Morning.
White.
WOOOOOOH!
Floods of wind signalling the new day.
The night previous, Riven's eyes had only closed in fragments.
Brief.
Washes of black upon his vision before lids spurted open.
Every sound.
Little or large.
Figment or real.
It stirred, keeping him alert.
His eyes burned, lids raw from snapping open every call of wind.
WOOOOOOH!
His body had grown stiff from laying in the snow for so long.
Crunch!
But he couldn't expose himself in the snow, no matter how hollow the gaze appeared.
"Hkk-"
On the other hand, Saphira hadn't stirred once.
Fatigue had completely took hold, her breaths slow even as the frost laid heavy around.
WOOOOOH!
A merciful experience.
One accompanied by the warmth of Riven as she slept.
So when morning had arrived, and she turned over....
Even with heavy eyes she knew...
"You didn't sleep at all."
The words hung in the narrow cove.
She blinked through dim haze, taking in his appearance....
Shadows had rooted under his eyes. His skin was pale, stretched thin, and a forever clenched jaw, as if he was wrestling with something inside.
A brief silence remained...
Her lips parted to speak, but then closed.
There was more to say.
She wanted to say more.
But the words didn't form.
At the words, Riven didn't answer.
Instead he rose, slowly...
WOOOOOOH!
Crunch! Crunch!
His head peered over, glancing around the storm of haze.
Nothing.
His eyes glanced at the light beyond the snow, a chill sweeping through his clothes, slapping his neck.
"Haaa...."
He didn't immediately look back, but he called to her:
"Come on. We should move."
----------------
Crunch! Crunch!
Their breaths came in soft clouds as they trudged forward, the crunch of boots breaking through crusted snow.
The scenery was getting familiar.
It was definitely a scene, one that was unique...
Only to this place.
WOOOOOOH!
"Haa...." "Hkk--"
A canvas of frost that swallowed all directions of view.
'I could never get used to this....' Saphira thought, her steps almost betraying her as she stepped.
Crunch! Crunch!
The memory of that voice was still fresh in her mind.
'...Menacing.'
She could remember the chill that swept over....
WOOOOOH!
It wasn't the veil.
"Hakk---"
Had it not been for fatigue....maybe she'd been left awake just like him.
For it was clear....
It all left more of a lasting impact on the boy in front of her.
Crunch! Crunch!
Her gaze lingered on his back.
WOOOOOH!
Steady.
Even as slight slips and tremors came....
Crunch! Cru- Crunch!
"Haaa!"
He trudged forward, arms shielding his eyes.
Cough!
That sharp rasp from his chest, echoing in the air.
Crunch! Crunch!
He was paving a way forward.
Unbroken.
"Hakk--"
The scene reminded her of something.
THUD! THUD THUD!
Men marching in the courtyard years prior.
Proud, armoured, full of voice.
'At ease'
This was different.
His steps were steady, but too steady.
Forced.
Crunch! Crunch!
His silence wasn't calm; it was a wall. A wall to hide how he was tearing apart...
She could see it.
WOOOOOOH!
Little sounds tore his sight, halting him momentarily; a scene her eyes would come to narrow at.
Time.
And time again....
Paranoia was leaking.
Was that a good thing?
'That voice...'
Thoughts flashed by quickly.
Thoughts that she'd pondered for quite some time.
Each more pressing than the other...
'How had it come to this?'
'How did I even end up here?'
She knew she was kidnapped of course.
Those guards....
'But to emerge in Frostveil so quickly?'
It had to have been magic.
Crunch! Crunch! Crunch!
It was thought out and planned.
'By who?'
'...And how did Riven end up here with me,' she thought as her gaze flashed.
'Was it....'
--------------------
WOOOOOOOH!
Crunch! Crunch! Crunch!
Step after step.
Stride after stride.
"Haaa!"
Riven's body shivered; his mind a dark fog.
WOOOOH!
Saphira was right next to him, at less than arms length.
Had anything occur like before...
His grip would've took hers in an instant.
Crunch! Crunch! Crunch!
"Haaa! "Haaa!"
Crunch. Crunch.
A steady rhythm carried, steady, until--
CHA!
His foot caught.
A jolt tore through his body as his weight almost toppled over.
"Haa---"
A breath was caught short as he steadied himself, eyes snapping down.
There it was.
Half-buried in snow.
WOOOOOOOOH!
Iron rims peeking through the white.
A broken wheel.
"Haaa! Haa!"
"What is it?" Saphira called, joining his side as she too looked down.
The faint outline of a cart long abandoned.
Snow clung to it like a blanket, but the shape was clear, even if it was half submerged.
WOOOOOH!
Riven's eyes narrowed.
'Someone's been here.'
At first his mind instinctively thought of him.
He shook his head instinctively, as if to wash the thought.
'No....what use would he have with a cart.'
His gaze lingered through his frayed breath.
Splinters, frayed rope, faint marks on the wheels.
This wasn't recent.
...But it wasn't ancient either.
"A cart....in this area?"
Saphira voiced as she moved across towards it.
Stepping closer, her boots crunched against the snow.
Crunch. Crunch.
She nudged the cart with her boot.
Thunk.
Silence stretched as they stopped and stared.
The cart stood rooted, offering no answer.
But then--
Grrruuuuumble.
Her stomach growled, low and hollow...
A moment later, his followed, just as sharp.
Grrruuuuumble.
They both froze, eyes lingering on the cart.