《 The Elusive Dream 》DWTxOC

XV. Snowstorm

Tip was in awe of the falling snow. She loved watching the large snowflakes fall from the clouds. Dream hoped that he could see Snowchester soon or the blizzard might catch them. "⎅⍀⟒⏃⋔. ⏁⊑⟟⌇ ⟟⌇⋏'⏁ ☌⍜⍜⎅ ⟟⌇ ⟟⏁?" Ranboo asked. (Dream. This isn't good is it?) Dream was shocked he could kind of understand the language.

Dream shook his head, "No. No it is not. We need to find Snowchester now."

"Why? What is happening?" Tip asked, completely oblivious.

"Snowstorm. It will hit tonight and we will freeze if we don't find it now." Dream explained. Tip looked up at the clouds with worry on her face. The snowflakes landed on her reddened cheeks from the cold. A cold gust blew around the three bringing a wave of blinding white. "We should be very close." Dream said.

"⌇⊑⍜⎍⌰⎅ ⟟ ⏁⟒⌰⟒⌿⍜⍀⏁ ⏃☌⍀⍜⎍⋏⎅ ⏁⍜ ⌇⟒⟒ ⟟⎎ ⟟ ☊⏃⋏ ⌇⌿⍜⏁ ⟟⏁?" Ranboo asked. (Should I teleport around and see if I can find it?)

"No. You could lose us." Dream said, squinting through the whiteout.

They trekked through the worsening snowstorm as the sun began to sink below the horizon turning the area dark. Tip blocked her vision as she glanced around the dark land before gasping, "Dream! I see lights!"

Dream snapped his attention to flickering lights in the distance. "Hurry! Let's get there!" They headed to the lights as a village started to come into view. A sign waved in the wind saying "Welcome To Snowchester!"

"Head to the Inn." Dream said, pointing to a two story, wooden building as he took off his mask. Tip stumbled through the snow and then crashed into the front door of the Inn. Ranboo and Dream were quick to follow.

"Welcome travelers!" Said a short plump man standing at a service counter. "It looks like you just missed the storm. Need a room?" He asked as they shook off the snow that collected on their clothes. The lobby of the Inn was small. The service counter was across from the door with stairs that led upstairs on the left. A fireplace crackled on the left wall with two chairs around it. There was a bear pelt rug on the floor. Multiple deer heads hung on the walls.

"Yes. Room for three for one night." Dream said.

"Well I have a room with two beds and a sofa. Will that do?" He asked. He gave Dream an odd look as he studied his scar but Dream was used too it.

Dream nodded, "Yes."

"That will be two silver." The man said, reaching up to a wall of keys behind him. Dream brought out two silver coins and placed them on the counter. The man gave Dream the keys and grabbed the coins. "Your room is upstairs and on the left. Matches are on the fireplace. Enjoy your stay." He said.

Dream led the two upstairs and into the room with the number '16' on it that matched the number on the key. Dream unlocked the door and pushed it open. Tip and Ranboo followed him inside. It was cold and dark in the room. Two beds were against the right wall and a green sofa across from the beds. A fireplace was the furthest from the door. A window sat in between the beds. Snow and frost built up on the window making it hard to see out of. A few quilts sat at the feet of the beds.

"This is cozy." Tip said, her breath visible.

"Well it's not meant for royals." Dream responded, heading to the fireplace to get the wood burning. Ranboo plopped down on the sofa and started to take off the warm clothing. Dream got the fire going and the heat started to chase the cold away.

"Well I know that but this is new. I love it! Staying in an Inn to avoid a snowstorm. It gives me a new feeling. Pleasure? Comfort? It's kind of nice to just enjoy the little things instead of everything being over the top and expensive." Tip explained, taking off the snow coat.

"I guess there is a different experience staying in an Inn but you slept outside." Dream said.

"Yeah! And even that was a new and fun experience for me! Traveling is so much fun!" She said coming up to the fire to warm up.

"I guess I'm still getting used to you not having done these little things." He smiled.

She giggled, "This is way better than any book or story I've heard. Now I'm that hero that gets to travel around, seeing the world."

Dream sat down on the edge of one of the beds closest to the front door, "Well this is a little bit more extreme then a fairytale."

"Maybe." She paused to watch the fire, "I've noticed that you've been able to tell what Ranboo is saying." Tip pointed out.

Dream shrugged, "It's pretty easy to learn." Ranboo nodded his head in agreement.

"So what are we doing tomorrow?" Tip asked, sitting down on the springy bed.

"Finding the sorcerer and getting the compasses off me." Dream answered.

"That's it?" She asked.

"It could take a while." Dream said. She nodded and yawned, leaning back on the quilted covers of the bed.

"I'm tired." She stretched out on the small bed. "Ranboo? Are you fine there?" She asked, looking at him. He nodded and Tip sat up and threw the quilt at the foot of her bed and one of the two pillows from the front of her bed at him. She giggled as he tried to catch both but he didn't catch the pillow as it fell to the floor. He picked it up, put it on the sofa and started to get himself situated under the quilt.

Tip crawled back to her pillow and crawled under her covers. "Y'know. I'm kinda excited to meet a sorcerer if there is one here." She said lazily, her eyes closed.

"Hopefully there is one here and Wilbur didn't send me on some wild goose chase." Dream said.

"Mhm." She mumbled. Dream smiled at her. Ranboo watched as his aura sifted to a comforting gold color again. It wasn't long until she was snoring silently.

"⎅⟟⎅⋏'⏁ ⍙⟟⌰⏚⎍⍀ ⌇⏃⊬ ⊑⟒ ⍙⍜⎍⌰⎅ ⏚⟒ ⊑⟒⍀⟒?" Ranboo asked. (Didn't Wilbur say he would be here?)

"That is the part I'm worried about." Dream responded. His aura changed to a hard orange of worry.

"⍙⊑⏃⏁ ⏃⍀⟒ ⊬⍜⎍ ☌⍜⟟⋏☌ ⏁⍜ ⎅⍜ ⟟⎎ ⊑⟒ ⟟⌇?" Ranboo asked him. (What are you going to do if he is?)

Dream took a while to answer, "Well try and prove that it was him and not me that stole the crown. The whole reason why I'm in this mess."

Ranboo nodded, "⏚⎍⏁ ⏁⊑⏃⏁ ⟟⌇⋏'⏁ ⏁⊑⟒ ⍜⋏⌰⊬ ⍀⟒⏃⌇⍜⋏ ⍙⊑⊬ ⊬⍜⎍ ⍙⏃⋏⏁ ⏁⍜ ☊⏃⏁☊⊑ ⊑⟟⋔, ⍀⟟☌⊑⏁? ⊑⟒ ☊⍜⎍⌰⎅ ⏚⟒ ⏃ ⌇⍜⍀☊⟒⍀⟒⍀ ⎎⍜⍀ ⏃⌰⌰ ⍙⟒ ☍⋏⍜⍙." (But that isn't the only reason why you want to catch him, right? He could be a sorcerer for all we know.)

Dream hesitated to answer, biting the inside of his cheek, "Let's just get some sleep. It's getting late." Ranboo watched his aura before nodding and laying down on the sofa. Dream sighed getting into the bed himself.