The Weaver's Source

Chapter 62

I woke the next morning with my feet slightly numb. As Grigore had said, snow had fallen and a heavy blanket covered the ground and trees. Our fire had long gone out and was nothing more than a pile of charcoal and clumps of melting snow.

I was faintly warm. I was still trapped against Grigore's arms, both his cloak and mine wrapped around me tightly, but my feet were cold. The thin boots were covered in the snow and weren't protecting my skin from the cold very well.

I took my time to stir. I blinked, rubbed my eyes, and stared out at the woodland, my hot breath clouding thickly. It was dawn. The sky was pink and clear of the dark clouds that had gathered yesterday and a thin veil of mist was clinging to what grass poked out through the snow, stiff with frost. It looked incredibly cold, making me not want to move despite how stiff I felt. I was cosy in Grigore's arms and the cloaks but I knew he wouldn't let me go even if I wanted to. Despite being asleep, his muscles were locked into place, turning him almost statue-like and keeping me pressed against him whether I liked it or not.

I knew the moment he was awake when I felt a surge of contentment emanate from him. Grigore stirred behind me, his muscles relaxing as he pressed his face into my neck and flexed his stiff fingers, waking swiftly. He never needed much time to wake and seemed to just snap to consciousness, unlike myself.

"Did you sleep better?" He asked, his voice purring slightly from sleep.

I curled myself up against the twittering of my magic and small splash of shyness I felt. "Yes." I replied softly.

He grunted in response, uncurling himself from me, leaning his back into the earthy crevice and stretching out his legs, finally releasing me. I shuffled forward, giving him space to get up, and I frowned a little as the warmth and comfort of his body was taken from me. I peered up at him, watching him stretch and tilt his neck, once again briefly finding myself observing him in a manner I really shouldn't.

"Aren't you cold?" I blurted out as I shivered a little. He didn't seem bothered by the bitter air and mist even without his cloak.

"No." Grigore replied and crouched down beside our dead snow covered fire, poking at the burnt wood and charcoal. "We'll eat then move on. I'll try find some place to get some warm clothes for you." He said, giving me a quick inspection. "You're looking pale today."

"I'm fine." I said with a faint smile.

Grigore shrugged and continued building the new fire. Food was simple and quick and I hurried to keep up with Grigore's speed. He was rushing a little more than usual today. Within a few minutes, we were packed and ready to continue and by then the sun had raised a fair amount and its rays warmed the air a little. The mists had lifted and the flurries of snow had stopped, leaving clumps of snow caught in trees and rocks.

I found myself a little numb as we plodded onwards, having released Grigore's cloak back to him insistently. My thin clothes failed to keep the cold away now the snow had arrived and I kept thinking of the clothes Grigore intended to find for me with increasing impatience. If the further north we went did grow colder, I didn't want to wear the clothes I currently had.

We stopped at midday after trudging further into the gigantic sea of fir trees that spread out over a set of craggy hills. The place we found was a shallow lake where ice littered the grey water, broken up by the sun and moving current, and the snow here was thinner as grass fought to rule the earth, creating a wave of white and green. The lake looked quite cold and even a little eerie, its water virtually black the further out, making me wonder what lurked in them. Grigore was more interested in the rabbits that were scattered about however. Their matted grey and white fur was vibrant against the thick green grass surrounding the water's banks and Grigore took the opportunity to get us some meat. I watched on a rock at first, nibbling on cheese and hard stale bread, watching as Grigore set up traps and used tiny wards as lures then patiently waited for one of the many small rabbits to inevitably become caught. After some time, my attention drifted back to the lake. It looked dreadfully cold but I hadn't had a chance to get clean in a few days now. Dirt covered my legs and was thick under my nails, something I had wanted gone, and I knew my skin was clammy with sweat so I decided to take advantage of the cleanish water before me, picking out a slightly private area walled in by a large jagged rock.