Silent Night

As I pass under the foliage of snow-covered trees, I finally hear the Wind blowing energetically again. It had been muted throughout my entire journey through the taiga, muffled by the dense boreal forest, suffocated by the mounds of snow. I wasn't used to being in places so devoid of sound. Of course, there had been the occasional creaking of a branch bending under the weight of the snow. But even then, the sound was dull and muffled, almost inaudible. To my ears, it was like a sea of white noise. So, hearing the Wnd whistle, whoosh and murmur again was a comfort. It was as if I'd been holding my breath for so long and then suddenly exhaled. Few realize how much the world is music. Each sound is a note within a symphony, and the Wind is responsible for carrying and broadcasting them all.

I lean on the trunk of a birch tree to have a little rest. Then I close my eyes, allowing myself to be lulled by the world's sweet melody: the creaking of the ice, the hooting of an owl somewhere... I start to hum along, harmonizing my voice with the sounds of nature, and I suddenly feel my Ignescence firing up within me. I feel Aru's presence snuggling up against me, like she sometimes used to do during night vigils. Her Eidolon is here, I feel it, but I don't want to open my eyes in case it fades away. What might she be doing right now? Scolding Qannik maybe? Or taking care of Marang? Some Clan families had decided to stay behind, especially those looking after very young kids. They had been kindly allocated homes in Kladiver, but the separation still must have been hard. As it was between Aru and me...

FEN

393 AC