Ni shuffled forward, crouching in the bushes. A dryad buzzed in his ear, he flailed a hand at her dismissively. Pip sighed somewhere behind him, Erseus just a little behind her. They had headed north, towards the border. It merged onto human lands, although it seemed more wilderness than civilisation.

"How much further?" Pip whispered.

"It's getting stronger." Ni confirmed, glancing back. He saw Pip nod. Ni was an excellent tracker by nature- he could detect life forces. The more connection he had to them, the better, and his connection to Isa stemmed back to childhood. Her energy was rowdy and stubborn and familiar, even with the expanse of winters apart.

He would not say it out loud, but he was rather excited to see his cousin again. He had lost his older sister, Anca, as a boy, an accident on a mission. While there was no replacement for her, not in this lifetime or the next, Isa had stepped up and taken Ni under her wing. He had missed her.

They stepped across the border, a cooling ripple of magic and then into human lands. The humans had no magic. The air felt empty and despondent without it. They kept low, entering a field of waist-high wildflowers. Ni closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. "This way." He breathed, pointing. "We're close."

They didn't have to go far, another hundred paces or so. The field sloped steeply, dropping away and then levelling out a considerable drop away. They lay down at the top amongst the plants. Ni pointed. There was an encampment, mildly camouflaged within the surrounding nature, and that's where he could feel Isa. He was picking up multiple signals now, several bodies in that camp. Two imps, almost thirty humans.

Ni turned, smiling. "Your turn, Pip."

Nidas sighed, puffing his hair from his eyes. He was leaning through the bars of his cell, swinging his arms, bored. The humans had stuck him down here, and he was absolutely fascinated with their methods. It was below freezing, and he could see parts of the machinery that kept the temperature so low. He was itching to take it apart and study it.

"Helloooooo!" He called, resting his head on the bars. The metal was bitingly frosty; all this cold was stumping out his fire and making him sleepy. "Heeeellll-ooooooooooooo."

"Be quiet, imp!" The shout came from upstairs. There was a set of stairs to his left, just out of sight. At the top, a bolted door, two guards outside.

"But I'm bored!"

"I said be quiet!"

"I need a wee!"

"You've got a bucket!"

"It's freezing down here though! I'm not risking frostbite on my-"

"Then hold it!"

"No promises!" He grinned. There was no response, which was a bit disappointing. He could hear some murmuring up above, trying to tune into the words. Someone laughed, a woman, sweet and melodic. Then a thud, quickly followed by a crash of metal on metal, a heavy thump on the floor.

The latch on the door slid upon, followed by several sets of footsteps on the stairs. Nidas squished his face on the bars to see better, although it didn't work. "Who's there?"

"Me!" Pip bounced into view, flourishing her arms. "And I do not want to know if you've got frostbite anywhere on your body."

"Mm, that's a shame. It's quite interesting really."

"Oh, you don't change." She laughed, shaking her head. Two more appeared behind her, armed with swords.

"Ni, you look as cheerful as I remember!" Nidas beamed. Ni glared at him, aiming his sword at the lock. Nidas looked to the other part of the group, smile fading. "Erseus." He said. Erseus frowned.

"Nidas."

Ni waved Nidas back and he slashed through the lock like paper.

"Humans are so boring." He sighed, sheathing his sword.

"Agreed." Nidas nodded, rubbing his hands together. Pip squealed, bouncing excitedly. "Yes, I've missed y- pfft!" He didn't get to finish his sentence. Pip slammed into him, her hair went his mouth, hugging him so hard, he was sure his spine had been re-arranged.

"Oh, you're cold!" She worried, rubbing his back frantically. "Upstairs, upstairs!" She marched him out, the other two trailing behind them. It was much warmer at the top. The guards were out cold on the floor, smiling contentedly.

Nidas puffed onto his hands, jumping to encourage warmth back into his body. He nudged one of the guards with his foot, blowing a raspberry at him.

"Butthead."

"They're not as squishy as I thought they'd be." Ni remarked.

"What?"

"When I punched them in the face. They weren't squishy."

"Why would they be squishy?" Nidas half-laughed, confused. Ni shrugged.

"Isa's this way." He pointed, leading on. Nidas fell in step next to Pip.

"Why would humans be squishy?" He whispered. She shrugged, touching his arm. "Yes, I am real."

"I've missed you!"

"Who wouldn't?" Nidas grinned. They rounded a corner, Ni hurried forward a few steps. He cut down a burning torch, shoving it at Nidas. "Aww, you shouldn't have!" He gushed, fanning his face.

"Why are you still so annoying?"

"I was exiled with someone equally annoying. We just bounce off each other." Nidas stuck his hands in the flames, lifting them straight from the torch. Energy buzzed through his system, dispelling the residing chill.

Ni threw the torch to one side. Nidas pouted. "Hey, I wanted that."

"Shut up."

"Make me."

"Just… eat your fire or whatever."

"Yes Mum."