|| Frost bite ||

❄Of the outer World ️❄️

“The world isn't in our
Maps and books,
It's out there.”

                                           ❄️

The cold air of dawn woke Elanor up. She untangled herself from her brother's arms, and stood up, careful not to wake him. If he woke, her chance would be destroyed.

She needn't have worried. He didn't even stir.

Quietly opening the bolted door, she came out, and sped noiselessly along the corridor until she came the the large oak doors that were the main entrance to the building. Carefully opening them, she went out and closed them behind her.

The abode of the Niendúin was silent. So early in the dawn, few were awake.

This is my chance.

She knew it was crazy to it. She could get Rebecca mad, and that would mean a whole week inside the house. Most of all, she could leak their location.

But she had been doing it for quite some time now. Nothing could go wrong, right?

Not hesitating anymore, she ran though the small village, bolted over the outer fences and scaled the final wall before landing on the other side.

The pass among the mountains, through which was the entrance to her homeland, stood seemingly unguarded and open before her. None but the keenest of eyes perceived the traps that were set there. Only a Niendúi would know how to evade them.

Elanor turned left, and kept moving forward until she found what she was looking for.

The pass didn't open where she wanted to go. But this crevice that looked just like the other ones on the foothills, did lead to there, and in much less time.

Slowly she crept into it. It was entirely dark inside. But the path was straight save for a single bend that turned it even more westward, and she didn't need a light to see through it.

Running noiselessly, she soon came to the bend and crossed it. And after that, she increased her speed even more. The sun would be rising in just another hour. And she had to be back before that.

Suddenly the darkness of the Tunnel left her, and she found herself blinking in even the dim light.

Before her lay stretched a vast forest, of every kinds of tree one living in the north can imagine. Snow hung on the boughs, and fallen leaves littered the ground.

But that was not why Elanor had snuck out to there.

Standing up straight, she blew a shill whistle, followed by an wolf cry. Then she waited.

Silence.

Not even a single leaf seemed to stir.

It seemed as if there was no one who had heard her call.

But suddenly, just as a lightning tears the dark, stormy sky, five wolf pups came bounding out of the woods, and in no time she found herself laying beneath the oldest one, even as the others gathered and sniffed and whimpered around her.

She laughed as they jumped about her and the one standing over her licked her face. "Good to see you again, you rascals," she said as the oldest stepped down, allowing her to sit up. The smallest ones found a cozy place on her lap, while the bigger ones sat and wagged their tails on both sides of her. She affectionately stroke their fur while they whined adorably.

"Oh c'mon, I already love you, so you needn't show off your cuteness," she said to them, and the whined even more.

The youngest and the naughtiest one tried to run towards the open crevice, but Elanor cought him just in time and lifted him up by his fur.