Lady Coldheart

Ice Breaker

Aurora rose, slowly, disdain replaced with cold wrath. "You are lucky your loyal dog was there to stop you, Druid. If it is a fight that you want, I gladly accept your challenge. Go ahead. Whisper to the wind. Bring the mountain itself down around me. Call the dire wolves, the snow bears, the ice sabers."

She paused, waiting. "Well? Is that it? Not flocks descending upon me? If I am wrong, prove it. Until then, do not dare to compare yourself with us."

Auryon glared back at her, and for a moment, all was silent. "I understand your anger, Aurora. It is never easy to accept change. I may not be able to command nature, as my people did....but do not take my lack of training for weakness."

As she spoke, snow fell faster around them. It was not snow that fell from the sky upon Aurora's head. A gyrfalcon descended from the sky, wingbeats masked by the whistling of the wind. It swooped low, letting out a soft, lilting cry. An instant later, a white blob splatted on Aurora's head.

"You dare," Aurora shrieked, as the gyrfalcon landed on Auryon's shoulder and began preening.

"You were the one who dared me. There are very few things I take offense to. Insult me as much as you like, but do not slander my companions or my clan."

Before Aurora could issue a retort, there was a cough from the back of the group. Turning, they saw the Doctor raising a hand.

"Excuse me, Ladies," he called out in a jovial tone, "But there seems to be a storm of sorts heading towards us. The oncoming flurries may make it difficult to see the path. Now, I don't know about the rest of you, but I would rather not fall to my death. It's rather painful, not to mention messy. May I propose that we do as our roguish friend suggested and take shelter in the cave?"

Adrian, to this point, had been watching the catfight with undisguised glee.

At the Doctor's comment, however, he let out a whoop. "All right! Someone's got some sense. Let's go."

"Wait," Ghislain stood up, stretching an arm out to block Adrian. "That mist. Something's not right. We're upwind of them, so I can't smell anything, but..."

They all stopped, squinting in the direction of the mist cloud that was rapidly approaching.

Lucien tightened his grip on the hilt of his sword.

"If the wind is blowing away from us," he said quietly, "How is the storm headed straight for us? Magic?"

He gave a pointed look at Auryon.

She shrugged "Not me. And whatever it is, it's natural. The land doesn't feel wrong."

The gyrfalcon flapped its wings and pecked at her ear.

"Ow! You'll get your payment in a minute. Little busy at the moment."

The Doctor coughed. "Actually, it just said that you were an idiot."

Auryon froze, staring at him. "You can speak bird?"

He adjusted the goggles on his mask. "I've picked up a few dialects. Raven and crow. A bit of pigeon. Falcon is much....harsher? But the word for idiot is universal."

The falcon cocked its head, making low ghiii ghiiii ghiiii.

The Doctor shook his head.

"I'm sorry," he apologized. "I'm afraid I don't understand you, my good fellow."

It puffed up, then took off. Auryon turned pale.

"I may not understand the words, but I understand fear, and warning. It's not the mist we have to worry about. It's what's in the mist."