#Aka my original group of adventurers that I started writing about foreever ago

[sparrowwritings]

Writing Challenge Day 8: Snow

Previous Day -- Original Post -- Next Day

Amara tapped her fingers on the table in front of her, too distracted to eat. When asked about what was wrong, her only response was “Something in the air.” It was the same response she’d had for the past two days. She didn’t know the words to describe what she was feeling with any accuracy, but it was bad enough that she hadn’t slept. It would be frustrating if she could focus on it long enough to be distracted from the oddness she felt.

Since they were in an inn and not out in the open, Marosen was relaxed enough to try a joking tone of voice. “Maybe she finally broke? I mean, how long can Derar live outside of the desert anyway?” Salliento “accidentally” smacked him with an elbow as she came back from the bar with hot drinks. “Ow, what was that for?” 

“Being rude.” Salli glanced over at Amara as she placed the drinks in front of each respective drinker. It was very hard for her to NOT notice such a thing. Amara knew without needing a reflective surface that her eyes were in between their normal green and a bright yellow. This was natural for her race, the Derar: the yellow signified that danger was near, and the world seemed to be slower around her while the danger was still close. But there was no danger present now, as her companions had told her time and again. Amara couldn’t help what her instincts were telling her, though. Something very odd was going on around her and she had no defenses for it.

Kerakan, the elf, spared her a glance before looking out the large window the inn sported. She didn’t have energy to spare to bark something mean spirited at him. She didn’t even want her slightly cinnamon smelling drink. The humans chatted among themselves, though both spared glances in Amara’s direction every so often. She started to wonder if this would be how she died. Not in glorious battle, but from thinking that danger was around every corner. 

Finally, the oddness faded just as suddenly as it had arrived. Amara could feel her muscles shudder and loosen as the tension left her body. She nearly collapsed into her lukewarm plate of food, except that Kerakan had already left his seat and held her up. Maro and Salli scrambled from their own spots to help him. 

Once everything had been settled and she had eaten and drunk, discussion went around the table about the cause of her odd feeling. “Well it certainly wasn’t magically based,” Salliento pointed out. “I would’ve been able to detect it. Not to mention how exhausting it would be to keep up a spell like that for two and a half days.” 

“Well if it wasn’t a spell then maybe she DID break something,” Marosen cut in. He was rarely ever serious, but his expression told Amara that he was especially so at this point in time. “I mean, we’re way out in the middle of nowhere. There’s trees and grass and flowers and EVERYTHING that a Derar isn’t used to. Amara could be sick for all we know.” 

“I feel FINE,” Amara tried to protest. Before she could say anything else, Kerakan interrupted. 

“Your answer is outside,” His quiet voice silenced the other three. The elf didn’t speak very often, and it was even rarer to see him cut off someone as they were speaking. Amara got up from her seat to see what he was talking about. As much as she instinctually distrusted Kerakan, he had proven himself worthy of a begrudging respect. So, she would investigate his cryptic answer. 

As she neared the window, she spied flecks of white fluttering from above. Confused, she took her first proper look through the window when she was close enough to touch the glass. The sight took her breath away. Marosen, who had sauntered over to see what she was looking at, had a disappointed expression that Amara could see reflected in the glass.

“Oh. It’s snowing.” Amara couldn’t believe such a thing could be said without any emotion attached to it. Her eyes flickered from the flakes to the white-covered view and back, again and again. She pressed herself against the cold glass to have a better look and only managed to fog it up with her breath. 

Salli shooed Maro away and patted her companion’s shoulder. “Since it’s snowing, we’re probably going to stay here for a while longer than planned. In the morning I’ll take you to get a proper look at the snow, alright?” The answer came with a bold, sharp toothed grin and a sudden embrace. 

There was so much more to the world than Amara had ever imagined. Once again, she was ever grateful for her companions and the journey they were on. She couldn’t wait to see what else was in store for her.