The moisture of Kromus's breath turned to ice the second he breathed out. He along with his wife, son and daughter escaped their home being ransacked by goblins and were now trekking over the Misty Mountains in search of a new abode. They were pretty high on the slope and the land spread out as far as the eye could see below them. All around them were jagged peaks, icicles and they could see the occasional avalanche from afar.
"I bet Dardan's family doesn't have to climb these mountains." Said Kromus's son, Kramdir. His black hood covered his head and his red hands buried deep in his pockets for warmth. He looked like he would tumble over any moment.
"Dardan's family have a different route and a different thought than ours. You will learn my son as you get older. Everyone has a different path in this life. Currently ours leads to the land of green grass and plentiful food over these mountains. Dardan's leads him to the desert of the Easterlings." His father replied.
"Why are they going to a desert?"
"His father thinks he can make a lot of gold forging weapons and armor for their armies." His eyes glared and his mouth straightened.
"And you plan to make gold from the men of Bree?"
"Yes Kramdir! I've been over this with you a thousand times. No, I do not plan to make armor and weapons. You know how I feel about that. I will make horse shoes and saddles. Peaceful tools in a peaceful land." He paused, noticing his voice echoed back to him.
They all remained silent after that and trudged ever higher on the slope. Maris and Sarlen Kept close to each other while Kromus and Kramdir walked in front of them.
They hadn't walked for more than an hour when the clouds began to turn dark, filled with snow. The winds picked up howling down from the peaks, into their faces making it difficult, even painful to breathe. No bird, wolf or coyote could be heard, only the wind.
Kromus turned to his family, his eyes looking at each of them. Then he looked at the ground, turned and glanced back up the mountain. After a moment he spun back facing them. "There is a cave ahead of us, I am sure of it. We'll push back as deep as it goes. If it is not empty we'll fight for it." He grabbed the hilt of his axe and made his way up.
Reluctantly his family followed, trying not to stumble as the ground grew steeper. Each knew there would not be enough time to turn back.
The cave entrance greeted them with blowing snow. It was falling and swirling from all direction. The sound was deafening and if they bothered to speak they had to shout. Kromus stepped in the bitterly cold darkness, expecting a bear to roar at him, but as he moved deeper inside he found nothing. It was empty.
His lips turned into a smile as they packed themselves in. It wasn't a deep cave, but it blocked the wind from eating at them. Once they were settled in, shoulder to shoulder facing each other for warmth, only then did he relax.
The little daughter Sarlen hugged him. "Daddy, can we have a fire?"
"There is no wood up here, honey. Only rocks, ice and snow. Pull yourself closer, all of you. We'll need each other if we are going to survive the night."
"Daddy, I love you. Do you think that Grandpa will meet us in Bree? with Gandma? Maybe she'll make some of her cookies! and tell us tales of Moria and how they took part in an, an..." She forgot the word. "How they helped explore part of it!"
Kromus looked down at her, placing his hand around her back and pushing her into him, all the while trying to hide his watery eyes. His mind raced to their old wooden home, where his parents lived with them. The goblins came too fast and without any warning. He could still hear his father scream when an arrow pierced his chest. His mother was bed ridden. The home caught fire.
He could do nothing but gather his wife and kids while they were out picking seeds from the days harvest.
"I'm afraid that they won't be meeting us. They are in a much better place now, where death and pain do not harm them." He said with tears stinging his cheeks. His wife did his best to comfort him.
Just then a large crash shook the cave. Wind, light, snow and dust rushed in from above them. He spun around, but there was no way out of the cave, the entrance collapsed leaving a giant hole above them, one that could not be climb out of.
Sarlen started crying and so did Kramdir. Maris gave her husband a knowing look and they took their children in their arms for perhaps the last time.
"Hush now, we will be alright." Maris told them, patting the back of her daughter. She had to yell a little for her to hear. "It will all be alright, won't it Krom?"
"Of course it will." His voice did it's best to sound reassuring and they all huddled together feeling the brunt of the wind.
"Dad...I'm tired...I feel like sleeping."
"Then sleep my son. You will dream a dream of warmth and peace. You might even see your grandparents again." Kromus himself started to close his eyes for the night.