and ruin the smooth, perfect texture to it.
She had never really been around snow much. Yes, she had flown over it, and heard about it in stories, but it was not something she had cause to visit directly before. She was glad to be able to experience it now, putting her paws into the snow and feeling the wet, cold way it folded around her ankles. It moved as she shifted, but seemed to cling to her as well, making it difficult to walk through. Vikali had no problem with it, and walked on top of the snow instead of sinking into it like she did. She frowned at him, but decided he was not just showing off, and was actually just made to walk on the snow like that.
“Are we getting closer to your home?”
“Not yet. We are fairly low on the mountain. The snow is thick down here, surprisingly so. There must be a storm moving higher up. We can fly over it, if you want. It would be faster, and considerable less work.”
“No, I want to walk! It’s more interesting this way, and I get to take in the way everything looks. I’m really interested in it.” She smiled at him, and he nodded his head patiently at her. She was very energetic, and certainly did not seem scared of a challenge. He moved with her, walking slightly behind her so he could keep an eye on her progress. If she did need help through the snow, he would be there for her.
“Alright, we can keep going, but I have a feeling the weather is going to turn, the higher we go. It is the season for surprise storms.” He did not think it was much of a surprise, if he could predict it, but he had been around snow all his life. It was like he could almost feel it, when the snow was coming, and when it would be away for a while, though it was certainly not one of his powers as a God. Just the result of his snowy upbringing, he supposed.
Jeng quickly got caught up in the activity of climbing through the snow. She ran when it was thin enough, and she laughed as she got caught in big flurries of the softest, freshest snow. Vikali shook his head as he followed her, but her delight was refreshing. It was clear she had not been lying when she said she had very little experience with the snow. Not that he had any reason to think she would be lying, he supposed, but he was skeptical of everyone he met. Until proven otherwise, and that was a very difficult thing to do.
Jeng, somehow, had managed to win him over a bit.
“Oh, look, the snow is falling now,” Jeng said, looking up at the sky as the snow began to fall heavy enough to draw her attention. It had been lightly falling for a while now, but she had been having so much fun she missed it. Now there seemed to be a sheet falling down around them constantly. It was getting heavier the longer she stood there looking at it, and soon she had a coat of snow over her.
She shook it off, but it quickly started to collect again.
“Maybe we should find some place to hide, until the snow passes. The storms can be pretty severe in these parts, and I would hate for you to get a bad impression of the snow. It is rather nice here, despite the storms.” He smiled at her, and she was shocked to see it. He knew how to smile? That was incredible! All these days they had been hanging out, and she had never seen him smile. The look she was giving him seemed to make him realize what was happening, though, and his smile faded quickly.
She sighed, but she would not let him live down that she had seen it.
“Alright, let’s fine some place to take some shelter in. You must know this area pretty well, right? Where is there a cave around here?”
“Actually. There is one just in front of you.” He moved passed her, letting her follow after him sheepishly. He was still walking effortlessly on the snow, while she trudged along. She was very happy to be inside the cave, where the snow could not reach her. Now if only she could figure out a way to get him to smile again.
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