To Warmer Plains

Chapter 1

Kit feared she'd done too good of a job concealing her distaste for travelling company. After tolerating a few weeks of her previous company's insistence, she realized her protest would change nothing at that silent acceptance, at the least, made for a smoother ride. She'd even begun to acknowledge a legitimate need for the extra protection after the recent series of attacks.

That did not change the fact, however, that Kit Magnar did not particularly enjoy the company of or trust Black Ice Shadow. He was cold, distant, and unfamiliar. Travelling with Saros had put in her such a mindset that she'd come to expect a certain emotional detachment from those of Sidereal stock, but at least Saros had seemed like an identifiable, if a bit uncouth authority figure. Black Ice Shadow was a creature bizzare even by the Maidens' standards, an exotic and disturbing breed of heaven and hell. The pair moved quickly through the plains away from Denandsor on their first night of travel. Black Ice Shadow towered over her, and his long strides made it difficult for Kit to keep up. He walked at least ten feet ahead and rarely looked back, only speaking to her when he felt it necessary to remind her that haste was a necessity. Still, he was not curt, and their was a certain civility Kit found in his quiet darkness.

A few hours had passed into the night when Black Ice Shadow came to a poignant stop, eying his flanks with perhaps unneeded suspicion. He held up a halting finger to Kit, who followed suit. After a few seconds of silence, he turned with a gentle rustling of bracken.

"I think, Madame, that this spot shall be suitable for us to rest for a few hours."

He lowered himself by bending at the knees, keeping his feet close together. He pulled from his backpack a bedroll, deploying it swiftly and offering it to Kit with an open right palm.

Kit looked up to see the offering; she'd been preparing to start a fire. She was soon to set the dry twigs aflame with a mote of essence, but Black Ice Shadow quickly extinguished the heat with a lightning-fast wave from his left hand, keeping his right palm open and facing her. Kit gave him a quizzical, if not slightly disappointed glance.

"I'm sorry, Madame. No fire tonight. Please get some sleep."

Kit nodded; she now appreciated the need for stealth. She began to crawl under the thick deerskin blanket provided with the bedroll as she glanced up to Black Ice Shadow, asking a question she should have known by now, having spent time in the company of these times, was foolish.

"Where... Where will you sleep?" Her hesitance made it apparent that even she'd realized partway through her asking it what the answer would be.

She was sure that if his black cowl hadn't covered his mouth, she'd see even him grinning.

"I will stand watch. I have forgone sleep for some time in my studies, and certainly, I will be called upon in my future duties to do so again. It is a small matter."