A Walk in the Snow... Again

The consensus was to bring the would be assassin along for now. Balar had no strong desire to keep the man alive, but they had not questioned him and he had learned long ago that killing the assassin only resulted in another "better" assassin being sent in their place. Much better to turn the assassin or at least extract the name of their client so the root of the problem could be dealt with.

As Luna and Cali discussed the probability of Dyvias survival should they opt to expedite the birth of her infernal conception the group moved out. The Ice Giants seemed friendly enough now, at least with Erik. They treated the rest of them like amusing critters or irritating pests in turns. They declined conversation and directed all responses to the Jotun, although it was clear they understood something of human speach. All in all Balar got the impression that they were seen as pets, or perhaps livestock. He could not help but notice the gore oozing from the sacks they carried and remember that at the start of the day those men had been alive. Now they were meat.

Balar noted that Tiella was lagging behind and slowed his pace to joined her. She looked unsettled and kept staring back the way they had come.

"What is it?" he asked, "Danger?"

"What? No." she laughed, "The danger is walking ahead there carrying sacks of body parts."

He gave a grunt at the comment, all to close to his own thoughts. "Then what?" he asked.

"My dagger." she breathed at last, "I should be glad to be alive I know, but..."

"You are missing it."

"I am missing the power. I feel... useless without it."

"You are far from useless."

She did not answer and he put his arm around her shoulder, allowing her to lean into his warmth. She placed her head on his shoulder as they walked and Balar watched the white mist of her breath mingle with his own. They were alive, that was all that mattered.

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