Still, there’s no doubt I feel a sense of warmth that Kyor and Ruben’s relationship has shifted so much that they’re now joking and teasing.
For two days now, the temperatures have continued to plummet, and we still have no idea how far we have to go. It’s why we all value Ruben’s hugs more than ever. They’re hugs for survival now, not a frivolity, not a luxury.
‘The Hirathean Path ended almost half a day ago,’ Caz says, her mind on the same matter as mine as she scans the area around her as if she’s actually able to see anything other than white snow. ‘There has to be a route into the Issen territory somewhere.’
‘Yeah—’
‘There is,’ Benny replies. ‘Over those damn mountains. You know, it’s unfair that the Gods made them so big. I keep feeling like any second we’re going to be right there, at the base, but nope, they’re still there, freaking miles away.’
I know exactly what he means. Every now and then, when the weather clears and the view becomes visible, we glimpse the looming range rising above us. The peaks above the mountains are lost in the clouds, but there has to be some way through it.
‘When we set up camp, we can look at the map,’ Caz says. ‘There has to be something on there. A clue. I copied it exactly. And the Issen get through into our territory, right? They can’t climb over the mountains every time, surely. Therehasto be a pass through them.’
I’m sure she’s right. There has to be some sort of ravine or passage cutting through the range and taking us into Issen territory, but where the hell it is and whether we can find it before we freeze to death are other matters entirely. Not to mention, I was the one who finished the map, and as diligent as I was, there’s a good chance I missed something. After all, it wasn’t like I had much sleep the night before my experiment with cartography, not with what had happened with Kyor…
‘I can get everyone warm, too,’ Ruben says. ‘If you can give me a boost, Rose?’
It’s how we’ve survived since the weather and terrain got decidedly worse. His power has saved our lives, but I’m not ignorant of the fact that that’s not the only reason he’s doing it.
I saw his mother, there in the Rottings’ army, hovering in place between life and death, and no matter how much he tries to distract himself – either by helping us or flirting with Benny – I know it must be filling his mind. I can’t imagine how I would feel if it were a member of my family, so if he wants the distraction of helping people, then I’m all for it. Still, warming all six of us in temperatures like these is likely using more of his magic than he’s ever expended before, and the last thing he needs is to drain himself. But no matter how much pain he’s going through, Ruben’s got a good head on his shoulders. Hewouldn’t let that happen.
There’s a small cave up ahead, Little Raven, Fen’s voice comes through in my mind. We can shelter there for the night.
Small will do,I think to myself. Less effort to keep the space warm, although less privacy, too.
Kyor and I seem to have reached an unspoken agreement not to talk about what happened the other night, but it’s safe to say that it wasn’t a one-off. Not after Galreck. Not to mention how we’ve spent each night curled up next to one another, while Caz continues to comfort Thessa over the loss of Stide, and Benny and Ruben … well, I’m still not exactly sure what’s going on there, but there’s definitely something. Something far more than just the shared caring of Loch in his continually variable states.
The opportunity to discuss it hasn’t exactly presented itself, and if this cave Fen is talking about is as small as I’m thinking, then tonight’s not going to be the ideal time to raise it either.
Elska has found a husk of a hare, Fen’s voice comes through me again.She is already going to hunt. I will join her after bringing you to the cave.
I’m glad he’s staying close, not least because it offers me the occasional opportunity to bury my hands into his fur and warm them just a fraction.
‘Fen found us a cave he’s going to lead us to while Elska hunts,’ I tell the others. ‘It isn’t too far away. Not even an hour, I don’t think.’
‘Hunt?’ I can hear the question in Benny’s voice before he’s even finished. ‘Is there even anything to hunt here?’
‘He says there are hares.’
‘We’d better ration it,’ Ruben replies. ‘I’m sure it’s going to get harder to find things, even for the wolves.’
I don’t disagree, although my head is filled with thoughts of the Issen. They have to eat, so there has to be food here. But maybe the terrain is different on the other side of the mountain range. Lower, warmer. Less sparse. Although the chance of them laying out a banquet for us upon arrival feels slim.
By the time we reach the cave, my eyes are stinging from the cold. While the first thing we want to do is light a fire, it’s not exactly easy with limited wood, and even that is damp with snow. We’re going tohave to find something, though, so we can cook the hares and not freeze to death overnight.
‘You get the others warm,’ Caz says to Ruben. ‘Thessa and I will see what we can find to add to the fair bit of kindling we picked up before we left camp last night.’
‘You did? That’s smart.’ So smart I wish I’d been sensible enough to think of it. I can see from the smile on Caz’s face that she appreciates the compliment, and I can’t help but think back to what she said in Galreck, about feeling like she was finding herself on the trip. She definitely is.
The cave is far larger than I expected from Fen’s comments. Certainly large enough to get a decent fire going, provided we have the wood, and for each of us to have a little bit of privacy, including the wolves.
Moving towards the entrance, I kick at the snow, flecks of green appearing beneath my feet.
‘There are some shrubs just here,’ I say with some excitement. ‘I can build them up once we’re all inside for the night. Make a wall. It should shield us from any wind or snow that comes.’
‘Smart,’ Caz fires back at me, drawing a reciprocal smile. ‘Assuming it’s not too green. Might make us an easy target for any of the Issen.’
She’s right, and once again, I wish I’d thought of it, but it won’t take too much snow to offer us some camouflage, and with one of us on watch and the wolves alert, it should be all right. The snow mostly stopped by the time we got here, but I’m sure it’ll start again soon enough.
