The next day, Jesika waited outside the castle doors for Darryn to pick her up and give her a ride on his amarok, Rocky. Soon he arrived, the horse-sized black and white wolf stopping gracefully in front of the castle. Darryn looked at her, reaching out his hand to help her up. She glanced down at Chilly next to her.
"I didn't feel right just leaving her. It alright if she rides with us?" Jesika said.
Darryn smiled, tilting his head. "Would you look at that? The ice queen has a heart." She glared daggers at him, making him chuckle uncomfortably. "Sorry, sorry. Just teasing. But Chilly will be much safer here, Jes. I'm sure the staff will take good care of her."
Jesika sighed, nodding. She turned and opened the castle doors, scooping up the cat. She stepped inside the castle and looked around, knowing already she would get homesick for this place. She cuddled the cat to her face for a moment, letting herself enjoy the sound of the cat's comforting purr. She gingerly set the cat down, then looked up at the nearest maid.
"Take care of her, please. And make sure you tell the rest of the staff to do the same. She's to be treated like a princess. Understood?"
The maid smiled, nodding. Jesika turned, leaving the castle and closing the door behind her. Darryn was grinning wryly at her and she shook her head, rolling her eyes.
"Shut up," she said, taking his hand and mounting the wolf.
Once she was securely mounted, she wrapped her arms around Darryn's waist as they took off from the castle.
They rode through the kingdom until they reached the very edge where the gate bordered the forest. They stopped at the sight of Aquila and Rowan waiting with their own beasts, Frankie and Kronos.
"We ready, gang?" Jesika asked from behind Darryn.
Rowan and Aquila nodded in agreement. Without any further word, they began their trek through the dense forest, the Aethelinda Mountain Range glooming down ominously beyond the tallest forest trees. As they headed into the forest, they could hear the roar of Aethelinda where she laid in her throne room.
***
They rode until the sun began to lower behind the trees, the sky taking on brilliant oranges and yellows, contrasting fantastically with the blankness of the white covering the ground and trees. They slowed to a stop, dismounting their beasts to discuss with one another on where to camp for the night.
Jesika was the first to speak, suggesting a clearing in the middle of some trees. Rowan then suggested instead a little cave with some water falling into it. Jesika glared at him as if it was wrong for him to even try and come up with an alternative.
"It's going to be freezing cold in that cave," she argued.
Rowan grinned. "We brought blankets for a reason. And we have a flipping phoenix for heavensakes. Besides, I don't know about Darryn's amarok, but my griffin needs some water. And that's a perfectly good, free water source."
"In a musty cave like that, not only would we be uncomfortable, but one of us could get sick. What then? You want us to try and travel with a sick member? Not to mention the possibility of poisonous gasses in that pond you were talking about."
Rowan crossed his arms, a scowl slowly replacing his grin. "Yes, but in the forest, we're wide open for attacks from all types of wild beasts. Not to mention, whatever elements of the weather may happen during the night."
"Who's to say there wouldn't be any wild beasts inhabiting your stupid cave?!"
Aquila and Darryn remained silent, watching the two bicker between themselves, slowly turning to throwing insults instead of actually presenting arguments. Darryn finally piped in when he saw that things were getting out of hand.
