The Marshmallow Zone
"Snow!" Cara exclaimed happily. She stuck out her tongue, trying to catch a snowflake.
Richard and Kahlan glanced at one another, smiling, and then away; Cara was just like a child, sometimes.
Zedd scrutinized the falling flakes. Although, come to think of it, they were a bit more cylindrical in shape than flakes…"This is no snow," Zedd said slowly.
Cara, having just caught a bit of the not-snow on her tongue, sucked on it in a way that wasn't at all childlike.
Richard and Kahlan exchanged another look—this one not so innocent. Then Kahlan blushed, and looked at the ground.
"It tastes sweet," commented Cara. "Like…"
Kahlan bent, and picked up a handful of the not-snowflakes. They weren't melting in her hands in the usual way, either. In fact, they weren't even very cold…
"We've entered a Marshmallow Zone," Zedd said solemnly.
Richard goggled at him. "What?"
"I thought those were a myth," protested Kahlan. Yet she held the proof in her hands.
Cara smiled. "I heard Marshmallow Zones are places where no magic works, save its inherent enchantment of course—"
"We should be out of the worst of it by tomorrow," Zedd said reassuringly.
Richard and Kahlan eyed one another. No magic?
But realistically, how long before some poor innocent villagers needed their help—time to seize the moment.
"I'm going hunting!" Kahlan said quickly.
"I'll come with you!" Richard exclaimed.
"Just you and—" Zedd began, nodding at Cara, but before he could complete the thought, Richard and Kahlan had each grabbed one of her arms and dragged her into the bushes with them.
Cara, after a surprised beat, smirked, and licked her lips.
"—me," Zedd finished. He sat on a tree stump, popped a marshmallow in his mouth, and prepared for a long wait.