[Elsewhere]

Snow covered the forest in a fluffy white blanket. It was fresh, having fallen to a depth of six inches over the last two days, making it next to impossible for anyone to find or follow tracks of any kind. Joshua Winter was not anyone.

Some people called him a Ranger. Others swore he was a creature born of the forest - an ancient oak providing his body, the earth his soul, the sky his sight and the night his hearing. Still others claimed he was a demon from the abyss. One thing was certain: he was no ordinary human being.

He looked ordinary enough. He looked about twenty, standing six feet in height with a muscular frame and honey glazed skin. Shoulder length sandy hair framed a hairless face dominated by sky blue eyes and a kind smile. Soft spoken, he was a hard man to rile, but once angry his bite was far worse than his bark.

"She was here, two, maybe three days ago," he said, kneeling over the remains of a fire. Reaching down he grabbed a piece of charcoal and rubbed it between his fingers. "She's getting weaker. If she doesn't find food soon, we should be able to catch up with her."

The two men sitting on horseback shifted uncomfortably. It was unnatural the way Joshua could follow any track, especially when all they saw was the remains of an old fire, a fire anyone could have built. "Why did she build a fire if not for food," one of the men asked. He pulled his heavy wool cloak tighter as the wind whistled through the forest.

"She needed to keep warm. She started the fire to keep herself from using her own body heat. She's a firestarter. Remember that, you'll live longer. If she uses her own warmth she grows weaker without food. From the tracks and lack of bones nearby I would say she's on her last reserve. Game is avoiding her. The stench of fire clings to her."

"Never mind her," the other man growled. "What about the shaper? Is he with her? It's him the boss wants now! She's just extra baggage."

Joshua looked up sharply, stilling the larger man with a look. Grabbing a handful of snow he washed his hands clean then stood. Stepping up to his horse he mounted quickly, pulling the reins to the right. The large stallion snorted, his black skin sparkling in the dim light of the day as he turned, his large ears folding back.

"He isn't with her now and he hasn't been for quite some time. You should know that. You read the reports. Five of your men have been lost trying to capture these two. The last perished when the firestarter burned out half a town. You lost track of her after that, which was why I was called in. I was the one that tracked them to and from that cave in the badlands. I was the one who discovered they had split at the wayward inn. If the boss hadn't changed his mind in the last few weeks to wanting the shaper rather than the girl, we'd have had her by now."

Neither of the men said anything as they guided their horses in behind the stallion. The boy was starting to get on their nerves. It wasn't natural for him to be able to track the way he did. Spirits, he even bragged that he could track a salmon, from its birth, to the trip it took to the ocean and back again. They were never without game, the kid knew exactly where they rested, fed and drank. He would need to be removed eventually, but they knew better than to try anything just yet. His skill with his ever-present crossbow was unmatched. His eagle feathered bolts always found their mark.

Night fell around the three, but they moved on, following an invisible path towards a village that nestled in a valley that sat between two mountains. That was their next stop unless the trail turned them away. The two men contemplated stopping when they learned that the pass to the village was still snowed over. Joshua insisted that the firestarter had been there only a day before them. Her trail went through the pass. The men wanted to wait her out, but Joshua was unrelenting, finding a path that lead over the mountain, a very tedious, treacherous track. He insisted that they follow it, confident that even in taking an alternate path they would catch up to the severely weakened firestarter.

They spent the next day walking their horses along a trail that was nothing more than a mountain goat path.

"Another day we should be looking down over the village to see if the firestarter and shaper are there," Joshua told the men as the trail peaked and started down the far side of the mountain.

True to his word, the small party arrived at the village just after midnight on the following day. The two men went into action, setting in motion a plan they had concocted between themselves during the trek over the mountain. In the quiet of the pre-dawn light, they set about planting explosive chargers that were warded to explode the first time either the shaper or the firestarter used their powers. The explosions were going to cause an avalanche to flush out their quarry. They cared little that the resulting devastation would quite possibly wipe out the village in the process.

If Joshua knew of their plan he wasn't showing any thought in the matter. Instead, he simply sat and watched, waiting for Mara or Carriac to show themselves.

[Mara]

Night fell slowly over the sleepy little town of Red Rock while two figures got ready to leave. Most of the villagers were already fast asleep, pulling their heavy wool blankets over their heads until early dawn would awake them once again. The fireplaces were stoked with wood for the night, as spirals of smoke skirted out of each chimney.

The dogs that barked and played during the day were now slumbering, dreaming of chasing winters hares and birds that flock there every spring. Most of the children were asleep; a few still looked out their windows hoping to catch a falling star to wish upon, others sat up in bed reading by candle or the pale moon light that filtered through their windows. Others dreamed of spring, with its green grass, smooth running streams and wild flowers that they would pick to bring to their mother, or someone extra special.

Mara had everything packed by this time, all but devouring everything in Carriac's house which included a few jars of pickled fruit that were hidden under the man's bed. But she left a few dry, crumbly biscuits for later, wrapping them in a clean rag before stuffing them in her pack within easy reach. Along with what food she didn't eat she added more clothes, gloves and another robe, but didn't offer to tell Carriac why.

She only smiled when he looked her way with arched brow. After checking the house over twice, she pointed to a tall staff that was wrapped tight in rags that sat in a shadowed corner. "You're not going to leave that here, are you?"

She wanted to ask him why he still held on to it, but decided to bite the inside of her jaw. There were by far too many memories that she had already dredged up just for being there, without having to add to them. Biting harder she drew blood, wishing she could take the question back, or wipe it from his mind.

Then her mind wandered like it did at times under stress, causing her curious side, her child side to slip beyond the folds of darkness and break free. Skipping over she started to grab the staff, to unwrap it like a birthday present when she was mentally slapped, causing her to stop and growl.

"That bastard thing should have been burnt beyond recognition, its ashes scattered to the four winds. Tell me to do so and it will be done."

[Carriac]

Carriac was surprised that Mara had so quickly recognized the bundle for what it was. He walked to the corner and picked it up, bracing one end of the object between his feet so he could unwrap it.

The cloth unwound revealing an ash staff about two inches in diameter. The surface was smooth to the touch. By its appearance there was nothing special about it. Its appearance was deceiving. Threaded throughout the length of the staff were tiny strands of adamantium. They crisscrossed through the grain of the wood, interwoven like the threads of an intricate spider web, making the staff much stronger than it should have been.

Carriac ran his hand down the staff's velvety surface. Its second peculiarity was instantly discernable. A feeling came over him, manifested from somewhere deep inside the wood. A palpable malevolence washed over his psyche. Something was wrong with this staff. Something had wronged it and it remembered.

"I found it in the town you and Traveler stopped in on your search for me. The one where the mules died." He paused for a moment, remembering the tales of the mass destruction Mara had caused as she and Traveler where about to be burned as witches. Mara didn't seem affected by his words, so he continued. "It was in a stable with a number of other things they had carried. I couldn't bring myself to leave it there."

"But...."

"I know how it affects people. I know what it does. I am responsible for its existence." He sighed. "Destroying it didn't seem right. It would be nice to simply escape my mistakes in that fashion, but I couldn't do it. Instead, I have been working with the wood, helping it to heal from the torture I inflicted upon it. It is recovering, but the process is slow. Much like my own. We are similar, this staff and I. I see much of myself and my circumstances mirrored in it. When I can hold it in my hand and feel no trace of malice, I am certain my soul will be at peace, as well."

[Mara]

"I know it well," Mara said her eyes narrowing as she gave the now unwrapped staff a hard look. It seemed to have changed from the last time she saw it, causing her eyes to widen for a moment. Then they looked up into Carriac's eyes, all but burning a hole right through him. "It has always been a part of you, since the first moment you picked it up. A part of your soul is weaved into it there," pointing at the silver veins of the wood. "May it bend to your will, may it grant you the peace you seek. But be warned! If either one of you ever lean back towards the darkness from which it was first spawned, I will not hesitate to turn you both to cinders and ash."

She turned away slowly, blinked then looked at Carriac questionably. Shrugging her shoulders she walked away, grabbing up her cloak, belting it closed before grabbing her pack up. She didn't mind the extra weight at all, what there was of it. Reaching for the door she stepped outside into cool night air and smiled. The snow under her boots crunched while she scanned the area looking for movement. Surprised to find none she stepped away from the door, allowing Carriac to exit his home.

"Lock it up tight. I think once this mess is over I would like to come back, to raise a family. Wouldn't that be nice..."

[Carriac]

Carriac ignored Mara's threat and attempt at humor.

He wrapped the white cloth around his neck and placed the shoulder straps from his two satchels over his head. He took one last look at his little home. Like always, he was surprised to see how attached he had become to the place in such a short time. He thought he would be used to it by now, how often he had been forced to move on, but it never got any easier.

With a sigh, he took up the staff and walked out the door. "No need to lock it. There's nothing here worth stealing."

[Mara]

"Not any more," as se rubbed her full belly and smiled. "I did leave one of your dry old biscuits for the family of mice that was living under your bed. Of course if I were them I would rather starve then eat another one of those things. I see I need to teach you how to bake, and do not try to tell me the widow woman made them for you. I had her stew...remember!"

She missed teasing him, watching him blush and squirm. It was something she wanted to feel again, along with his tender touch, with one or both arms around her she didn't care! With her arms stretched out she spun on one tip of her boot and giggled like a child without a care in the world, her wild mane of hair danced across her cloaked shoulders. Grabbing his arm she pulled him away from the door as if to play. She took his arm in hers and lead him down the path she came up from.

"This is nice..."

They walked slowly, both of them looking at the houses and small structures that Carriac had called home for the last few months. All around them was silence while the still of the night enveloped them. One or two dogs barked until they caught Carriac's scent, then they quickly laid back down, wagging their tails. Before long the dim lights of the fireplaces that happened to peak out of the windows faded, leaving them all alone in the still, cool night.

Or so they thought....

[Rhea]

Rhea shivered uncontrollably. She thought she was used to the cold weather, but this night had proven her wrong. She was used to sleeping at night in a bed with a warm down comforter and a pan of hot rocks at her feet. She was not used to sitting still, her back against a cold boulder without the benefit of a fire. The wind chose that moment to pick up again and she was forced to hunker down against the boulder to avoid the chill.

She wondered again at the wisdom of what she was doing. She hadn't ever traveled before, so she wasn't even sure she had brought sufficient provisions. Her parents were sure to be worried sick when they saw her hastily scribbled note. They would probably send out a search party, but by then it would be too late, or so she hoped. Was it worth the worry? She believed it was. She wasn't meant to be stuck in this small village her whole life. She was meant to experience greater things. The appearance of Carriac in her life had made that all too clear. Fate had sent him to set her free, and now that he was leaving, she knew her own time had come.

The question was would he have her along?

Not if she approached him about it. Not if she asked. Rhea knew him well enough to be certain of it, hence, the reason she sat here in the cold at the start of the path up to the pass. Carriac was sure to come this way - it was the only way out of the valley - and she would simply follow him until they had come too far for him to send her back alone.

That was the plan, anyway. She wondered now if she would survive long enough for him to reach her.

She needn't have worried. Not five minutes later the moon revealed a pair of people making their way up the road from the village. She recognized Carriac instantly from the way he carried his staff. The other figure was not doubt his elven lover.

Rhea shifted herself around the boulder so as to be out of view and waited for the pair to pass.

[Mara]

Mara remained quiet as they walked, her arm circled around Carriac's while she rested her head on his shoulder. The night air was cool, almost refreshing but she pulled her cloak tighter around her before pulling her hood up. Even with a full stomach and some supplies in her pack she knew that staying long was out of the question. Cold and heat were mortal enemies but she didn't want to disappoint Carriac. If he would have asked her to stay she would have, but not for long.

"We'll be coming to the pass soon," she said breaking the silence between them. "I....I'll open it up for the village. It's the least I can do, seeing how they helped you during you trying time."

She glanced around, her senses picking up another presence near by, but was unsure who it was until she spotted a whisper of vapor slipping up behind boulders that sat along the trail. Her lips curled up in a small bow before reaching up to play with Carriac's ear, causing him to turn his head toward her.

"I think we should pick up our pace. I want to get through the pass before morning," her steps becoming lighter, while she all but pulled him past the boulders. She did glance back, catching something shifting in the darkness. She laughed softly knowing who it was by her scent.

Rhea!

"So," Mara thought, "She wishes to come along after all. Won't Carriac be surprised? I hope she's prepared for this little adventure. She reminds me of someone..." but her attention quickly fell back to Carriac.

"You've very quiet. Is there anything wrong?"

[Carriac]

Carriac started walking faster, realizing that he had, in fact, been dragging his feet a little over the last quarter mile or so. Red Rock had grown on him over the winter and he was sad to have to leave such good people. Especially Rhea.

"Sorry. I was thinking about what you just said. I don't know that it's such a good idea for you to open the pass. Obviously, the snows must be waning due to the lateness of the season, but it will take a tremendous amount of energy for you to clear them entirely. Doing so will leave you drained and as a result put a severe dent into our already meager provisions, not to mention leave us open to attack from our assassin friends. All in all, I'd say it would be wiser to simply make a trail for us, and if it closes in again as it did on your way in, the pass will still clear out faster that it would have otherwise."

He didn't feel the need to add that if the pass remained closed, Rhea would be forced to wait before trying to follow them. He didn't doubt that she would make the attempt; she was too stubborn not to try. Part of him wanted to follow Mara's suggestion from earlier and simply take her with them. At least that way he could keep an eye on her. The more practical side argued that she would be in more danger with the assassins on their tails than she would be from wandering the countryside alone for a few weeks. As stubborn as she was, Rhea was unused to travel and would probably give up after not being able to find him and return home.

[Rhea]

Rhea watched as surreptitiously as possible as Carriac and the elf woman passed by her hiding place and continued up the trail. They were talking amongst themselves, but their words were two quiet to make out.

"Probably discussing how many kids they should have," she murmured as she saw the pair crest a small rise, passing out of view. She scooped her pack from the ground and stood, stretching this way and that to ease the stiffness in her limbs. Then she donned the pack and headed after them. She tried her best to stay far enough back that she wouldn't be noticed.

[Mara]

Looking up Mara smiled into Carriac's eyes. "I didn't know you still worry about me," she laughed softly. "But you're right, it would drain me if I cleared the pass, but it would be worth it, if I could help the villagers in some way. After all, they've taken pretty good care of you."

She glanced back after hearing footsteps falling in behind her, the sound of snow crunching under foot caused her to quickly look forward again, so as not to startle Carriac. She wondered how long it was going to take for him to sense her near. Perhaps, she thought, his mind was elsewhere, or he was too busy looking straight ahead to notice that they would soon have company. She would have to be careful this time when she cut her way through the pass so that the snow and ice would not collapse around Rhea.

"Well we're here," she said at last looking up at a large wall of snow and ice that sloped towards them. Any sign of her trail was gone, the days sunlight, or more snow slipping down from the snow capped peaks might have covered it back. No matter though, she would once again cut yet another path, a tunnel of ice and snow through the pass, this time keeping it from falling in behind her. No she would have to be more careful, more alert.

"Isn't it beautiful," she asked. There was something abut the way the snow sloped up from the pass, as if a large hand had carved it from solid stone, then filled it in with snow that seemed o sparkle under the moonlight. She turned back to say something, to ask Carriac for help when she spotted Rhea coming up on them. She had guessed with her head down, she didn't know that they had stopped. A soft smile crept across her face as the child grew closer.

"Carriac," she said aloud, "Didn't you tell Rhea to meet us here? She must be running late," all the while she was trying to keep a straight face.

[Carriac]

"What? You know I didn't tell Rhea to...." His voice trailed off as he looked back and saw the girl coming up the hill behind him. "Ah, smeg."

[Rhea]

All of this walking wasn't good on Rhea's feet. Her boots were warm and dry - you didn't live in a mountain range with severe winters and not know how to dress properly - but she had only ever used them to walk around the village, not to go traipsing around the mountain. She could feel a blister coming on and she had only walked a couple of miles. She knew that walking on rock would be harder on her feet than walking on the snow, so she took care in placing her steps. This became more difficult as she approached the pass and she was forced to spend more time watching the ground than where she was going.

So it was that she looked up to find that Carriac and the elf woman had stopped before the pass with her standing there in front of them with no cover. She berated herself for her stupidity. Only two miles out from the village and she was already caught. Well, there was nothing for it now. Squaring her shoulders, Rhea closed the distance between them.

As she neared the pair the moon slipped from behind a cloud, illuminating their faces. The elf woman looked amused. Funny, that. Rhea would have thought she would be angry at another woman following Carriac. Rhea looked from her to Carriac and swallowed hard. Carriac looked angry enough for the both of them.

"What do you think you're doing?" Carriac's voice was harsh and demanding. It set Rhea back a step. She had never heard him talk in that tone before.

"I - I'm coming with you."

"You most certainly are not! You're going to turn yourself around and go home this instant."

No, she hadn't heard the tone from Carriac, but she had heard it coming from the mouths of adults as they addressed children all their lives. Rhea bristled at the implication that Carriac, her teacher, the man she had come to adore in six short months, thought her a child. She straightened and stepped up close enough so that she could look the man in the eye.

"I will not! Contrary to what you might think, I am perfectly capable of making my own decision. I can weigh the options as well as you can and I have decided that I'm coming with you. You can raise your voice and spit and sputter all you like, but I will no go away."

He opened his mouth to reply, but Rhea cut him off. "You appointed yourself my teacher, told me that I had a talent developing inside me that you could help me master. You begin my instruction and then decide to abandon me because a long lost friend show up at your door? Well, I'm not about to be left behind, Carriac, not after you've opened my eyes to what my life has the possibility to become. I'm coming with you and you're going to keep your promise!"

Rhea could see her words working on him, as well they should. Carriac was an honest, honorable man and she had just thrown that in his face. She knew he wouldn't be able to argue against her, which is why it didn't surprise her when he appealed to his friend.

"Mara, please, tell her how dangerous this is going to be."

Rhea turned and glared at the elf woman, trying to intimidate her through sheer force of will. Unfortunately, it was readily apparent that she'd made a mistake.

[Mara]

Mara was laughing inside while listening to Rhea give Carriac all kind of hell for trying to leave her behind. She understood exactly how the child felt for Carriac tried to do the same thing to her when they first met. She was just about to remind him of that fact when the girl turned and gave her a look. Eyes narrowed, lips drew taut as she stared back before speaking.

"She's your student! No matter what I say, or how I feel about this matter, it's not going to change the outcome. She's just going to end up following us anyway until either we stop and let her catch up or some wild beast eats her. It's your choice Carriac, so don't ask me, or even look to me for help on this. You, and you alone, hold her fate in your own hands. You're the teacher, she's the student and you're both as stubborn as a pair of mules."

Turning on the heels of her boots her eyes flared red. "Now you two can stand here and argue into you're all blue from the cold. Me, I'm going to get us the hell out of here, and hopefully by that time you two will have your differences worked out."

Suddenly both of her arms ignited into bright orange flames. Holding them straight out the flames quickly turned into one large torch, blasting a large tunnel into the snow. Large vapors of steam rose up around them, bathing them in warm moist before they heard a series of explosions that shook the ground.

"WHAT IN BLUE BLAZES..." Mara screamed as a deep rumble drowned out her voice. Looking up, all she could see was a large cloud of snow sweeping towards them at a high rate of speed. Trees were heard snapping and shattering like toothpicks as the avalanche headed straight down, threatening to bury them and the village.

"AH SMEG!"

(to be continued...)