For the AuguSnippet prompt "Blizzard"
Everything is frozen, a world of snow and ice. It is hard to make out the path. Geralt more senses than sees it. If they are still on the path. He hopes they are, for if they are not, they are utterly lost.
He looks up at the sky, his brow furrowing. Fuck, this looks like more snow is coming with no shelter far and wide, just snow and ice and bare rock. Perhaps they should have stayed in Toussaint? But they have to save Yennefer, there is no time to lose.
Muffled up in wool and furs up to their noses, they ride on through the high snow, the Witcher, the dryad-like archer, the teenage delinquent, the higher-vampire-barber-surgeon and the Nilfgaardian deserter who claims not to be a Nilfgaardian. The teeth of his human companions chatter from the cold.
When the blizzard hits, they huddle against an overhanging cliff of dark rock. The snow falls like a white wall. The gale is howling.
... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
Rays of bleak morning sun paint colourful sparkles onto the white shroud that covers everything.
Under the deadly cold blanket of snow, something stirs. A horse digs itself out. Slowly, it stands and shakes the white flakes off its coat - no, not a horse, a mule. Then a horse, and another one. The grizzled hair of a man emerges from between the animals. No, not a man - a higher vampire. Insensitive to both heat and cold, he begins to dig.
And soon, there they are, his comrades, shaking and chattering and frozen stiff with the cold, but alive.
How lucky they brought some wood. Not much later, there is a nice fire and a hot cup of tea for everybody.
Then they ride on, leaving the Malheur pass behind.
The snow sparkles in the morning sun.