The never realm. Time and date unknown.
A figure moved along the icy path through the woods. A hunter if anyone was around to look. Unlikely as the bitter cold was out in force even during the midday sun. Colder than natural. Colder than it should ever be. Even in an icy hole such as this the figure thought, this cold can't be right. Scanning the path ahead the figure saw the frozen creek up ahead. Halfway home. Carrying the heavy pack on back, the smaller bundle strapped tightly to the front. A bow also across the back with the quiver of well fletched arrows on the hip. In hand was an ax, curved and sharp. With designs across it. This figure looked like it set out to be ready for the harshest environments and come out on top.
The path through the woods did not open far but a small opening in the thick brush showed the creek ahead, frozen solid. All the way down to the rocks and dirt below.
The figure paused then to push the hood of the coat back slightly. Revealing a young woman. Her hair was brown but braided back and away from her face. She bent her neck to the bundle carried tight to her chest. And poked her nose to the tiny pink nose of the very small baby the bundle of glossy fur held. Smiling as the baby let out the faintest coo to let her know it was awake. "Almost home" she said quietly.
Hoping down the bank of the creek the young woman crossed with no fear of falling through the ice. It was simply far to cold for water to remain liquid here. "Exactly why we came here my wee pumpkin" she said to the bundled baby. "No fresh water for those freaks to hide in and wet their gross heads in." A dark memory flashing across her face. I do miss home she thought. There was nothing to compare to the beauty of Caledonia in the spring. Or the warmth of a winter in Djinjago. "No going home now" she said with a sigh. "Caledonia is no longer safe thanks to those watery monsters. And Djinjago and everyone I ever knew is gone."
Reaching the other side of the creek the young woman made it up the bank in a smooth jump. Looking behind her she extended her mittened hand and gestured at the snowy tracks made behind her. A dark bluish purple light glowed and moved like slow fire. Magic. And all the footprints in the snow and any trace of the young women and the bundle she carried disappeared. "Even if those monsters can't get us here does not mean other creatures can't, you must remember that little one." The young woman sighed again. "I wish the fates haven't been so cruel and inter fearing, so I could raise you like any other child with a huge family that loves you as much as I do."
Moving on the woman was lost in thought. Only stopping slightly to erase the tracks, to listen to the woods and to check on the bundle. Nothing out of the ordinary for a quick hunting trip. That was until the air burned with a resounding crack and a pile of rock and ruble landed directly in her path. Startling the women and causing the baby to scream. Throwing up a shield with her hand the young woman looked around quickly. Checking to make sure it was not a diversion. Calming the baby for a moment, she lowered the shield slightly to look at the pile of ruble. It's was block and bricks both red and gray in color. And wet. Wet with what she thought.
"Ugh, it looks like a pile of meat" she grimaced.
A pile of meat that's still moving she noticed with another jump. Throwing the shield up as strongly as before. What sick joke of the fates is this now she thought.
When nothing happened she looked closely at the pile of meat, no the human. Kicking some ruble aside she examined the face half covered in gore and long hair. I know this face she thought. The person then moaned slightly. Both letting the young woman know it was alive a female. Small, smaller and much more fine boned and also younger than herself. The young woman was shocked to realize she knew exactly who the bloody mess was. "The fates must be having a freaking field day with me today" she said exasperated. "Because I really, really thought you were dead.
The young woman's mind turned to what she must do. A quick healing spell closed most of the horrible wounds. She also cleaned the gore and blood off as well. Knowing she must or risk some wild creature catching it and flowing the now three of them home. Grabbing the back of the collar of the unmoved girl the young woman set off for home at the fastest pace possible. Using her free hand that clutched the ax to cover all tracks immediately. Knowing she had to get home to finish healing the girl and to keep them both safe. No not both she thought with a smile. All three of them. She was filled with more joy than she had felt in months. For a chance something was going right.
