Submission (#8117) Approved

A few weeks had passed since their adventures in Kyendi and now Harun and Jirai were visiting a region that couldn’t be more different.
The air in Strynhalde was sharp and fresh - each breath misted before it dissolved into the pale sky. Harun and Jirai had wrapped themselves in thick, colorful cloaks, the inside lined with wool and they huddled together. Between their paws, a steaming cup of dark berry tea warmed them, the sweet steam twisting in the frosty air.

They had arrived just a few hours earlier under heavy snowfall and now stood at the edge of the small mountain village - charred wood huts clustered around frozen ponds and gently plowed paths leading to bubbling hot springs further up the hill.

A few moments later, the duo rounded a bend and found themselves face to face with two familiar elnins: Greywind and Cinder, whose golden eyes lit up at the sight of Harun and Jirai.

“Hey you two! I didn’t know you were visiting!”

“Greywind,” Harun offered a respectful nod. “Cinder, hello. Yes, we wanted to-”

When suddenly, Jirai dashed ahead, shouting, “Hey! Think fast!” and pelted them with a handful of snow, giggling as the cold flakes landed in Greywinds braid and dusted Cinders shoulders. Harun was horrified and stared at Jirai in disbelief, who had already run off again to a small group of kittoms nearby. Greywind growled unamused and narrowed his eyes with soft huff, while Cinder chuckled and cleaned Greywind with soft pats.

“What a welcome. I see nothing can dampen his mood, not even the cold.”

[...]

Later that afternoon, their laughter echoed across the snowy landscape as they built a snowman near one of the steaming hot springs. The afternoon sun was shining, turning the snow into a glittery canvas.
Jirai decorated the snowman with stones and branches, and as a finishing touch gave it a jaunty scarf. Cinder sculpted soft mittens of snow, carefully perched on outstretched twig arms. Greywind watched quietly, then joined by carving out a neat stone nose and smoothening any lumps and bumps on the snowman.

Harun worked slowly at Jirais side, patting snow gently into place, feeling the crisp chill soak beneath his fur - but in good company, it didn’t matter. When the snowman was complete, the four stood back to admire; its smiling face lit by the pale sun and the rising mist from the nearby spring.

[...] 

When dusk began to fall, they made their way towards the hot springs. The ground under their paws slushed, steam rolling off the water like velvet. Wooden benches and stone hearths rested beside the pools and nearby, larger stones glowed on fire pits, ready for roasting chestnuts.

Harun and Jirai slipped into the warm water first, shoulders submerging in the scented pools that bubbled gently around them. Harun had put up his long hair into a bun, and sighed softly. Jirai swam around him, floating effortlessly and Harun couldn’t stop him from diving a few times, before the kittom had to stop; his head was already spinning from the heat and Harun gently reminded him to be careful, before Jirai darted away again in the waters.

Greywind lingered by the edge for a while, slowly letting the heat seep into his cold body before easing in gracefully, his long hair surrounding him in black strands, like an oil spill. Cinder joined shortly after and together they swam towards Harun and Jirai. 

The hot spring soothed tight muscles and numb paws, and the steam rose around them in wispy ribbons. Harun rested his head on the edge of the stone pool, forgetting for a moment the ache of too many roads traveled, the weight of memory - lost in warmth, mist, and soft companionship. Jirai returned to take a break and leaned into him, chattering about shapes in the cloud of steam, pointing out drifting flakes and little patterns formed by the glow of lanterns lining the pool.

Greywind watched in silence, occasionally shifting from one position to another, with Cinder almost dozing off next to him and placing his head on Greywinds back.

After a while, they all climbed out into the cold air and queued around the hot stones. They roasted chestnuts, turning them carefully as the husks cracked. Harun cracked his open and handed a chestnut half to Jirai. The kittom closed his eyes, chewing slowly, looking profoundly pleased. Cinder offered his own to Greywind, who gave a small nod before accepting. 

When the chestnuts were gone, and the embers glowed low, they gathered beside the biggest hearth. Harun leaned over the stone embers and poked at a piece of glowing red coal with a stick, sending up a small shower of amber sparks. Above them, the sky was a dusky gray, thick with rolling clouds - some dark as storms, some glowing faintly golden at their edges, backlit by the final rays of sunset.

Harun took a breath and let the world settle. The fire crackled, sending up hissing motes of heat. The air smelled of wood smoke and frost. Jirai clutched his small paws around Haruns shoulder, watching the flames.

Cinder leaned back, head tipped, gazing upward. “I’ll never get tired of watching the clouds here. They shift slowly, like something alive.”

Greywind just murmured a soft, “Mhm”, before wrapping his arms around Cinder. 

Harun nodded. He let his eyes drift from the glowing embers to the sky. Each flicker in the fire danced among the others. His shoulders relaxed and the world felt vast and small at once.

Finally, Jirai yawned softly, pressing closer. Harun ruffled his fur and looked over at Cinder. “Thank you,” he said quietly. “For inviting us.”

Cinder just smiled, that easy warmth in his eyes. Greywind shifted a bit before he arranged a woolen blanket around Jirai.

Harun felt a pang in his chest; melancholic, tender, like longing for someplace he half remembered. The whispers of the castle, the empty corridors, the dragonfly music box - the ache was always there. But tonight, among this laughter, soft smoke, warm springs, he felt it ease, softened by his friends and their supporting presence.

He lifted Jirai gently, carrying him to the shared bed in their small guest hut. As Jirai drifted deeper into sleep, Harun laid beside him, the thick fur blanket warm and snug. Through the window, pale moonlight drifted across the snowy yard, and lanterns glowed under the eaves.

Greywind paused at the door, offering a simple nod of farewell before turning into the snowy night. Cinder gave Harun a small wave with a soft smile.

Harun closed his eyes, letting the memory of the glowing embers weave into his bones. Though the ache remained, it was eased with fondness - for Jirai, for Cinder, and even for Greywind. 

He whispered to himself: We’re alive. We go on.

In his dreams there were no nightmares that night; only the hush of snow on wood, the gentle warm waters, and the glow of embers in a wild, quiet land.