Location The Icewall Gates

[Olek]

Upon seeing the knife Olek smiles broadly. He reached a warm hand over and laid it atop the knife in Vespirus' smooth hand. He grinned happily and drew his own hunting knife. He showed her the bone hilt where the polar bear was carved. "My mother is here, on this side." He flipped it over and showed her the other side. A crouching snow leopard was delicately carved into the opposite side. "And this is me." He said happily, all thoughts of distrust diminished for a moment. He placed the knife in her hand while pocketing the money absent mindedly.

Olek thought about her offer and his cave out in the Northern Reaches. He looked at the sky and saw the storm rolling down from the north, frowning slightly. "Storm will be here before the moon tonight. Snow will be falling and will stay thick on the ground. I live in a cave outside the City of ice. But my cave may be covered before I get there." He frowned down at Vespirus, her eyes once again trapping his. Rolling his eyes away from hers so he could think he picked up his other pelts. "You live alone in this city of many people? I live alone also."

[Vespirus]

I live alone also. The words spun inside Vespirus's head. She had yearned for someone else to say these words ever since her father passed away. "I-If you don't want to stay with me tonight that's fine, but at least promise me that you'll go to an inn, or something of the sort, Okay?" Her words came out shaky, and she looked at Olek with her eyes changing to random colors, as if they were looking for a color that didn't exist.

She had never had many friends, never a boyfriend, and had never even thought about marriage. If just this one guy would be my friend, it would change everything. I wouldn't have to keep running away from people, because he would be there to back me up. No more worrying about doing everything alone, and no more sitting in my secret room reading for five hours, then crying myself to sleep. These thoughts filled Vespirus's mind until she had no clue what she was doing, then she remembered that she was waiting for a response from the man that was at least a foot taller than her. Taking a closer look, she noticed his features looked a tad more childish than her own, despite his size. Totally losing her train of thought, she looked back up at Olek hoping he would at least stay to rest.

[Olek]

The girl seemed very distressed as her eyes changed colors. Olek frowned. "I'll go with you if you're sure that is okay. My cave is miles from Avanthal, and I don't love the snow enough to sleep in it." Olek smiled, trying to keep Vespirus from getting upset. He put a hand on her small shoulder and squeezed gently like his mother had done for him after the Hunter beat him. "Don't be sad. The storm will be gone in the morning."

Olek looked around at the now crowded area and nervously back at the little Vantha girl who seemed to be able to completely ignore the crowd around them. She must be very brave around her own kind then. "So are we going now or later?" He said, waiting for her to take the lead in a city he knew almost nothing about.

[Vespirus]

"I think we should go now so you can get used to it. It has a secret basement I carved with my knife, you can't even hear a gunshot in there, come on!" The girl bounded down towards a small cottage, opened the door, and ran inside.

[Gromm]

From the cold emerged a towering figure, covered in thick hair and snow. Gromm, jamouran warrior, gazed upon the crystalline gate with great interest. It felt like a new beginning, a start to his tale. The guards gave a look of curiosity, it was not every day they laid eyes on a jamoura. He grunted at them and made his way through the gates. A warrior has to start somewhere he thought to himself. although this feels far from glorious.

[Kendall Saarinen]

77th of Autumn, 511 AV

It had been a long trip. One could say too long. It had not been boring though. The group had lost and found Hadrian for one. That much was an event all of it's own. The fighting and making up with Ethan was another, as well as meeting Jaiun. He was ready to have some time to just sleep and relax, at least for a few days.

When the blond made it to the gates, he could not kept but gawk at the structure. It seemed so surreal. On either side of the opening of the gate, two bears and two Vantha stood guarding the city. Since Jaiun had brought Kendall and his group to the city, he hoped that would be enough to allow them past the gate. Nodding to the guards as he passed, Kendall made his way into Avanthal, the Everwinter City.

[Nykko Lightstorm]

Wearing a cloak and leather pants, with only Morwen's Gift to keep him warm, Nykko Lightstorm arrived at the familiar gates he passed through every several days or so. With him, he carried his juggling torches on his steeds satchel. The air around him already coalescing with his breath around his face, he smiled big as he prepared to enter the walls of Avanthal.

[Aleir Steelfist]

Aleir saw the shimmering gates in the distance. He urged Kasha into a canter, whispering words of encouragement. The horse steadily increased in speed, seeming to sense it's master's excitement. Snow was in Aleir's lap, purring softly. The cat got up and stretched, the looked out toward the gates. Aleir smiled, knowing that the cat could only enjoy a few more moments of this before he had to get up. As he approached the gate, Aleir nodded to the guards and asked to be let in, which they lazily allowed. Now in the city, Aleir couldn't wait to see everything it had.

[Aurore Isatis]

62nd of Fall, 511 AV Aurore sighed heavily as the Icewall Gate finally came into view. Beautiful and breathtaking, she admired the architecture with appreciation. Even from a distance, she could see how much hard work must have been put into building the Wall. I can only imagine what the rest of the city looks like, She thought to herself excitedly. As she drew closer and close to the Wall, she began to get a tad nervous. Where was she even going to stay? She had no idea. And she had a bad feeling in her gut that the people of Avanthal might not be so accepting of her. Most people weren't, no matter what city she was in, other than her home in Kalinor. Symenestra were feared by most, and for an obvious reason: known for stealing women away in the night, impregnating them, and then letting them give birth to a Symenestran child, resulting in their death. Of course Aurore knew of this all to well, since her own mother was a Vantha... Which is why she was here. To find information on her. As Aurore neared the gate, she pulled her hood over her face and adjusted the spear on her back next to her large back-pack. She looked up ever-so-slightly to the two guards and their .. polar bears? .. and nodded pleasantly. After they nodded back without saying anything to her, Aurore entered the great city of Avanthal, pleased.

[Pathien]

32nd of Winter, 511 AV Pathien slowly approached the city gates. The fierce winds picked up his long, flowing white hair, and it washed over his face, blocking his view. Irritated, he fixed his hair, and then stopped short. He looked up and gazed at the magnificence of the Ice Wall. Every detail was in check, nothing was overlooked. It was as if a God had come down and blessed the piece of architecture. Although he had arrived, he had no goal in mind. This was the city that was closest to him, and he did not no what he would do once inside. He may even have to live on the streets. He stopped to look at the guards. He nodded towards them, and they nodded back. His face passive, he slowly walked through the gates of Avanthal.