Submission (#4328) Approved

The morning was quiet, the sun spilling in through the frosted windows of the tavern. Cain sat up from his bed, stretching and yawning. Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, he slid out of bed to get ready for the day. He made the bed and packed his things before leaving the room, taking the key back to the innkeeper. He took the breakfast offer, eating again by the fireplace, contemplating what he would be doing today. He had to get further into Strynhalde, that was for sure. Eventually, he'd reach Ahza, but he was content in exploring the cold tundra.

Finishing his plate, Cain stood from the chair and said his thanks before heading out the door. The snow and wind had calmed down from last night. The skies were clear and as blue as the waters around Palu'au. The kittom breathed in deeply, feeling the cold sting his lungs before he headed down the pathway through the small village. Smoke billowed from each chimney, an iconic look of all the snow-covered roofs. Soon he was out of the village and out in the open, a forest to his left and the vast fields to his right. The crunch of the snow under his feet was comforting in a way, he didn't feel alone.

After a while, Cain found a little shelter for those traveling the parts. A bench with an overhang to keep the snow out. He figured he would sit and eat a little snack to regain his energy.

As he nibbled on a cookie, he peered out into the forest. The white bark sparkled as much as the crystalline snow. The leaves blended in as well, gems embedded into the branches. It was a fascinating place, he thought but wasn't sure he'd enjoy living in the cold. His eyes glided along the treeline until they fell upon something odd. It was snow, but it was structured as if someone was building a person. It looked old, yet he knew it wasn't natural. He never thought to build things out of snow... but perhaps that would be something he'd discover another day.

As he popped the last cookie into his mouth, he stood, shouldering his back and taking off down the icy pathway to Ahza.