What you seek is seeking you.

Tony cursed the silly lad who just wouldn't listen to him. The lad was standing right in the middle of the frozen lake, poised on the balls of his feet, ready to flee. "The ice is too thin, you fool!" he yelled again. Just then he heard a loud crack like a whip.

The ice had cracked right where the lad was standing. He saw the boy's petrified face as he fell through the ice and into the cold water. He cursed again and ran swiftly towards the large crack. The ice had neatly slid back into place, submerging the boy. He used his fingers to pull the slab of ice out, ignoring the numbing cold. He tossed the ice away, took a deep breath and dunked his head in the water, searching for the boy. He could see him within his reach floating eerily still. He caught his arm and tried pulling him closer. The boy was a dead weight and he just didn't have the strength. He couldn't do this.

Yes, let him die. You have watched others, just like him, die before. The serpentine voice in his head, whispered loudly.

He knew what the dragon was referring to, the Battle of Nioh, where he saw his entire army die in the cold, slowly and painfully. The memory angered him. Focusing inwards, he took a deep breath and heaved the boy from the dark water onto the ice. Knowing it was not safe on the ice, he tossed him over his shoulder and ran for the edge of the lake.

Thankfully the ice didn't crack further. He laid the boy down and checked for signs of life. His skin was so cold and clammy... there was definitely water in his lungs. A part of Tony's mind noticed the fine facial features of the lad and the wisps of strawberry red hair visible from under his hat. He rubbed his hands and arms in order to get blood circulating. The boy still wasn't breathing but.

"Come on boy, don't die on me now." He muttered.

He opened the boy's mouth and tilted his head back, so his chin was raised. Then Anthony placed one hand over the other, right on the middle of his chest. He pushed hard and fast, once, twice. The third time it worked. The lad coughed out water and sat up in shock, pushing Tony away. He tried to stand up but his legs were too shaky and he sat back down hard. Then he pushed himself up again and weakly started to run.

Tony signed and was just resigning himself to chasing the boy down in the snow when Tigliath came over, curious to see what was going on. The sight of the big cat bounding over the snow towards him, must have been too much for the boy who collapsed in a dead faint. Great, thought Tony. The lake didn't kill him but Tigliath's presence just might.

He walked over to the boy's prone form and looked down at him. Now what to do? I can't just leave him here to freeze. I could take him to the village... Wait... they are still skittish about me and I don't want to burden them with another mouth to feed.

"Come on, young fellow," he said merrily and lifted the boy onto Balthazar's saddle. "Today, you get to see where the Iron Knight lives."

He pulled himself up into the saddle and whistled to Tigliath to follow. He covered the boy well with a saddle blanket. Then he turned the great horse towards the south, towards his keep.