She didn't know when she fell asleep, and when she awoke in, what she assumed, was the morning, she did not feel well rested at all. Her hut had still gotten cold during the night, and she woke up around the same time the others did. Yun was the first one standing on his feet and to the door as a few of the others sat up with tired groans. Yun opened the door.

The air seemed to be still and quiet and then all the dragons, except Jae-ha were at the door as well, letting out 'aahhs' of amazement. Then, before even Yun had stepped outside, Zeno, Shin-ah and even Kija were plunging outside.

"Wow, you guys really do get a lot of snow." Yun commented, he sounded impressed and yet annoyed at the same time.

"Once the snow hits it keeps coming down until Spring. Usually we have no outside contact until then." Rensa explained as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes.

"How am I supposed to dig my way to the campsite?" He huffed, jamming his fists to his waist.

"You don't. Villagers are assigned to clear pathways from the homes to the road, if there isn't one they haven't gotten this far yet. Besides, it's buried and would be useless. We cook inside." She laughed at his mood. He turned and she gestured to the fire pit set into her floor.

He sighed and set about preparing to cook breakfast. Rensa's gaze drifted to Jae-ha in the corner. His eyes were watching her intently and his mouth was curved into a small smile. She smiled back and then strapped the wooden limb back on.

It took her a moment to regain her balance once again and then she was able to walk to the door. The snow was packed up to her door and then some. Where she stood the snow was just above her ankles, perhaps mid-shins.

The three dragons were outside throwing snowballs and tackling each other into the snow. Zeno seemed to be the instigator, and poor Kija was the target.

"How much snow did we get?" Yona asked, also getting to her feet and looking outside.

"Quite a bit." Rensa replied.

"Looks like we can't leave quite yet." She muttered glancing out to the town. "Do you think we can get fur-lined cloaks?"

"Yes, they will be handing those out now that the first snow has fallen." Rensa said, trying to ignore her comment about them leaving.

Suddenly, Yona lurched out of the doorway and landed face first in the snow. She sat up, gasping and looked back. Rensa also looked behind her and saw Hak leaning against the other side with a too innocent expression on his face.

"What did you do that for, Hak?" Yona demanded.

"I don't know what you're talking about. The girl right here was the one who pushed you." He claimed with a hand out towards Rensa. He kept his face innocent though she could see the sparkle in his dark eyes.

"I did no such thing." Rensa faked offense with a hurt expression and a hand to her chest. "There is no proof other than your word that I did."

"Oh yeah? Who do you believe more, Princess? Me or her?" Hak asked and made an obvious hand gesture for her to choose him.

Yona glanced between the two of them.

"Yona, I am sure you've known Hak for quite some time, and though you have only recently met me you were a good judge of my character. Would you think I would do something as mean as something like this obvious offence?" Rensa played it up, faking innocence along with the hurt. She shifted back a single step and waved a hand behind where Yona and Hak could not see. "Surely Hak is more suspicious than I, with his teasing nature."

Yona laughed. "You've got me there. Sorry Hak, I know it was you."

Hak was about to say something but Rensa spoke once more before he could. "Though I may not have been the one to push Yona, I do not take kindly to false accusations." She shoved at Hak and another pair of hands joined hers. Together they were able to force him to lose his balance and he tumbled out into the snow.

Rensa glanced up at Jae-ha, who was laughing, and grinned.

"Hey, I thought you were on my side, droopy eyes!" Hak exclaimed.

Jae-ha shrugged. "Sorry Hak, Rensa called for my help, I have decided to come to her aid." He looped a casual arm around Rensa's shoulders. She leaned ever so slightly into the half embrace.

That was when a well aimed snowball splattered against her face. She gasped at the sudden cold and searched for the culprit.

Zeno had an outstretched hand.

Everyone was frozen for a mere second before she jumped out into the snow and crouched to gather a tightly packed handful of snow. Rensa charged at Zeno and tossed the snowball. He attempted to dodge but it broke against his shoulder.

There was no holding back then. Even Hak and Yona were drawn into the snowball fight. Hak's snowballs were hard and felt like ice or rocks. There were no teams, it was everyone for themselves. Some of them continued to tackle each other into the piles of snow, a few would gather armfuls of packed snow and dump them atop someone else's head. Jae-ha even went as far as to grab her arm and twirl her in like they were dancing, and then smashed a snowball directly onto her face.

She wiped the snow from her eyes and saw him watching Hak carefully, who was facing him and bouncing a snowball up and down in his hand, determining where he was going to throw it. Jae-ha must have known because he crouched in preparation to jump.

Rensa took the opportunity.

Before he could take to the air, Rensa lunged onto his back, throwing him off balance. The snowball Hak threw hit him right on the cheek and ear.

"You deserved that." She taunted and stumbled to her feet as he stood upright.

"Oh yeah?" He asked with a smirk and that was when she knew she was in trouble.

He crouched and then jumped at her, anticipating this, she fell to one side, landing in the snow and rolling away. The snow clung to her cloak and dress. She shivered as she rolled to her knees, watching Jae-ha. He wiped snow off his clothes and then whirled around to find her. His nose was pink from the cold, and snow was embedded in his hair. He was about to lunge at her again when Yun called for breakfast.

She, and everyone else, all got to their feet and crowded into her hut once again for breakfast, it was warm, and she was able to sit by the fire before anyone else could take the spot that would have been hers. Yun handed her a bowl of something delicious smelling.

Zeno sat next to her as she took a bite.

"How are you feeling today, Miss Rensa?" He asked conversationally, accepting a bowl from Yun as well.

"I am well." She stated after a chewing pause. It was true. She was well for the moment. Though she could still feel the slight veil of tiredness somewhere in her mind.

"Zeno could tell you were not sleeping well. What were you thinking about?" He asked casually around a bite of his own food.

Rensa did not want to speak her thoughts and doubts out loud.

"You are sad." A soft voice, just above a whisper spoke a little bit behind her on her other side.

She turned just enough to see Shin-ah sitting behind her. He was not eating, instead he seemed to be looking at her through his mask. She did not know how he knew that. Was she being too obvious? She didn't think so. Was it part of his dragon abilities? She did not think that was the case either, because she knew his powers. He could only see long distances, and his eyes were a dangerous weapon if he wanted them to be. Perhaps he learned how to be perceptive, like Zeno.

"That is true." She murmured and her shoulders slumped slightly. With a tilt of her head to the left, she could see Jae-ha sitting on the floor in front of Hak and Yona, with Yun next to him. They were all eating and discussing something. Yona and Jae-ha seemed to be in agreement, Hak's deep voice would pipe up, and then Yun would sigh and say something that either made Jae-ha and Yona argue with him, or they would be quiet and in thought for a moment.

"The two of you have gotten close, haven't you?" Another, more formal voice asked from behind her. At this point, Rensa just turned around and found herself surrounded by three of the four dragons. Kija was expecting an answer.

"Yes, we have." She replied.

"The Green Dragon is different." Shin-ah noted in a muttered tone, or that was just how soft he spoke.

Zeno agreed. "He pulls attention to himself less now."

"We think it's because he found you." Kija explained.

Rensa glanced between all of them. "You're right, I think I've noticed that too."

"You act like you need him, but I don't think that's entirely true. He needs you." Zeno's countenance changed every time he was speaking intelligently. Like his playfulness was just a dramatized act. Rensa couldn't help but listen to every word he had to say. "All of us dragons need someone who will save us. We follow the Crimson Dragon without any regret or thought for ourselves. Our purpose is to protect her. Sometimes we become reckless, we can get hurt. Yona doesn't wish that, but it's in our very blood to put ourselves between her and danger. We do not die easily, but at times it is hard to fight to stay alive. The dragons need to find another reason, other than the Crimson King, to stay alive."

"Being needed is a good reason to stay alive. Finding another reason could be a burden." Rensa argued. She did not quite understand what Zeno meant.

He smiled patiently at her. "We love Yona, as the Dragons love the Crimson King, yet, we need to find a different kind of love someday."

She understood then, and that word made her nervous for some unknown reason. Love. She cared about Jae-ha and had admitted that outloud, and he claimed to return her feelings. Neither of them had used the word love to describe how they felt for each other. Yet it felt right. It was right that she loved him. With that thought came the same sadness and fear from the night before. Jae-ha was becoming distant. She could not see if he felt the same way. If he loved her, would he lie to her?

"I admit I am a bit envious." Kija's voice pulled her from her thoughts. He was staring down at his clawed hand wrapped in a white cloth. "Jae-ha has found another person to fight for, to care about. I wish the same for myself someday soon, I hope." He smiled wistfully.

The other dragons seemed to think that Jae-ha loved her. She did not know if she agreed. "I have another question." She changed the subject just slightly back.

"What is it?" Zeno asked.

"Wouldn't finding someone else to protect distract you from your actual purpose? If you are to protect Yona with your very lives, wouldn't it be harder if you had to decide between saving your master, and saving the other person you care about?" She watched each of their reactions. Kija nodded like he agreed with her, yet his eyes were sad. She couldn't tell what Shin-ah was thinking, other than that his mouth was pressed firmly together like he was unhappy. Zeno tilted his head, pondering her questions.

"That is a good point, which is why I claimed that we needed to find that someday. Yona will achieve her goals, and we will help her. Eventually we will all have the chance to settle down, to lead normal lives, and start families. Even I was married once, many years ago. Because of the nature of my power, however, she passed away and I was left to live on." A shadow of sadness fell across his features, and suddenly he appeared older than he looked. His eyes were deep and tired, like they held an old soul. Rensa supposed he only told people what he wanted to tell about himself. People were entitled to their secrets. Though, she was surprised that he had been married. "My mission just isn't quite done." He said the words with a low finality, and Rensa wondered how and when he had come to that conclusion.

He took a deep breath and then the illusion was gone. He smiled brightly at her. "Zeno is proud that the Green Dragon has found someone like you to love." He claimed boldly.

Rensa could not stop thinking about how Zeno had looked though, and didn't respond as she was thinking of what his life was like.

"What are you four talking about over here?" A humor filled voice caused her to glance up to see Jae-ha standing over them. He was smiling, and he had the sparkle back in his eyes.

"Zeno was talking with Miss Rensa about love!" Zeno shouted cheerfully, raising his arms like he had won a prize.

"Oh? You were talking about all things romantic without me? The personification of love and beauty?" Jae-ha tossed his ponytail back and touched a hand to his chest. Rensa stifled a laugh and Kija threw out some insults about Jae-ha being full of himself.

"Get over yourself Jae-ha." Yun grunted as he walked by and started cleaning up breakfast.

Jae-ha dropped his arms. "I'd like to go on a walk. Would you like to come with me?" He asked, gazing directly at her. The look in his eyes told her he was nervous, and hopeful. She wanted to go with him, and hoped and wondered if he was finally going to tell her the truth.

"Of course." She got to her feet and followed Jae-ha out into the cold. Small snowflakes were slowly beginning to fall from the sky again. Rensa tied her cloak around her shoulders and walked next to Jae-ha.