[Kitsumi]

It was rare for Aquilo to find wanderers this far up the mountain. Even the most hardened travelers tended to prefer the tamer Tuun mountains to the frigid wastelands of the Fe'gan Mountains. It was why he had chosen this place as his home, a place of quiet isolation.

So it was a rather large surprise when he heard someone banging on the front door of his cottage. Grabbing his axe - which was normally just used to cut firewood, but was an acceptable weapon - he swung open the door. His piercing gaze settled on the intruder who stood there, before travelling down to stare in surprise at the chombones, who was practically hidden in the deep snowdrift.

"Who are you, and what are you doing all the way up here?" he asked.

(1)

[Bug]

Tansya suppressed a shiver as a breath of wind nipped at the back of her neck, now she fully regretted chopping her hair. She scrutinized the stranger in the doorway, her eyes tracing his towering silhouette, she nearly had to tilt her head up to find his eyes. A distasteful sigh left her mouth, she despised being looked down on.

"Well currently we're freezing our asses off in this wind", she growled grumpily leaning in the doorway as casually as if she was the one who lived there. He had to take a step back. "We're on a hunt for an old...acquaintance." She spit the word like it there was dirt on her tongue. Smirnoff mewed indignantly beneath a quilt of snow and she watched the stranger's gaze bounce to her companion. She scooped him up and allowed him to nestle against her shoulder in her coat.

"So, will you help us or not?"

(2)

[Kitsumi]

His pale blue eyes narrowed, the corners of his lips turning down in a confused frown. "I don't understand what makes you think I would help you," he stated, not unkindly but firmly. "Do people normally invite strangers into their homes where you are from?"

But despite his words, he moved backwards, allowing her to enter. To be honest, he had allowed people to enter his home to take shelter, and would do so again. He wasn't really afraid of anyone - his large frame was enough to intimidate most people, and his special abilities allowed him to defend himself if the need were ever to arise.

"I'll let you wait out the storm," he said, closing the door behind her once she had entered. "But my home isn't built to accommodate visitors, so you'll have to sleep on the floor."

(3)

[Bug]

Tansya had the urge to challenge him but her fatigue dampened her aggression and she dipped her head almost gratefully. The warmth of the cabin swallowed her and hastily scampered toward the fireplace. She had barely gotten to enjoy its heat when a sudden thought struck her.

"Oh shit." As she stood Smirnoff dove from her jacket to curl beside the fireplace. She was only halfway to the door when the desperate thundering came from outside. She flung it open to see Tal panting and swaying on trembling legs clutching his gut and glaring at her.

"How the hell-do you move so damn fast when you have ASTHMA?" He fumed his words broken by his staggered breaths. Tansya flashed him a gleeful smile unfazed by his scowling.

"This guy said we could stay here until the storm stops. You look awful", she said. He frowned and shrugged off her oblivious manner and brushed past her into the warmth trying to find their host.

"Uh thank you, for allowing us to intrude. And I probably owe you some sort of apology for her-" He said gesturing to his friend squatting by the fire. "We'll be out of your hair as soon as possible."

[Kitsumi]

"I'll throw some more wood on the fire, it'll help you wa-" Aquilo started to speak, when suddenly the woman jumped back up from her seat. He watched curiously as she ran to the door, his expression becoming blank as he realized that now he had three uninvited guests.

At least the male seemed polite, and aware of the situation that he was in. "I couldn't just leave you out there to freeze to death," the taller man replied. "I suppose introductions are in order if the two - or should I say three? - of you will be staying for a while. My name is Aquilo."

(5)

[Bug]

Tal was relieved their host seemed fairly patient with well, Tansya. He opened his mouth to respond but Tansya broke in.

"I'm Tansya Shadowfell, this is Tal, and this-" She snatched her pet from the floor and Tal sighed as he watched the chompbones flailed agitatedly in her arms. "-this angel young gentleman is, Smirnoff Brokenbottel. I recommend if you have any sort of liquor you uh tuck it away somewhere safe." Tal was relieved that she was too tired to interrogate. Normally in the presence of a stranger she would brutally bombard them until she knew for certain she could trust-

"What exactly are you doing up here alone in the mountains?" She shattered his thoughts and he tried not to outwardly growl at her.

[Kitsumi]

As he listened to Tansya's introduction, Aquilo lifted the single wooden chair and set it near the fire. "I'm sorry, but one of you will have to sit on the floor," he apologized.

Leaning back against the wall, he crossed his arms over his chest and sighed - not irritated, but tiredly. Social interactions were not his forte, and they tended to drain his energy quickly. "I enjoy it up here," he said. "I feel more at home here than anywhere else I've ever been, believe it or not." After a moment, he frowned. "It's not a very good place for those who are unprepared for the environment, however. Which makes me wonder... why are the two of you here?"

(7)

[Bug]

"That's none of your-"

"We're hunting the Lost Hollowheart." This time it was Tal's time to interrupt. He could feel Tansya's accusatory gaze weighing on him but he was used to that. "We have a score to settle with him."

"I have a score to settle with that backstabbing brute", Tansya snarled in low gravelly tone. Usually Tal was immune to her aggressive speech but something about the way she spoke about the Hallowheart caused his stomach to churn. It had never occurred to her what she'd do when she'd actually captured her prey. Fear seized his chest for a moment, but with a deep breath he tried to chase it away. He'd never agreed with her longing for revenge but someone had to keep her in line on this trip. Naturally he was always sucked into her adventures, rarely was ever it on his own accord. He would never admit to her that he secretly enjoyed their quests together.

He wouldn't let it get out of hand. Not this time

[Kitsumi]

((I'm typing this in the parking lot on my phone lol let me know if you see any mistakes and I'll fix em. This phone's autocorrect is super aggressive))

For a moment, Aquilo simply stared at the two. Then, in a flat voice, he spoke. "And how exactly did the two of you intend on surviving all the way up here? It doesn't look like you brought any of the right supplies." He rubbed his brow, already feeling a headache coming on. "You don't know anything about this area, do you?"

He knew that he would probably regret it, but he simply couldn't let the two of them - three, counting Smirnoff - wander out there alone to get lost and freeze to death. So, before he could talk himself out of it, he made the offer.

"The two of you could use a guide."

(9)

[Bug]

Tal didn't bother masking his surprise when he looked at Tansya but he couldn't read her reaction. He was always able to see the battle in her eyes as common since conflicted with pride, and he wondered which one would win today. His mouth cracked open, he was about to call the shot but clamped it shut again.

As boneheaded and stubborn as Tansya could be her instincts were exceptional. She acted ignorant but she had a feel for people in a way Tal never understood. A dash of distrust flashed in her eyes and he was certain she would refuse. Then he watched her gaze follow Smirnoff as he trotted thoughtlessly around their stranger. The chompbones eyed him and Tansya's shoulders relaxed.

"Smirnoff doesn't seem too disturbed by your presence, so you can't be that awful", she concluded. "We accept your help."

[Kitsumi]

Aquilo tried to read the emotions in his visitors' eyes. He could tell that the male, who was obviously the more sensible of the two, immediately wanted to accept his help. But he deferred to the female's leadership, who was more hesitant to accept the mountain man's aide.

When she finally agreed, Aquilo nodded. "Good. I would hate to think that I let the two of you walk out of here only to die in the frozen wastelands ahead." He paused, suddenly thoughtful. "What sort of provisions have you brought with you? I can check my stores and provide whatever the two of you lack. Of course, I live a simple life up here, so I can't promise that my rations would be to your liking. Still, it's better than going hungry."

(11)

[Bug]

Tansya and Tal exchanged a glance. Tal slid his pack of his shoulders and peered inside. The contents were fairly barren aside from a few packages of dehydrated meat, several knives that he did not remember packing and a kit of supplies assigned for Smirnoff. The chompbones would've been the only one on this trip to have survived.

Tal frowned at Tansya in a silent accusation. I assumed you were bringing the supplies. She mouthed and Tal snorted. He wasn't even invited to come with her she simply assumed he would show...of course, she was right.

"Well uh-"

"I suppose a small restock on supplies wouldn't hurt", Tansya cut in. Tal hoped the stranger would understand that a small restock was a brutal understatement.

[Kitsumi]

After catching a quick glance of the rather disappointing contents of the hunters' pack, Aquilo began making note aloud of the things that they would need. "We'll need some heavy duty tents, and plenty of furs to keep us warm. A long length of rope, and some lanterns with plenty of oil. A tinderbox, and a pot for melting and purifying snow so that we can have fresh drinking water. And of course, plenty of rations." He ticked the items off on his fingers. "Ah yes, and we should probably have some weapons with us, along with tools for skinning and cleaning prey, in case we need an additional food source."

He sighed. "I can collect the necessary materials - I should have everything we need. Meanwhile, the two of you should rest. It takes a lot of energy to traverse through the deep snow out there."

(13)

[Bug]

Tal eagerly agreed and settled in front of the fire he imagined it wouldn't be too hard to sleep. He was exhausted, trailing Tansya would wear out an entire army.

Tansya eased herself down beside him but rather than curling up as he did she just stared into the fire. The flickering amber tongues were squelched in her frigid stare. She tugged at the leather band around her wrist, as she always did when something was weighing on her mind. Tal's first instinct was to roll on his side to sleep, but he knew he wouldn't.

He sighed and sat behind her watching the fire jump and burn.

"Thank you", Tansya called over her shoulder to the stranger, never averting her attention from the flames. Tal stared at her with blank uncomprehending eyes. A stranger had earned gratitude Tansya. Tal realized only now how important this quest was to Tansya. He'd never seen any form in desperation in her before and he didn't see it now but all he knew was the hungry fire in her eyes was more than just a reflection.