Full dawn had Leeteuk waking the others while Eleanara worked out the finer points of the barrier. It wasn't that she had anything else to decide really, but she was nervous to try something so large scale and she would need to be in the middle of the group for best efficiency. By the time the others had woken and were packing up and retrieving their own rations, Kyuhyun was sustaining another fire with which they could get warm and to have some warmer water to drink instead of the ice in their waterskins or the snow on the ground.
"Slept well did you?" Kharin teased as she spied a silly smile on Eleanara's face as the smaller woman ate. She had gotten the tantalizing news from Summer who had seen her sleeping during the night and was mildly miffed she had missed it.
Eleanara flushed at the jab and immediately went on the defensive, "It wasn't my idea."
"Relax," Kharin laughed, ruffling the smaller woman's hair affectionately, sending strands of curls everywhere. "I was teasing and with you shivering the way you were last night, someone was going to have to sleep with you." She stuck her tongue out playfully, grinning mischievously as her word usage caused her to flush even more. After a moment, she relented and her grin faded. "Come on then. We've got another long day ahead of us," she explained, finishing packing up, another full ration down and the sleeping roll attached to the bottom of the pack.
Still flushing, Eleanara nodded in agreement and hurried up, taking another bite of food and swallowing with some difficulty. She located her waterskin at the edge of their camp where it had stayed while they maintained the watch. While she was inordinately pleased it had worked as well as it had, she definitely needed to find something else more suited to the job. Her waterskin just wasn't a good watch light. She attached it to her pack while the rest were adjusting their own and getting ready to face the fierce, snow laden winds coming through the pass.
The group was strapped in and still getting warmed as Leeteuk peered at the map and then at the pass onto the mountain path. Kharin moved over to help Eleanara put the pack on, testing it firmly to make sure it was attached like it was supposed to be. She had to stifle a laugh as the smaller woman was nearly put off balance by the weight and she held her steady as she regained her composure. "Come on now. You'll have to do better than that," she winked, half-serious and half-joking.
"I'm working on it," Eleanara stated, her thumbs hooked under the shoulder straps determinedly.
Kharin let the matter drop and turned to look at the rest of the group. As one, they glanced at the opening with some trepidation, unused to the amount of cold and wind that continued to pour from the mouth in a never ending stream. Two sheer walls rose up in a v shape that allowed the winds to pass through and led to a path that wound down the mountain, bending and twisting as it went so that the path was unclear from here. As Leeteuk stood at the opening, he shivered to himself, feeling the bite of the wind through his additional coat, and called back, "Perhaps now is a good time to try your idea, Eleanara."
All eyes but his turned to her and she shrunk in on herself uncertainly, for just an instant doubting what she had already decided upon. The moment passed as quickly as it had come and with a glance to Kharin who nodded reassurance, she clenched her hands tighter around the straps on her pack and nodded to herself. With a determined thought of what she wanted, she summoned a null-cold barrier large enough to cover their group if they weren't too spread out. The immediate expenditure took her breath away as she was unprepared for it, but after that passed she was well enough and a glance around showed that the others had felt the change in turn.
"Very nice, Eleanara," Siwon smiled as he threw an arm around her shoulder and embraced her in a congratulatory hug. She smiled weakly and looked around as the cessation of the biting cold seemed to make everyone seem more agreeable.
"We should be good for about an hour," she assured them, warning them that the barrier may fail if she wasn't able to sustain it while she walked. "It is fairly equidistant around me so I should probably be in the middle," she mused, thinking out loud.
"Let's not waste any more time than," Kyuhyun encouraged, stepping forward and getting the whole procession going, Leeteuk's placement in the lead notwithstanding. In accordance with the new order, Siwon gestured for her to precede him behind Kyuhyun who was following along in the wake of Summer. The neutralizer now traveled where Eleanara usually did and Eunhyuk and Kharin brought up the rear, an effective hind guard, and they looked quite smug about it too.
As the group walked, they could see the wind veering around them, flakes of snow carried in the swift passage of air. Eleanara and Summer could both sense the barrier contorting to bend around whatever walls they were close to so that it was constantly changing but it never altered any of the surfaces it skimmed along. The cost had been about what she expected and she wondered how long she would be able to maintain it At any rate, it seemed fairly important that it stay up while the wind carried on as it was right now; time enough to worry about the rest of it later.
Because of the respite from the wind, their travel was easier than they had first anticipated, having only to deal with the inches of snow they tread upon instead of that and fierce resistance. Kyuhyun sang softly as he normally would to pass time and the rest maintained a quiet undertone of conversation. The wind continued to howl around them so Eleanara was only able to catch snippets here and there, but Siwon at least tried to converse as he discussed the theory and possible uses of their elements. If nothing else, it helped to pass the time, even if she wasn't entirely focused on it. After about an hour, she felt the barrier begin to weaken and just before it would have failed, she reinforced it, recognizing the expenditure as less than what would be needed to recast it, but still notable.
Siwon noticed when Eleanara slowed and then paused as he had intentionally been keeping pace with her. He watched her expression closely and could tell that she had done something but it wasn't evident immediately. Gently, he placed an arm around her to help propel her forward at his pace. "Did you just sustain it?" he asked quietly, leaning down to speak into her ear and still supporting her though he could feel she didn't need it just yet.
"Yes. It would be more taxing to recast so I am just trying to maintain it for now," she assured him cheerfully, smiling bravely as she stepped forward to maintain her placement. She was grateful for his assistance but she couldn't rely on it. She had to be strong or at least that was what she told herself.
For the group as a whole, time dragged on and the path continued to wind, never changing greatly, but still sloping downward gently, one bend after another. At one point, they did have to take care going past a narrow section on an outcrop, but they all managed to file past without any mishaps, Leeteuk made it across first and carefully kept an eye on the others that followed, ready to use his ability if need be. Both Kyuhyun and Siwon kept close to Eleanara to make sure she was steady while the agile Kharin and Eunhyuk made it without incident. It was an odd sensation to feel the barrier bend around the mountain so much, but it was not enough to distract overly so. They resumed their journey without further ado and Eleanara had to sustain the barrier twice more before they finally called a halt for a break.
The last time she sustained it, she had nearly stumbled and only Siwon's quick step forward had managed to keep her standing. She smiled at him apologetically and he just kept a closer eye on her, measuring how much each renewal was costing her. At the rate they were going, she would not be able to keep it up for the rest of the day and he wondered what it would be like when she let the barrier down. He remained close to her when they stopped, looking around at the others with watchful eyes and waiting for a chance to speak to Leeteuk or Kharin.
When they paused on the path, sheltering as much as they could against the mountain, Leeteuk raised stone seats for them all while Kyuhyun sustained a fire in the midst. It was enough to keep them warmer, insulated against the cold by the barrier, and to melt snow to give them drinking water while they ate another ration. All of them were mindful this was day two and they had enough for ten days… supposedly. Already, they were getting bored of the simple fare and the changeless scenery.
On the plus side of things though, they discovered that within the barrier, their waterskins didn't freeze through as they had been doing. The water was still plenty cold but it was also a liquid they could drink easily. Even though it was day two, Leeteuk was mindful of the task before them and as he had been doing frequently, he continued to keep an eye on the other group members. Slowly, he ate his ration and watched the others interact, perched as they were on their seats. Kharin and Eunhyuk were finished eating and playing rock paper scissors to pass the time. Summer was talking with Kyuhyun who was partially paying attention to her, his concentration split between her and the fire, presumably. Siwon looked thoughtful and Eleanara simply seemed tired and distracted. Again, he caught her only finishing half her ration and he frowned. He knew as well as the rest of them that just because they didn't feel hungry, didn't mean they weren't.
He was about to go mention something to her when Siwon stood up and moved over next to him, pausing as he collected his thoughts. Leeteuk waited patiently. "I'm not sure she can keep the barrier up all day yet," Siwon finally stated quietly, glancing at Eleanara in concern. She was fidgeting with her waterskin, oblivious for the time being.
Leeteuk sighed and nodded to himself. He had not been able to keep an eye on her like he would have preferred, but he had figured as much. "We are still new to our strengths," he stated quietly. "Hopefully, she'll recognize when she should stop."
Siwon looked at him skeptically. "You know she intends to keep it up as long as we keep moving."
There was nothing the older man could say to that. As long as they'd know her, Eleanara was not one to complain much but neither was she one to ask for help when she needed it, as the other night had proven adeptly. He wasn't as worried about the rest, since they seemed unconcerned for the time being and he was glad for them, but he couldn't make any of them do anything they didn't want to. "Just keep an eye on her," he stated, more of a request than a demand, as he stood up and placed a hand on the taller man's shoulder.
"Of course," Siwon smiled, his expression confident.
With that, Leeteuk had to be satisfied as he completely forgot to check on her when they started to get up. They only rested as long as it took them to eat, drink and catch their breaths before they were back on their feet and moving again. Unsurprisingly, despite the fact that they weren't fighting the wind, they all began to feel the effects of walking in several inches of snow for the greater part of the day. Eleanara wasn't the only one whose pace slowed down, though it may well have been Leeteuk doing so consciously based on their ability and his own. His feet were the ones breaking the path for them so it was easier to tread but that didn't mean it was easy for those behind him. Still, for Eleanara, the burden of maintaining the barrier was beginning to wear on her and she could feel it. A brief look around showed that she was having a harder time than the rest. "Bugger it," she muttered to herself as she felt the barrier weakening again, the second time after their break. As she reached out to sustain it, she felt her world spin for just a second and then she stumbled forward, reaching blindly for support.
Kyuhyun lurched forward when he felt something bump into him from behind and then leaned backwards perilously as the same force stopped and pulled. "Hey," he grumbled as he felt the weight cling to him despite his attempt to walk forward. "What gives?" he demanded, turning around to glare at Eleanara who Siwon was helping to stand, lifting her under the arms to set her upright, a concerned expression on his face.
"Forgive me," she breathed, her complexion pale as she clung to Siwon for his strength.
The procession ground to a halt as the rest looked to see what had caused the disruption in the middle. "What's up?" Kharin and Eunhyuk asked as they came up behind Siwon to look down at Eleanara. Of course they had seen her fall and it was impossible not to notice the drained expression she wore but they kept the worry from their faces with an effort. Kharin met Siwon's gaze and he sighed with a shrug. That was all he needed to do and she sighed and shook her head. Sensing her frustration, Eunhyuk nudged her with an elbow, prompting her to laugh.
"I just stumbled," Eleanara tried to assure them, desperate not to let them know how much it had affected her just yet.
Leeteuk and Summer came up around Kyuhyun who still seemed annoyed that she had chosen his pack to hang on but his expression didn't last. Leeteuk moved closer and peered down at her. "You've been sustaining the barrier all day. Are you sure you're okay?" She nodded fiercely and swallowed hard. He looked at her skeptically but didn't say anything further to her. "Kyuhyun. Would you mind taking point for now?" he asked instead, directing his gaze at the other man who shrugged and slogged ahead, Summer joining him shortly. "Come on then," he urged, reaching out his hand so she could take it, ignoring her reluctance.
Uncertainly, she reached out and slid her hand into his so that he could help to pull her along. Siwon stayed close behind her but with Leeteuk's help in moving forward, her steps were more sure and she didn't stumble as much, even just on snow. Kharin and Eunhyuk drifted to the back again but they remained alert and the former kept a closer eye on the three in the center.
In the lead, Summer helped to keep Kyuhyun at the path the others were setting, keeping tabs on the ebb and flow of the field around them as it melded with the surfaces it came in contact with. The pair peered ahead through the snow obscured view, conceding that they were coming to another one-sided path with a steep drop down on the other side but at least the path was wide so they didn't have to worry about being near the edge. Even so, the party slowed down considerably and made their steady way across, cautious and alert. Leeteuk in particular paid attention to the feel of the ground beneath them, reading the strength of the platform they walked upon. It didn't feel as if it was going to give any time soon but he was vigilant just in case.
Steadily, the group plodded on, gradually becoming aware that even with the null cold barrier, as the sun continued to dip closer to the mountain walls, the temperature began to drop and while the wind did not bite into them, that did not mean they were not cold. The barrier protected them from the majority of it but after the relative warmth she had granted them, the drop in temperature was noticeable. Around the end of the next hour when Leeteuk was aware that the barrier should be about to fail, he paid closer attention to Eleanara. Easily, he read her body language as he felt her hand tighten in his and he knew that she was about to try and sustain the barrier again. Over her head, he glanced back at Siwon in warning and nodded as he slowed up just as he felt her falter completely. Both reached to catch her and were successful in stopping her from falling face first into the snow.
Gently, they laid her down and Siwon called ahead, "Wait up! Eleanara's down."
Kharin and Eunhyuk came running up, peering over Siwon's shoulders in concern. "What happened?" they asked as one, sharing brief amused glances before looking at Siwon whose gaze went from one to the other quickly.
Summer hurried back from the front to see what had happened, taking note of the cluster around Eleanara while Kyuhyun remained stubbornly at the front, annoyance on his face. After a second, he moved grudgingly back towards the core group too.
The circle peered down at Eleanara in concern when her eyes fluttered open and she blinked in confusion, briefly disoriented. "Oh dear," she murmured worriedly as her eyes met Leeteuk's. "Did I faint?" she asked with a cringe, glancing around at the rest of the concerned faces.
"You did," Leeteuk agreed somberly, nodding to Siwon to help give her a lift to her feet. Easily, they hefted her up, the action almost upsetting her balance again by their combined effort. Reflexively, she gripped tight to their sleeves and grit her teeth. "That's better," he smiled, glancing around.
Kharin and Eunhyuk sighed in relief, reassuring grins coming to their faces. "Don't worry us like that," she chided, reaching out to nudge Eleanara's chin with her fingers while Eunhyuk reached out to ruffle her hair, bringing a ghost of a smile to her face.
As a group and through her, they were beginning to understand the effort it took to sustain a barrier as large as hers was for as long as she was. She gave the smaller woman another reassuring smile before she took her spot at the back of the group and summoned a small sphere of darkness that she cradled in her palm, watching it intently, intent upon maintaining it as long as possible. Eunhyuk at least waited until they had started walking again before he summoned his own sphere of wind which he sent spinning around his traveling partner teasingly.
Kyuhyun returned to the front, ignoring what was going on behind him while Summer resumed her spot, keeping an eye on the barrier as she had been before. The strength did not change, except for when it was about to wane, but it fluxed constantly depending on what they were near. Siwon and Leeteuk kept an eye on Eleanara as they traveled forward, the smallest sandwiched in the middle. Leeteuk took her hand and pulled her forward through the snow as he had been before they paused. He could feel her dragging, despite his efforts to keep her moving forward. At least they would have to stop before too long simply based on light, or the lack thereof.
Despite whatever weakness afflicted Eleanara, there was only one thing to do and that was to keep moving forward as a group. They couldn't very well stop for any extended period of time as they had to progress as fast as possible, nor did she want them pausing on her behalf. There was no way around the fact that time was ultimately against them and the people they were meant to protect. Unfortunately, it soon became apparent though, that even with the helping hand, Eleanara was struggling more and more as they day wore on. Granted, the effects of walking all day in the snow began to show with the rest as well; a stumble here, one foot dragging there and both Kharin and Eunhyuk had dispersed their spheres with frustrated waves. Even Kyuhyun seemed a bit winded by the continuous motion forward.
Plumes of frosted breath billowed out in front of each individual, each breath an effort as every step was forced. Legs that normally cooperated felt leaden and unresponsive as even the stronger members of the group began to stumble. It was not long before each pair was relying on the other, hands clasped to help support the other when they faltered. Iron determination kept Leeteuk and Siwon from faltering as bad since they had none to support them. Kharin and Eunhyuk noticed from the back that the three in the center were faltering more and they felt slightly guilty having the easiest time with the snow being completely broken for them.
Before the next hour was up, Kharin bypassed Siwon smoothly and placed a hand on Eleanara's shoulder. "Give me your pack," she suggested, already starting to take the strap under her hand.
Their actions paused as Leeteuk turned and smiled appreciatively at Kharin. He released Eleanara's hand so she could slide out from under the pack. Somewhat embarrassed by her lapse, she was slow to disentangle herself, which gave the pair head time to walk out from under the barrier and they exclaimed in surprise at the unexpected temperature change before coming back around to see what the hold-up was. Apologetically, she met their gazes and Summer sighed and shook her head but she was wearing a smile. Kyuhyun just looked annoyed and impatient, as per usual. Noticing his expression, Summer smacked his shoulder and glared at him.
As soon as Kharin had the pack, she returned to the back with Eunhyuk, a shrug indicating she didn't mind. She as least understood physical strength was not one of Eleanara's strong points, but neither did she just give up. It had become a habit of hers to help compensate for the weaker woman's shortcomings and vice versa.
Oblivious to the thought process of her friend, Eleanara took Leeteuk's proffered hand once more and they were able to resume walking, albeit a bit more slowly than they had before. They kept an eye on the setting sun too, aware that they would need to stop before full dark set in. Both Eleanara and Kyuhyun could light the way but it was dangerous to walk a mountain path in reduced light; a misstep could spell disaster. Eleanara began to get nervous as she felt the end of the next hour approaching and her grip tightened reflexively again. If her last reaction had her blacking out, however briefly, she was concerned what this one would do. She didn't want to be a burden but they could all feel the temperature continuing to fall, despite the continued presence of the barrier, and it wasn't quite dusk yet.
Leeteuk pulled her up closer to him when he picked up on her tension, equally aware the hour was coming to a close. "You could let it fall," he suggested softly, his eyes glancing down at her quickly and then facing forward.
Briefly, Eleanara thought about it and while it would have been a relief of sorts, she couldn't let herself go that path yet. Slowly, she shook her head, taking in their surroundings and watching the way the increased snowfall bent around the barrier. It seemed as if the mountain was against them just now for the snow had increased, cutting their visibility drastically. "Unless you want to stop early, it is better that I try than get us all lost in the snow by lack of action." She sighed and chewed her lip, taking strength from his hand tightening on hers. When she looked up to meet his gaze, she was surprised to see a smile of quiet pride on his face.
"I think you may be right on this one. This time," he added with a wink, feeling a slight twinge of guilt.
Catching the snippet of conversation, Siwon reached out to smack Leeteuk's shoulder with a warning glance. The latter shook his head and motioned to Eleanara with his eyes. 'Her choice,' he mouthed stubbornly. Siwon frowned and then rolled his eyes, glancing back at the rear guard who were watching the exchange with some interest. He waved back at them so they wouldn't be worried and then took a deep breath, moving closer to Eleanara in preparation.
Eleanara smiled wanly and meticulously, she counted back to this morning, marking each barrier off in her mind. Overall, she had cast and sustained seven large barriers today, not counting the two personal ones this morning. This one would make eight… The timing alarm in the back of her mind went off and she took another deep breath. "Here goes nothing." She closed her eyes and reached to sustain the barrier just this once more. She was aware of the power answering and inexplicably, awareness fled entirely.
Prepared for the reaction, Leeteuk and Siwon both caught her before she could fall very far. As one, they exchanged glances. She was so light… "Hold up!" they called ahead Kharin and Eunhyuk moved closer, uncertain. "She's reached her limit," Leeteuk explained as the others from the front moved close enough to hear.
"Dummy," Kyuhyun muttered, frowning at her unconscious body.
"I prompted it," Leeteuk maintained, focusing on Kyuhyun.
"What? Why?" Kharin demanded, coming around Siwon again, Eunhyuk stopping short next to the taller man.
"She needs to learn her limits. As we all do," Leeteuk stated calmly, meeting Kharin's angry gaze evenly. The warning that had been Eleanara's was blatantly clear. "Better she learn it here, at the beginning of the journey then out there." He gestured to the vast expanse of unknown space they had yet to traverse, gradually growing dark and shadowed.
Slowly, Kharin unbent as she looked between the composed Leeteuk and the sleeping Eleanara. Mutely, she nodded in agreement and though she didn't like it, she did back down this time. "I just hope you know what you're doing," she murmured as she fell back to the rear again, a confused Eunhyuk caught in the middle.
"So do I," Leeteuk whispered to himself as he observed Eleanara sleeping, still slumped between him and Siwon.
"She's just sleeping, right?" Eunhyuk asked uncertainly, looking at her pale complexion. He looked back at Kharin who still fumed slightly and then back at Leeteuk.
"It's okay. She just exhausted herself," he assured him before returning his gaze to her unconscious one. "We'll keep moving until it gets dark," he insisted, moving to pick her unresisting body up.
Siwon forestalled him. "I'll take her for now," he assured the other man. "You've helped her most of the day already," he laughed, scooping the light frame into his arms easily. He looked ahead to Kyuhyun and Summer and nodded. Leeteuk mirrored the motion and with a resigned sigh, the front of the party moved forward again.
"Maybe we can get to full dark before we have to stop again," Kyuhyun muttered, annoyed. Before the sheltered hour was up, he used a flare spell to help guide the way and when the barrier at last fell, they were all blasted by the full force of the snowy wind. Grudgingly, even he was forced to admit that the barrier had been very useful; not the least of which was because it helped to keep the snow directly out of their eyes. His flare was plenty bright, but he had to keep squinting around the snow that perpetually flew into his eyes. At last, he paused, reaching out a hand to stall Summer as she plodded doggedly forward, one foot after the other. "We can't keep moving forward in this weather," he admitted heavily, waiting for the rest to catch up.
Leeteuk was the first to come into range, as they had all fallen back since the barrier had fallen. He paused and turned to wait for the others, sighing quietly when Siwon appeared from the snow with Eleanara still cradled in his arms. Not too much further past him were Kharin and Eunhyuk, carrying the pack between them. They nearly bumped into the stalled party as their hoods were pulled down far enough to mostly keep the snow out of their eyes. "Time for a break?" Eunhyuk asked hopefully as he set down his side of the pack, while Kharin quickly followed suit.
"We'll stop here for the night," Leeteuk agreed, looking to Kyuhyun. "A little more light, please?" he asked softly, facing the mountain he was determined to use to their advantage.
"Tch. Not a problem," Kyuhyun smirked, casting a brighter flare above them, enough to illuminate most of the wall in the immediate area and a fair distance up.
"Careful," Summer warned, still standing near him. "There's a lot of snow above us," she cautioned softly, keeping an eye upwards to make sure the intense heat didn't start something drastic. As it was, snow turned to rain in the immediate vicinity and evaporated completely when too close to the flare spell.
Leeteuk ignored it for now and focused on his own task at hand. Carefully, he raised rock walls from the ground nearest the mountainside and when he had brought them higher than the tallest of their group and deeper than any of their members when laying down, he brought a roof over the top to protect them from the falling snow. Slowly, he raised a gentle barrier at the base to keep snow from piling up on them as best as possible. He didn't want to close them off completely but they needed the breaker from the wind. After a brief moment of inspection, he nodded to himself. It would work for now. He looked at the others and they were regarding him with no small amount of surprise. "What?" he asked, completely unphased. "It's better than a tent," he shrugged, shucking off his pack to pull out the waterproof blanket.
Kharin quickly followed his example and set her blanket down inside next to his. "Nice work, Teuk," she smiled, glancing at the interior. Even just standing there, after being in the wind, the rock face provided a most welcome barrier.
As an example, Leeteuk set his pack along the back, indicating that there was space for all of their packs to fit inside and he gestured for them to join him out of the cold wind. Siwon stepped up and handed Eleanara over gently, allowing him to shed his pack and step inside without having to worry about the raised lip. Eunhyuk hauled Eleanara's pack in after them and settled it next to Leeteuk's while he dropped his own in line with the rest. Abruptly, he plopped down and dug out a ration, watching as the others followed at their own pace.
Because Kyuhyun had not dampened the flare spell after everything had been set up, Summer did it for him, to his consternation. "Stop playing with fire," she muttered, heading in and settling down next to Siwon who was looking over Eleanara with Leeteuk.
"How's she doing?" Kharin asked, leaning over Eunhyuk's lap for a better view. He seemed uncertain how to react and then just used her as a prop to lean on, to her amusement.
"Sleeping," Leeteuk and Siwon answered at the same time with a wry smile. Leeteuk removed his glove and placed a warm hand against her cheek. "She still feels cold though," he sighed, reaching for her pack.
Almost reluctantly, Kyuhyun moved closer at that point, bringing the flare spell with him. The temperature around them rose a couple degrees automatically. Leeteuk paused what he was doing to look back at the fire elementalist before he nodded in acknowledgement. Kyuhyun made a dismissive gesture but a smile pulled at his mouth. He did mention, "If you feel like making a platform later, I figured out how she charged the light spell to an item. I think anyway," he added, still a bit unsure. He hadn't actually done it himself, but he figured he understood the theory.
"I'll do that," Leeteuk assured him, reaching to retrieve Eleanara's sleeping roll awkwardly. Siwon helped him instead and just grabbed the whole pack so it would be easier to remove from the bottom. He grabbed the sleeping roll and then retrieved one of the rations which he set down carefully before replacing the bag and fishing a ration bar out of his own.
While the rest were settling down, Leeteuk attended to Eleanara, feeling semi-responsible for her predicament. At that moment, he would have given much to have even a fraction of her ability to heal. Instead, he had to use standard methods and hope that she wasn't too far gone in sleep just yet. "Eleanara," he spoke quietly, cradling her with one arm and using his free one to smooth her wind-blown hair out. The hood had fallen back to reveal the golden hair, shimmering playfully in the firelight. Carefully, he shook her with the arm propping her up and her eyes twitched, though closed. "Wake up, Eleanara," he crooned, running his fingers along her cheek caringly.
"Mmm…" she finally sighed, coming around slowly as she curled closer to his body instinctively. The reaction made the others laugh as he hadn't expected it and it helped to bring her to consciousness at the startling sound. "Huh?" she blinked sleepy eyes and then realized she was lying against someone's chest. "Ummm…" she murmured nervously, realizing almost instantly it was Leeteuk for which she was both thrilled and horrified. "Sorry- Thank you… Sorry?" she didn't quite know what to settle on as she sat up awkwardly, and tried to figure out how to get off his lap without placing a hand somewhere it didn't belong; all the while the rest of the group was laughing, a forced but welcome sound. She squeaked when Kyuhyun hooked his hands under her arms and hauled her backwards to set her between him and Leeteuk, a position she wasn't sure how she felt about.
"Dummy," he shook his head and took another bite of his ration which was nearly finished. He laughed when her stomach responded to the sight of food and he nodded his head over to her other side.
Leeteuk was just finishing composing himself when Siwon handed him the ration he had pulled out for Eleanara. "Here," he grinned, an impish smile on his face.
Graciously, Leeteuk accepted the food and then turned to give it to Eleanara. "Welcome back to consciousness," he stated, relief evident in his voice.
Eleanara took the food and nibbled on it before she looked around at the faces reclining in the shelter…shelter? When had that happened? Immediately, she forced herself to focus and addressed them all, "I'm sorry to have been a burden to you today."
"Eleanara," Kharin chided, taking offense to her self-deprecation.
"Well, we did have to stop three times," Kyuhyun recalled, looking at her with a sidelong glance.
"Stop that," Summer grumbled. "You appreciated it as much as the rest of us," she added, leaning forward to pierce him with her glare. He failed to comment after that.
Eunhyuk leaned forward and waved to get her attention. "It's not as if we got very far after your barrier went down anyway. It is what let us move along as fast as we did." He gave her a thumbs up sign and grinned, "So thanks."
Siwon's chuckle drew their attention, "And it's not as if you're particularly heavy." Eleanara colored as she realized he must have carried her at some point.
"Honestly I think her pack is heavier than she is," Kharin laughed, nudging Eunhyuk in the ribs playfully.
"And when did you carry her?" he asked pointedly, a mischievous grin on his face.
Kharin seemed about to retort when Leeteuk directed a question at Siwon. "Do you think you could provide us with water this evening?"
"Gladly," he answered, reaching a long arm around to snag the pot dangling from his pack. It was easier to retrieve that way. Theatrically, he waved his hand over the empty pot and in the blink of an eye, water sloshed within the container. "Tada!" he grinned, handing off the filled container to Leeteuk who handed it over to Kyuhyun as the 'first' in line.
Hardly bashful, he drained about a quarter of it despite the raised brows. Awkwardly, he handed it off to Eleanara as she hurried to set the ration down and then took the pot with both hands, drinking carefully. She was nearly the exact opposite of Kyuhyun, taking just enough to wash the food down and wet her throat. "Thank you," she murmured, acknowledging both Siwon for calling it and Kyuhyun for handing it off. The former smiled graciously and the latter seemed mildly abashed. Eleanara was fairly oblivious to their reactions since she was passing the container to Leeteuk and she dearly didn't want to spill it on him. The exchange happened without mishap and when it got back to Siwon, he refilled it and passed it down the line after taking his share.
They all agreed that Siwon's water had a pure taste very much like fresh melted snow, but a bit cooler on the palate that was not unpleasant at all. Hesitant to break the pleasant mood, Leeteuk nevertheless stood up and looked around, careful not to jostle Eleanara in his effort to stand up. "Did we wish to take a watch again or would you prefer I close us off for the night?" he gestured towards the opening in their shelter.
"It would probably be better to keep a watch," Kharin sighed, rather enjoying the thought of not needing one. At the annoyed looks that came her way, primarily from Kyuhyun, she added, "It's better if we don't lose what little awareness we have just managed to establish. We don't know what's out here." Her gaze turned thoughtful as she looked into the dark beyond the ball of fire that still lit their enclosure.
As if in answer to the silent question, something in the distance rumbled and though they all looked at each other, none of them could tell if it was from a creature or the mountain itself. Kharin shrugged uncertainly and that decided the rest. They opted for a pattern very like the one they had the first night but everyone rotated and despite her protests otherwise, Eleanara was given the tail end of the watch until she was able to sustain the barriers all day or they got out of the snow as they unanimously agreed she needed the rest. With the new pattern, Leeteuk took first watch and the rest followed thereafter with Kharin, Kyuhyun, etc.
While the others were settling down for their rest, Leeteuk knelt in front of Eleanara, looking at her over the low barrier, and asked, "Do you think you're up for another watch light?" He offered her an oblong piece of rock that wasn't too heavy but would be easy to wrap and point.
Eleanara took the rock and had to think about it before she could answer. "I think so. Maybe…" She gave a smile that verged on cringing.
"Whatever you can manage would be most appreciated," he assured her, an uncertain glance out the shelter an indicator of his concern.
"Do you think something's out there?" she asked quietly, her voice barely more than a whisper.
Leeteuk nodded slowly. "I know there's something out there, but I don't know if it's dangerous to us or not." Testing, he placed a hand on the ground and closed his eyes. Eleanara copied him but she couldn't tell any difference. When he opened his eyes he had to laugh and he shook his head. "I was listening through the earth. I don't think she'll talk to you quite so clearly," he reached out a hand to ruffle her hair initially and then stopped simply to smooth it down. "The light?" he asked when she seemed distracted.
"Oh…" Eleanara shook her head and berated herself for the slip. She focused on the rock in her hands and took a deep breath. In measured increments, she tapped out the number of charges she wanted to bestow and took another deep breath. It was a good possibility that she would black out again, but hopefully not for a prolonged period of time. Quietly, she cast the charges and felt the power answer and leave, rushing to the object she intended to store it in. All of a sudden, her sight blurred before her and she dropped the brightly lit rock into her lap, flailing to catch herself as her equilibrium seemed to vanish.
Leeteuk reached out to support her, noticing Kyuhyun reflexively moving to catch her, but pausing seeing she didn't need it. Siwon nudged Leeteuk firmly. "Stop pushing her, Teuk. That nap wasn't nearly enough," he chided softly, looking at her dazed expression in concern while he reached around to brush a strand of hair from her face. She felt Leeteuk let go reluctantly and tried to focus on him.
"I…I'm good," she murmured quietly, fervently denying she was anything but.
Kyuhyun sighed, "Dummy. Just rest already." Before she knew what he was doing, he had gently but firmly pulled her from Leeteuk and against his body where he then laid down with her cradled in the hollow he created. She was asleep almost before she had closed her eyes.
Siwon stifled a laugh and reached down to retrieve the watch light she had made for them. "Just keep an eye out," he winked, though there was a certain alertness to him that made Leeteuk think he felt something too. Perhaps he could listen through the snow as he did through the earth. A curious glance over at Eunhyuk showed him sleeping but the thought did occur to him that maybe he could listen through the wind. He would have to ask them about it later. Once more, he looked back at the resting Eleanara, apologetic and proud at the same time. He did not favor pushing her like he was, but he would have to be the one that did that for the rest of them as well. It was the only way they were going to grow.
While sleeping rolls were being laid over paired bodies, Leeteuk pulled up a rock chair and sat down, calmly wrapping the lit stone so that he could point a beam of light if need be. Kyuhyun's flare spell finally wore down and belatedly he realized he had said he would make that platform for the fire but perhaps it was just as well. At least the watch light he could cover and help to hide their presence. His thoughts were many and he had already come to the conclusion that if they had time, then they would all mature into greater power, but…with the world already at war, he doubted they would be given the chance to grow. A change would have to be forced. Absently, he played with the makeup of the earth in front of him, watching as the snow rose and fell with the rippling of rock beneath.
It was nearing the end of his watch and the others were still sleeping peacefully when a whisper of sound traveled to him through the earth. Curious, he placed a hand to the ground to listen better and in reaction, tore the wrap off the watch light, flooding the area with illumination. Immediately, four massive snow wolves pulled up short on either side of him, yipping in distress and temporarily blinded. Leeteuk screamed a warning and flung himself into the shelter with the rest of the sleepers who were coming to their senses. In a panic, he used his power to close off the front of the shelter, cringing when the impact of massive bodies reverberated in the walls.
By that time, the rest of the group was getting to their feet and Kharin asked, "What is it?" Her eyes were alarmed and wild in the light from the rock Eleanara had charged.
"What's wrong?" Kyuhyun demanded in the same breath, reaching out to grasp the arm of Leeteuk who gasped, taking great gulps of air.
"Snow wolves…I think," he murmured, still staring at the wall as more impacts sounded.
"Can't be," Siwon shook his head in denial. "There's no way they're that large…"
A scratching sound alerted them to something new and they were chilled when they all realized it was from the creatures outside digging. "Can they dig through rock?" Eunhyuk asked into the relative quiet, moving closer to Kharin who reached for him in turn, seeking some sort of reassurance.
"Looks like it," Summer frowned, alarm evident in her voice as she backed away from where the dirt under where the front of the shelter had been began to give way. Siwon grabbed her and pulled her back, letting them all see the earth shift in front of them.
Quickly, Leeteuk shored it up and held the light higher, making sure he didn't miss anything. The sound of the wolves growling outside was frightening in the relative quiet they were able to maintain. Of them all, only Eleanara had remained unaffected, lost in sleep. Mindfully, Siwon reached down and picked her up, holding her close so that she wouldn't get stepped on. Leeteuk continued to repair the damage inflicted on the structure, flinching when another body crashed against the outside. All of a sudden, the sound just stopped and they held their collective breaths.
Into the quiet, Summer asked, "Is it over?" The query was met by an ear splitting howl torn from four different throats. The reverberations echoed in the shelter and made the rock wall begin to vibrate and shake. One of the howls died out but the other three continued while the group within crouched and covered their ears as best they could, Siwon having the most difficulty. While they were distracted, the fourth creature threw itself against the shaky structure, denting the wall inward with the force of its momentum.
Eunhyuk and Kharin screamed as it came from their side, the wall beginning to give, and they pressed against those behind them. Immediately, Leeteuk was there, pushing the wall back out to the anger of the wolf on the other side. "This is not good," he murmured tensely, feeling the strength of the shelter wavering just a bit. Just as quickly as the howling had started, it stopped and they felt a moment of relief before a new rumble started. Leeteuk was the only one to truly appreciate the magnitude of what they now faced. "And that's worse." His frown was severe as they all felt the ground beneath them begin to shake and thunder from above come tearing at them. "It's an avalanche," he warned them, unsure if he would be able to sustain the shelter.
The ground beneath them began to shift with the increased rumbling and they all backed against the rock face that had been solid enough just a moment before. "Oh come on!" Eunhyuk cried, trying to brace himself against the walls to keep from sliding forward. Siwon had no such luxury and he, along with Kyuhyun, Summer and Leeteuk, ended up against the 'face' of the shelter.
"Brace yourselves!" Leeteuk warned, conforming the rest of the shelter to his will, maintaining one solid structure even as it shifted. As he struggled to maintain what he had built, the floor suddenly dropped out from under them and they were lifted upward and then flung against the back wall painfully before being dropped to the floor again.
A collective scream came from all of them, the fear stricken faces illuminated by the watch light that bounced around with them as Leeteuk fiercely fought to maintain the integrity of their shelter…the only barrier they had between them and the flowing, hungry mountain of snow carrying them away. The face of the shelter cracked, a spider web of fissures spreading across the surface as they hit something, the occupants thrown forward at the impact. The wall held but the shelter continued rolling over, the persons within unable to stop it. Carefully, Leeteuk made the shelter smaller in an attempt to keep them from being thrown about too badly and melded his limbs with the fracturing structure, desperate to keep it whole. Already, he could see blood smearing several of them in the flashes of light provided and he knew it would get worse before this was over.
He lost track of how long they fell…how many times he had to repair the wall around them… how much strength it took to hold onto consciousness. He had never imagined he would have to test his own limits quite so soon. It helped when he didn't keep his eyes open to see the damage done; when he just felt what he had to repair, whispered to him through the rock. While he was better able to cushion his own person, there was little he could do to help the others, or prevent them from crashing into him. Soon, even concern for them had to be pushed back as he was forced to concentrate harder and harder on keeping the structure whole. If it failed, they were all doomed… Abruptly, he sensed them in freefall again and he tensed, waiting for the moment of impact. The shelter met something hard and everyone was flung to his side where he was pinned beneath several bodies and at the same time, he felt the impact side failing. With a scream of defiance, he threw the last of his strength into making sure it didn't crumple and then everything went dark.