Without contact and their squad officer, Sigma is literally on their own, but their original plans takes a turn as the weather begins to worsen.


Chapter 7: Funeral Pyre

The fire blazed brightly in the winter air as the smell of burning pine needles accent the cremation's aroma. The three Gears watch the last remnant of their fallen comrades burn into a funeral pyre made of rocks and tree branches that they were able to scrounge up within an hour.

Raven briefly watched from a nearby ledge but then turned away to continue looking out for anyone, or anything, that might interrupt their eulogy. She could still see the smoke coming from the fallen aircraft they detonated with explosives earlier that afternoon, rising beyond the tree line into the dense, cold sky.

The fire picked up the pace as the smoke began to lift further in the air, giving the fallen a final closure. The living, however, was going to have to move before the smoke drew any Locust attention, if it hadn't already. The Gears started to pick up their equipment as they turn to see Feral making her way towards them.

"We got a problem," she announced.

"A problem, imagine that," said Baird with a hint of sarcasm, but suddenly turned serious when Feral gave him a foul look,

Rolling his eyes, he recanted, "Alright Feral, what is it?"

"We have a snowstorm heading this direction," she reported.

"You're shitting me,"

"Go see for yourself, Corporal,"

Baird stepped around Raven to hike towards the ledge where Raven was looking out from earlier, and sure enough a dark horizon in the distance was on the move, closing in towards the valley ahead of them.

"Fuck!" he blurted out as the others pick up on the alarm in the tone of his voice.

"What is it Baird?" Cole blurted out as Baird quickly leapt down from the ledge.

"We need to find shelter, and fast," said Baird, turning his attention to Raven, "…I don't suppose you have anything in mind that is preferably nearby?"

"We follow the river to the Hurl Dam…"

"…but that takes us away from the drop point, Feral, and away from our objective…"

"There isno shelter near the drop point, and even if there was, we wouldn't make it there before the blizzard does. You said preferably nearby, and besides, there is a major Stranded settlement on the other side of mountain near the glacier lake…"

Baird lifted an eyebrow, giving Raven a glare of suspicion before she picked up onto his subtle hint of pessimism. Raven continued after letting out a large sigh,

"…the dam also has a long range radio…you may be able to contact command with it."

Baird turned his eyes to Cole and Sven as if he was looking for any other suggestions, but the two had nothing else to add that may have aided the conversation further.

"Well…I'm sold…how about you two?"

"Sounds cool to me," Sven replied with a slight shrug while Cole's face beamed with enthusiasm as he too replied,

"To the dam, baby."

Raven quickly turned around and began to hike, yelling over her shoulder while moving forward,

"Hurry…this way,"

The others started to follow as well, climbing up through the rocky ridge into another part of the thicket. As they entered, a light wind startled the stagnant air, a precursor of things to come as the storm slowly moved closer, and closer.