The next day came with the surprise of thick white snow starting to fall before noon. Katsuki quietly cursed as he watched the snowflakes fall. He had wanted to evade the crossroad to the Kuri clan on a longer way through the forest. But with the now even thicker layer of snow around them it might be their horses death as they broke their legs on hidden obstacles or got stuck somewhere besides the steep path, least tumbling down. And it would slow them down unnecessary.

Their current mounts were not as big as the knight's war horses or carthorses, which could break through snow barriers with ease, and not as small and nimble as their mountain ponies which had no trouble hiking difficult terrain. Wanting to reach Windfall as fast as possible they had decided on those horses mostly used for message runners. Steady beasts with a lot of endurance but not good on difficult terrain, which meant they had to stay on the road in bad weather.

It was midafternoon as the dog pack gave them a warning growl. People were approaching from the front. The three men reined in their horses and looked around. To their right was a near vertical stone cliff and to their left a thick forest on steep terrain. They couldn't hide in there nor should they. Theirs were the only prints left in the snow and changing direction into the forest or turning back would only raise suspicion. They had to keep moving and risk a confrontation.

Shuichi whistled to the dogs. Blue and Moro stayed by their side while the rest vanished into the thick underbrush. They kept riding with Bakugo, having the heaviest horse, at the front to break a path in the snow, Shuichi in the middle and Eijiro protecting the rear. The two dogs were at the front with Bakugo having no trouble with the high snow and everyone kept to the right of the road.

It took some minutes till they could make out the silhouettes of about a dozen riders. Katsuki cursed as he saw the tribe signs. They were from the Kuri clan and a messenger from the Bakugo clan was with them. He slightly relaxed as they came up closer and he recognized the messenger to be Denki, but he was still on edge. Like he predicted, Denki had passed them during the night and it was possible that he met the Kuris already on the way if a messenger crow had arrived before him. Apparently the Kuris had decided to move fast not caring for their beasts. The horses were dripping sweat with foam clogging around their muzzles.

Their smaller party had stepped to the side of the road and waited for the bigger, faster group to pass them. At the sign of one especially big, blond barbarian with an assembly of blond braids the group stopped right before Katsuki in a whirl of snow and curses. Katsuki kept a blank look on his face but inwardly he wanted to scream in frustration. He settled on biting the inside of his cheek instead. It was the oldest of the Kuri brothers, Rokka, and a bear woken in the middle of winter was nicer than him.

"What is your business riding on our roads?"

Katsuki snorted. 'Yeah right'. These guys believed the whole mountain belonged to them and would rather keep any foreigners out of 'their' territory than let them roam after paying fees, as is custom.

Shuichi gave him a look, clearly stating that he should keep his temper in check just this once. In a sign of submission, fitting the role they had decided on beforehand, Katsuki lowered his head and moved his horse to give the younger more space. Shuichi took the cue and rode closer to Rokka, Eijiro following to stand besides Katsuki.

"A good day to you too, Mr. … ?."

Shuichi kept the sentence hanging waiting for the man to introduce himself but his cold stare stated that he wouldn't. The rude behavior made Blue and Moro pull up their lips, hackles rising and step in front of Shuichi closer to the foreign barbarians who were eyeing them with either disgust or worry.

Katsuki sharply whistled in a way Shuichi had thought him and the dogs listened but a second later. They retreated next to Katsuki, their hackles still up. It was Shuichi's time to snort and his former friendly smile was replaced by a look of disdain. He muttered quietly but still loud enough for the closest barbarians to hear.

"And this is why I don't trade with Kuris."

Speaking louder he gave the only person from the Bakugo clan in the group a nod in greeting.

"I hope the day has been at least somewhat good to you, Kaminari. When the hell did you slip past us?"

Denki twitched and offered a weak smile and a quiet 'as good as can be I guess' while Bakugo had to swallow hard. Ignoring the questions of someone of Rokka's standing was like a slap to the face and he knew the barbarian wouldn't take it well. And he didn't by the look on his face as he urged his mount closer to Shuichi, nearly making the black haired bend back as he towered over him. His voice held a dangerous undertone as he leaned from his saddle as far as he could without falling.

"You are from the Bakugo clan, right."

Shuichi raised an eye brown and scrunched his nose, while leaning back as far as he dared without slipping from his saddle. He fished in his cloak and brought forward the wooden disk stating he is in fact only trading with the clan. He left the second disc, the one giving him allowance to hunt gems in the mountains, in his pouch just to be safe.

"No, I am a trader from a village near Theres and had some late business with the Bakugo clan repaying a loan. Being the nice guy that I am I didn't want to wait till spring, least the loan rising, and hired me two guards to give me protection on the way. It's pretty dangerous out here."

He nodded his head towards his two companions with a sly grin and from his point of view Katsuki could see how he dug the tip off his boot into his mounts rips making the mare jump forward ever so slightly in a half rear, knocking into the stallion of Rokka and making the man nearly fall out of his saddle as his exhausted mount swayed in the thick snow. Katsuki bit his tongue to keep himself from laughing, Rokka wasn't known for being a good rider.

"My apologies, the beasts have been restless since yesterday. Probably want to be home rather sooner than later. If that's all you wanted from us then we will be on our way again."

With a snarl, Rokka turned his mount towards Denki, roughly grabbing the young man by his arm and nearly dismounting him. Katsuki's hand clamped around his horses reins. Never would they treat a message runner from another clan the way Rokka did with Denki. Besides the younger blond being his friend this was a behavior he shouldn't ignore as future clan leader. It was disgraceful for all barbarian tribes and he hated how he could do nothing about it. But he would remember.

"Are they telling the truth? If so, then I bet you can tell me their names and their profession. Should we make a quick test to see if they lie? Get a look through their bags to make sure they don't hide anything?"

With a quick jab Denki made the other release his arm and threw him a glare Shuichi didn't thought the blond could muster. He rubbed his arm, his voice sore.

"Stop this shit, Rokka. You have no right to ask for their names or hinder them on their way. Leader has approved of them and you shouldn't question her."

The look in the bigger barbarian's eyes was one of madness as he leaned over the smaller Denki.

"But what if I want to question her? What if I disapprove of the way this slut handles things?"

Katsuki twitched at the insult of his mother. He would remember that too and in the future he would find a way to sink his fist into the bastard's nose. He slowly but steadily climbed the ladder on his 'beat to a pulp or kill' list. Or he could tell him on his mother. She had much nicer ways of torture for anyone that pissed her off. Sometimes he was envious of her creativity.

"Then hurry up and do it, gods all bless. Confront her and not the people she keeps trades with which are miles away from her. Did you already forget why I spurred my mount more than one day straight to reach you? And then you drag us bag without so much of a rest and near to riding the beasts to death! Decide what you want already and let's get going."

Shuichi cleared his throat getting the others attention again and looking straight at Denki.

"Is there any trouble I should know of for trading come spring? All was well when we left three days ago."

Denki wanted to answer but Rokka blocked him with a slap to his head, giving off an angry vibe. His eyes were boring straight into Shuichi and making him feel more than uncomfortable. He had never met any Kuris personally and was always the last to judge people by stories being told about them, but this one might be an exception.

"When did you leave, you said? Three days ago? This is weird. By the distance you have come so far you should have left less than two days ago. In early morning I bet? Did anything interesting happen as you left?"

Shuichi made his mount fidget slightly, they had a story prepared for this. A low casted gaze towards Katsuki and Eijiro told him that they were hard put on holding themselves back. It wouldn't do if they lost it and exposed themselves. Fleeing from this group in this weather was impossible. They also had Denki to consider and performing more murders wouldn't better the situation. Though he believed they could fight the group if need be. Not that he wanted to.

"As I said, we left three days ago, late afternoon. I know its inconvenient to leave this close to dark, but I really need to get back home and with the full moon out we had no trouble riding some time during the night before setting up camp. In the end we simply overslept, didn't wake till noon the next day. The nights within the camp were longer than expected if you get what I mean and it threw us back about half a day. And me not being used to long rides or staying outside the cities ... it adds up."

"And there was no further reason for your departure?"

Seeing that the Kuri wouldn't believe them Denki had an idea and snorted loudly, not seeing the look to keep quiet Bakugo gave him beneath his hood.

"Yeah sure, like some people don't know how to keep their hands away from married woman."

He pointed an accusing finger at Eijiro, who twitched and looked back in horror. Katsuki had to bite the inside of his cheek again, this time to keep from laughing. He might want to stuff a handful of snow into his mouth later with the abuse, but currently he wanted to kiss the blond haired idiot for this brilliant idea. Luckily Eijiro played along. He whined remorseful and Katsuki hit him over the head careful not to misplace his hood by accident.

"Nothing happened anyway and I did apologize alright. Geez, how could I know that guy would hold a grudge this deep? I don't plan on coming back you know! I paid the prize in a beating so leave me the fuck alone already."

This story might bite Denki back the moment they entered the camp and the Kuri realized he had been lying, but Katsuki was sure his parents could handle it. They would find out who they were anyway later and it didn't matter what kind of lie they told now. Rokka at last seemed satisfied and without much more trouble from the other barbarians, besides the hateful looks, they continued on their way.

No further questioning, no leave-taking. They simply spurred on their horses again and vanished soon enough behind the thick veil of snow.

As Katsuki deemed themselves far enough away he leaned down, scooped up a hand of snow, turned backwards in his saddle and threw the snow right at Shuichi's face.

"The hell was that for!"

Shuichi tried rubbing the snow from his face without getting more of it between his clothes folds. Still sitting backwards on his mount one leg lifted onto its rear and arm resting atop his knee, the animal not giving a care in the world and continuing forward, Katsuki glared at Shuichi as Eijiro loudly cackled behind them.

"That was fucking dangerous what you did back there. Even I know better than to annoy Rokka on purpose. He is a fucking madman and we could all have been drop dead by now, just because he didn't like the color of our eyes or some shit. Some barbarian people are just dangerous."

Shuichi raised an eyebrow and 'tsked'.

"You mean like you?"

He was rewarded with another swoop of snow to his face.

"I mean it. You should have just obediently answered his questions. We are practically on the run, well you are since we don't want to involve you and the dragon into a possible clan war, we are just your temporary companions."

Shuichi heaved a sigh knowing the other was only worried. But he had a reason for getting on Rokka's nerves, even if it left him with a foreboding feeling.

"Exactly, we are on the run and don't want to be discovered. Behaving quiet and obedient would make us even more suspicious. Look Katsuki, the Kuri clan is disliked by most merchants and no sane merchant would simply bow down to their mindless ranting knowing they have the king and the barbarian leader at their back. Merchants are gamblers, they are nice only when they can make a benefit from it. No benefit, no reason to play nice. Rokka would have smelled something fishy if I had been as meek as a village girl instead of the rough coincutter's and cutthroats he surely is used to."

Still grumbling, but consent with the overall outcome of the encounter Katsuki turned forward again and concentrate at the task at hand: not to get stuck in the deep snow or have the horse slip on hidden ice patches. He moved his mount to the path the Kuris horses had made. It would soon vanish beneath the snow but for now it provided them with an easier progress.

Possible trouble arose but a while later shortly before sunset. Bakugo jerked his mount to a stop as he sighted a crow flying lowly above them and landing on a tree. It cawed at them and on its leg was a parchment of paper with the Kuri tribes sign. Katsuki cursed.

"Can one of you shoot it down?"

"Why would we do that?"

Eijiro gave him an appalled look while Shuichi eyed the crow with a slight frown to his face.

"Because it might be from Rokka telling the rest of his clan to pluck us from the road. Don't question, just do it."

Shuichi continued eyeing the crow as Eijiro tried to fumble for his bow. He knew even he wouldn't make the shoot, the bird was too far up and being intelligent it would just keep this distance. But there was another thing Shuichi could try.

Leading his mount past Katsuki and closer to the bird he cawed at it. He might as well show off his skills in whispering. His talent with birds wasn't as good as with wolves or the like and his skill regarding them slightly rusted. He just hoped he got the wording at least somewhat right. The crow regarded him for a moment before cawing back and taking flight. They all cursed.

"The hell? Did you insult it or why did it fly off?"

Shuichi glared up at Bakugo. It wasn't his fault the bird took flight, it was a messenger bird for fucks sake. He was surprised it even did decide to land close to them and answer his question. In some way.

"We might be in trouble as you predicted. The crow does indeed belong to Rokka. It doesn't know his name but on my questioning it confirmed having seen us as we meet with them, it is probably why it flew down to inspect us at all. Be happy it did that. But it didn't want to come down and give me the paper."

Katsuki raised an eyebrow at that.

"Obviously."

Shuichi hit his side lightly but the barbarian hardly noticed. He needed to think, not knowing what the message was irked him. They might try to continue on the road and face of against the Kuri clan if they were caught. If they rode through the night they might be able to evade anyone trying to rush them. No, he believed the clan would expect them to stop for the night now and pass by the crossroad during the morning. Riding through the night is what he had wanted to do after the encounter anyways, which is the reason they hadn't set up a camp yet. But the new possible threat of an ordered assault made the trip more dangerous than before.

They could also try to evade an attack by crossing through the forest and meeting with the road further down, way past the crossroad. But it would take all night and might kill the mounts. The weather only helped for covering their tracks. Time might be more essential now than trying to sneak by.

"How good can you communicate with your wolves?"

Shuichi had caught on fast and dismounted while whistling his pack in. They had scouted the area again.

"You want them to scout further ahead right? In case the Kuris decide to ambush us. How far should I send them?"

"Send one or two to the crossroad. Do they know where that is? Good, the other two should check the perimeter closer to us as we move. About a mile will be good. Moro can stay with us. Can they communicate with the distance? Perfect, let them warn us if anyone decides to move on our road. We will try to stay on the road as long as possible, best past the crossroad. If not we will have to make do with cutting through the forest."

Shuichi either nodded or gave Katsuki a pointed look at his questions and orders. Hello? Can wolves communicate over far distances? The barbarian must have his head in the clouds, but his plan seemed well enough. After whispering lowly to his dogs Shuichi gave a round off sharp whistles. All of them shifted to their bigger size and took off but for Moro. Eijiro gave a low whistle.

"I am not sure if I can get used to their shifting. It's scary."

Bakugo raised a brow.

"Says the right one."

Eijiro pouted while Shuichi only looked between them in confusion. It was a riddle he would love to unravel though he had a good idea what the secret could be and the reason why they kept it a secret. He decided not to push them … too much.

"If we are trapped with the horses we could leave them behind and ride on the 'wolves' backs. They can easily cut through the forest and no Kuri would be able to follow us. If you want I can also try to call for any real dire wolves close enough to hear me to come and give the Kuris leaving the camp some trouble. There might be other magical creatures around willing to listen to me."

Eijiro shuddered at the idea and Katsuki, even though being thrilled with the opportunity to ride on a wolf, preferred to leave the real thing out of the plan. Who knows if the ones Shuichi would get to attention were as reasonable as those he saw days back. Better be safe than sorry. They could still leave the horses behind if worst came to worst, but he would hate doing it.

"No, thank you. We can do without any oversized mutts help."

Shuichi shrugged his shoulder in a serve yourself manner, daring he would leave them behind if worst came to worst and they refused to mount the wolves. The barbarians were fine with it. In the end it was Shuichi who needed to escape, not them.

They made good distance, but Bakugo only had them take a short stop in the evening to rest the horses for an hour. They were close to the crossroad. He wanted to be as far away from the Kuri clan as possible come morning, even better if the current downpour of snow covered their tracks.

But the weather had other plans. The wind picked up and threw thick dollops of iced snow onto them, making it stick to their clothes and weigh them down. They constantly had to beat the frozen snow from their clothing and the horse's bodies. They had dismounted and the wolf hounds had to break a path through the iced snow in their big sized form for the horses to continue. Shuichi had managed to call them back before the weather got too bad.

No way would any Kuri still be out in this snow storm. Well, they shouldn't be out in this snow storm to begin with but Bakugo pushed them on. They needed to gain at least some distance to the crossroad which they had passed but an hour ago. With the storm raging they probably weren't further than a mile away, still too close for his liking, but the exhaustion was pulling on his body. He wondered why the witch hadn't warned them about this storm, but something told him it had to do with the spirits being upset. They were unpredictable in their own way.

It wasn't long before Katsuki heard loud cursing behind him.