Icicle Isle Quest: Round 2

[Kagerus]

Kagerus

{ and in my dreams I've kissed your lips a thousand times }

There on the coast of Icicle Isle, the faeries take pity on us. As Solace and I huddle into each other, a blessedly warm wind blows; I mutter words of thanks into my wife's skin, hoping against hope that this respite might extend longer than I know it will. As our coats dry, I take the liberty of lifting my head to scan our surroundings; ahead, two paths stretch. It is a reasonable distance away, right at the end of the beach; one clearly goes left, and the other right. I wonder for a moment what it could possibly mean.

A snow flake lands on my nose. It shouldn't, but it chills me to my bones; within seconds, the snow is falling thickly. Looking frantically from side to side, I spot Valdis, and then -

"Litotes!"

But the wind picks up and I do not hear his reply, and in fact, the snow falls now so quickly that I cannot even see the General of Hyaline. Choking down a sob, I turn to press myself to Solace, endlessly thankful that we have not yet parted ways.

"Not so far now," I lie. "Let's get to it."

Bending and twisting my head to protect my eyes from the onslaught of snow and ice, I begin to step forward through the now-frozen sand, making sure to never allow my skin to part from Solace's. We walk side by side now, as equals. After a few steps, I stop, confused and disoriented - other hoof prints are in the snow but I don't remember seeing or hearing anyone. Have we come this way before? Crestfallen, it is only when Solace yells words of encouragement through the storm and sets out on a new path that I begin moving again, my joints arguing loudly against the cold of the tempest.

At last, we arrive at the mouths of the two telltale paths. Just as we halt, a pale yellow figure brushes past me.

"Leander! Cousin!"

But my words are lost to the might of the storm, and I must watch as he disappears two steps later onto the left-most path. Aching and scared, I turn to Solace and am shocked to see Litotes by her side.

Swallowing, I attempt to collect myself.

"Litotes, which way will you go?"

I squint through the storm, wondering he heard me. He must have read my lips, for I do not hear him when he shouts back; but then he gestures to the right. I nod, and gesture to the left.

Divide and conquer.

Shuddering and miserable in my fear, I beckon Solace forward onto the path to the left. We have yet to see anything except a wall of white in this shitstorm; but the wellworn path will lead us somewhere one way or another, and we have now only to pray that the faeries take mercy on us.

@[Litotes] @[Leander]