Just a short, uncomplicated piece written during the recent snowstorms :)
Snowball
~*~
Imoen's favourite seasons were Spring and Autumn. She was no sun worshipper; during the Summer months she spent most of her time indoors or in the shade, trying to avoid getting burnt. The heat during that time was stifling. During the winter, as it was now, the cold numbed her limbs and decreased her dexterity. Spring and Autumn however were just right. There was a name for when conditions were just right; it was called the 'Goldilocks zone' after one of the stories that had inspired her as a child, about a blonde thief.
But now was winter. The redhead was wrapped head to toe in heavy wool and furs as she crunched through the snow, making far slower progress than she would if the weather had been just right. Still, it amused her slightly to lift her feet and see the perfect outline of her boot left in the white stuff. Looking back she could see all the way she had came, including a pot where she had slipped on some ice and made an angel as she'd struggled to get back up. It amused her even more to look at her own steamy breath and imagine that she was a dragon... it was a pity that she wasn't because then lighting a fire would have been much easier.
She dropped some more wood onto the pile and paused for a moment, gazing between the trees and the grey clouds and white fields beyond. She wondered briefly what happened to the animals that usually grazed there; she supposed the farmers took them in some place and fed them on hay. She then thought about the wild creatures, the birds in particular, those that hadn't flown south and had no roof over their heads. Imoen figured her party could probably spare a loaf of bread; she would tear one up later and scatter the crumbs about for the little animals.
First though she had to get this fire started, as night was drawing near. As she was striking the stone and steel she jerked slightly as she felt something thud into her back. She shrugged it off at first, but then felt it a second time. Straightening up and biting her lip, she looked around at the rest of the party. They all seemed engaged in their own activities, not paying her any attention. Jaheira was preparing some vegetables, while Anomen had gone off to relieve himself (it was still a mystery to Imoen what fully armoured knights did when they needed to go, but it was one activity she had no interest in spying on). Minsc was preparing a small box with some warm bedding for Boo, while Valygar was helping Jaheira prepare the meal, skinning a rabbit he had trapped just before the snows fell. That left Aerie, sat on a log and seemingly engrossed in studying some new spell. Imoen narrowed her eyes suspiciously.
'What?' The Elf mouthed silently, catching the redhead's gaze. Imoen shook her head... she must have just imagined it. The melancholic, well mannered Aerie wouldn't be chucking stuff at her, unless it was one of Baervar's feast days again (followers of that God were required to play a game where they threw acorns at their friends). But Imoen had checked and it wasn't.
She turned back to the fire, but then seconds later felt something cold and soft biting into her neck... spinning around she raised an accusatory finger at the Elf.
"That was you!" The redhead hissed.
"Wh-what are you talking about?" Aerie answered, wide eyed, trying to look surprised and innocent. She really wasn't very good at acting; she was clearly fighting to suppress a cheeky grin.
Imoen was furious. She was, she had to admit to herself, something of a hypocrite. She found it funny to wind up and play jokes on other people, but when the tables were turned on her she just didn't take it well at all.
Steaming, she scooped up a handful of the soft white snow and flung at the Elf, missing as Aerie quickly darted away giggling. This made Imoen more furious and she scooped two more handfuls and started lumbering after the blonde. Soon they were both exchanging cold white fire between ducking behind trees and other cover, although Imoen was taking the worst of it. Aerie's people lived high up in mountains where there was constant snow, and so the frosty wind had no effect on her dexterity or coordination as it did Imoen's. Perhaps it was being so at home that had allowed her to revert to the happy, carefree, and mischievous child she had been before becoming a slave.
Eventually however, when she was starting to tire, the Elf slipped and fell, presenting an easy target for Imoen to start pelting.
"That's not fair!" The blonde protested angrily, having just a minute ago allowed Imoen to regain her footing after she also fell.
"When ya' going to learn, Aerrers?" The redhead chuckled, "cheaters always prosper."
In this case the blonde learned quite quickly; while Imoen continued flinging small pellets at her, Aerie uttered the words to a spell which a caused a tree to shake and a bucketful of snow to fall on Imoen's head and for the blonde girl to laugh at her opponent who had fallen on her butt.
"So that's the way you want it, huh? No holds barred," Imoen said, shaking the white stuff from her hair. "Fine; let the extreme snowballing commence..." she grinned, summoning a blizzard around the Elf. Aerie responded in kind, and soon the whole area around the campsite was engulfed by twisting cones of snow. From a distance it must have looked like one those glass bowls you shake.
Suddenly finding herself ankle deep in snow, Jaheira sensed that things may have gotten a little out of hand over there. Leaving the dinner, she marched forth intending to bring the two girls to heel.
"Enough games, both of you!" The druid barked. Imoen turned on her, snowball in hand, but upon seeing Jae's serious expression thought better of using it. She and the blonde put their hands behind their backs, swaying furtively under the druid's hot stare. "Unless you would rather not eat, I suggest you find wherever you have buried the fire and get it lit."
Believing she had gotten them in order, Jaheira turned around to march back to the food. Imoen looked at Aerie, snowball still in hand and the two shared a shrug; it was just impossible to resist.
Jaheira stopped and straightened suddenly as the cold white stuff splashed over the back of her head. She turned slowly about, her eyebrows forming a perfect V and her lips contorted into a snarl.
"Who-threw-that?!" She literally growled, slowly. Fearfully, Imoen pointed at Aerie.
"Oh, y-you liar!" The Elf protested, equally fearful.
Jaheira was not deceived, but she knew it was Aerie who had started the snowball fight. She'd had just about enough of both them. Still growling, she scooped up some snow in both hands and charged wildly at them, throwing the pellets with tremendous velocity, and then did the same again and again. The two girls turned as one and fled from the onslaught.
Anomen stumbled back from wherever he had been soon after, emerging from the bushes straight into the path of a cold white bullet. Minsc too got caught in the melee and even Valygar after he had been struck several times.
It was some time before finally everyone gave up due to exhaustion and staggered back to where they guessed the camp was, grinning and giggling and laughing.
Winter, in Imoen's opinion, wasn't as bad as Summer. There was something about it that seemed to bring out the child in everyone.