Ashes of Love and War - TodoMomo

||Chapter 31 ~ Part 1||

Silver snowflakes drifted down from a woolen gray sky to kiss the tip of Shouto's nose and cheeks.

The mountain was silent. A strong wind from the night before tore the leaves from the remaining deciduous trees, leaving the earth covered with a thin layer of branches. The dead foliage crunched underneath Shouto's sandals with each step.

It had been three days since the group had parted ways. Jirou and Kaminari left to visit Tokoyami. And Kendo and Tetsu-Tetsu had taken their cart north with Hagakure joining them, saying that she didn't want to be a third wheel. Shouto wasn't sure what she had meant by that statement, since he and Yaoyorozu didn't even own a cart but understood that Hagakure hadn't been prepared to cross the mountains.

Yaoyorozu gasped awestruck. "Oh wow! It's gorgeous!"

Shouto glanced over his shoulder to find Yaoyorozu had stopped. The red cloak he'd gifted her was wrapped tightly around her shoulders, and her face was flushed from the hike and cold, but her dark eyes sparkled as she stared through a gap in the trees.

Turning, Shouto moved closer to follow Yaoyorozu's gaze across the valley below.

The rocky Rhode steeps rolled down. Evergreen pines gave way to gold and orange forests before tapering off into rolling green hills. Diceae could still be seen on the horizon: a dark splotch of humanity against the ashen gray sky.

"It makes one feel small, does it not?" Yaoyorozu asked in a soft voice without looking at him.

Shouto shifted closer and wrapped his arms around her shoulders, pulling her flush against him. "Yeah."

As magic sparked along Shouto's skin, Yaoyorozu made a sound of contentment and melted into him until he was practically covering her. It reminded Shouto of a baby bird sticking its head out from underneath its mother's plumage. Shouto chuckled at the image and raised a brow. "Better?"

"Acceptable." Yaoyorozu rested her head back against his chest and sighed heavily. "I knew mountains were colder the higher one went, but I didn't expect the temperature to drop this drastically."

"No." Shouto agreed. He stared over Yaoyorozu's head at the forest lining the mountain steeps below. The deciduous trees should have only begun to welcome autumn; instead, it was as though the Rhodes Mountains had jumped right from the throws of summer to winter.

An old, croaky voice pulled at the edge of Shouto's memories. "A hot summer, followed by an even colder winter..."

Yaoyorozu tilted her head. "What was that?"

Shouto shrugged and rested his head against the crown of Yaoyorozu's head, tightening his arms around her. "Nothing. Just something the old satyr from Dicaea said. I think he was referring to the gods' anger and their mood swings."

"I see." Shouto could hear the frown in Yaoyorozu's voice. "He may have been right though. Jirou also mentioned how the gods are not keeping monsters in check anymore. Perhaps that extends to the weather as well?"

Shouto snorted. "Seems like something they'd do. They just like throwing tantrums when they don't get their way."

Yaoyorozu jerked her head up to glare at him. "Todoroki."

"Sorry," Shouto said, not feeling very sorry at all.

Yaoyorozu's eyes narrowed. She opened her mouth, and Shouto cut her off before she could say more about his disrespect for the gods. "Anyways, we should find shelter. It looks like another storm is coming in."

As if on cue, the sky darkened, and a cold gust blew across the mountaintop, shaking the branches of the trees.

Yaoyorozu stared at him for a moment longer before turning back around in his arms to look out over the valley below. She drew in a deep breath and let it out. "Right. Let's go."