Blizzard (From the World of Monster Hunter)

Part 1 - Houroth

"I don't like the sound of those birds." Ellen murmured.

She was sitting cross-legged as she wrote on her small note book. She stopped and threw her sight across the camp fire, but that man who sat on the other side didn't seem to pay any attention to what she just said.

"Hey! Sir Frey. You know what? I've heard a lot of story about this place." She declared; still gaining no response. She pressed her lips and grunted. "They said this swamp is haunted!"

The man sighed as he flung a piece of wood to the fire. Her grunt earned his notice. "I don't feel like to tell any story right now, Miss Elweard." Frey muttered, followed by a weak smile on his face.

She saw the sparks leaving trails in the air before they completely disappeared. There was silence in between; but deep inside she knew she had won. She put her book and pencil back inside her small leather bag. It was still too early to sleep; not in that place, not under these shadows and tall trees and all these sounds which made everything almost perfect.

I'm sorry Frey. It's story time.

Tree's motions, creek's flow, and the scent of damp leaves; suddenly everything seemed faded away; leaving that girl alone, humming an old song about the glorious time of Fallan lowland. An old song that could make anyone who heard started to wonder; what kind of misfortune that place had been struck by.

Her singing stopped after the second verse; but Frey honored her already; for valuing a heritage from a land which wasn't even a part of her people.

"I didn't know you can sing." Frey acknowledged her, though it didn't sound like one.

She squeezed her eyes and huffed in frustration. "I can't remember this part."

That weak smile returned to his face. "The moon shines on man's throne..." He revealed the missing verse.

"Draws Elune's stare on his crown." The girl tsked and smiled; she started to hum again. The song had been well known with its sad tones but Ellen hummed the rest of the song with her own mirthful rhythm; ruining it with the joy in her voice.

"I guess I'll take my words back. You are terrible."

"Then how about story time?" Ellen broke in as she grinned.

Almost three hours had gone after the sun set. Frey was tired he wanted to rest. The journey ahead would be a big uphill compared to that day; but the girl's eyes both wide open demanding for legends to be told.

He put his hands behind his head and leaned back ignoring her request. "Isn't tomorrow a big day for us? There will be hell, we might as well rest."

"It's your big day!" She exclaimed in protest. She crossed her arms and stuck out her lower lip in a pout. "You are officially a hunter, and I'm a scout sent by the royals taking some notes everywhere I go."

"You are sixteen." He huffed. "You don't know how lucky you are being able to be here at such age." He still couldn't believe it himself how someone that young could end up spending a night at a hunting ground a week away journey from her home.

She cringed and tutted. "That's what I meant. If there is anywhere I really want to visit before I die, it will be this place," And eight other places; and Ming republic in Far East. "And I'll be seventeen this winter." She added in proud.

"Then why don't you find it out yourself out there?" Frey scoffed; he saw that girl looking back and forth to the pitch-black around. "Anyway, you are too exaggerating; I'll put this in summary, this place is merely a big old swamp full of hundred years' ruins; nothing more; and you have no idea with what you've just said. People actually die in here." It was meant to scare her, but he earned a grin instead. He wondered why it didn't surprise him how a little story could instantly draw her in.