It took around a week of walking through the mountians for the group to get to where they left the ship. Luckly there were no encounters with Draconians and thanks to Lei knowing the mountian well he was able to make sure they all found food.

By the time they reached the ship, that was thankfully undisturbed, Rena had a high fever and Iris was too tired to heal her much, just keeping the girl asleep for the most part. They were all exhausted, and even Silver, who had kept their spirits up for the most part, was tuckered out and his feet were frostbitten.

Lei was glad to see the ship, knowing everyone needed their rest in a warm bed more then anything else right now.

Jing was struggling to keep up by now, freezing and really hating the cold by now.

The group walked up onto the ship, Bast carrying the sleeping girl, and Silver straggling along behind the group. The kankiru took Rena directly to her bed, getting her out of the wet clothes and bundled up in warm dryclothes with Iris’s help.

Jing went down below deck as well, getting to her bed to sit down and rub her feet, trying to get some warmth back into them.

Lei looked around the ship a little before following the others. “Anything I can get for you all?” He offered, knowing everyone else was to tired from the cold.

Silver just crawled into his bed, curling up and shivering under the covers. Bast looked up as he stood, letting Iris finish with Rena, “You can share a bed with Lei over there.” He pointed to a bed, “I’ll start a fire in the brazier and bring it in here to warm this place up.”

Lei nodded, moving Dalit over to the bed. “I’ll help you. I’m not freezing like all you guys are.” He insisted.

Dalit was tired and asleep, but like Lei, he wasn’t cold at all, nor was he frost-bitten like the rest of the smaller ones. Bast smiled faintly, “The work keeps me warm.” He said, but led Lei to the kitchen so he could help light the fire.

Lei followed Bast, looking around the kitchen. “Maybe I should make up some warm soup for everyone? Might help them warm up more.” He offered.

Bast nodded, “Great idea, we’ve been eating nothing but rations and cold frozen food.” He smiled, “I’ll get this going then.” He piled up the wood and started the fire, then helped Lei use that to start the kitchen fire before taking the brazier to the dorm.

Lei watched Bast head off before he got to work searching for what he needed to make the soup as well as the pot.

Bast soon had the dorm warmer, taking off his own boots to treat his frosted toes. He glanced at the bundle under one of the beds. “Silver… how are your feet doing, and your tail?”

Jing was thankful for the dorm warming up, her blankets already wrapped around her tightly and she looked over at Silver when she heard Bast talk to him.

By now Lei had chopped up some veggies and had started cooking them up in a pot. Hopefully this soup would help everyone.

Silver didn’t respond. He was completely hidden in the covers. Bast sighed, “Silver…”

Jing moved and got out of her bed, wincing a little from her feet before going over to Silver “Hey… Silver…?” She said quietly. “Its warmer in the dorm now… Come out from under the blankets enough to talk?”

Still Silver didn’t respond. Iris frowned, worried as she too moved over to Silver’s bedisde. “Silver?”

Jing bit her lip a little before moving to pull the covers off the Jerboa a little, worried about him a lot now.

The small rodent was curled up, but they could see his bleeding hands and feet, and the frozen curl of his long tail, splintered by the cold and actual ice coating parts. He was not shivering though, but lay very still, eyes closed and breathing very slowly.

Jing blinked in suprise and horror as she looked at Silver, putting a hand on hsi sholder “Silver?!” She said, trying to wake the Jerboa up.

Bast frowned, standing. “Bring him over to the fire.” He said, Iris looking worried too. “He’s got frostbite and is probaby suffering from hypothermia…” She said, “We have to wake him!” Silver didn’t move much at all as Jing shook him.

Jing nodded as she ehared Bast, moving to carefully pick up Silver and get him over to the fire, ignoring her feet’s protests. “Silver… Come on Silver wake up!”

Silver finally sittred faintly, “M…tired.” He mumbled quietly.

“No, Silver you have to wake up!” Jing insisted, shaking the jerboa a little.

Bast sighed, grabbing some more blankets, then looking as Jing and Iris stood by the fire with Silver. Silver’s ears were quite frozen as well. Iris sighed, “Let me try and heal him.” She said, though she was exhausted. She placed her hands on Silver’s body, and closed her eyes, trying to clear her mind to pray to Merial. But she couldn’t, she’d used up her energy and healing on Rena already.

Jing looked at Iris, hoping she could help Silver, but when there was no reaction she sighed quietly. Of course… she was as tired as everyone else!

Bast came back, making a nest-type bed by the fire. “Set him down here.” He said, and you two sit down.” He said, “We’ll slowly rub his limbs to warm him up.” Silver’s eyes fluttered. “Js… need sleep.” He whined quietly.

Jing did as Bast said, setting Silver down before sitting down beside him, still very worried about him.

Bast crouched beside him, and Iris as well, and slowly they began rubbing his feet, bringing circulation slowly back into them. The jerboa protested feebly, but didn’t move much.

Jing ignored any protests she heard from Slver, knowing this had to be done. After a little while Lei came in carrying a bunch of bowls of steaming hot soup. “Anyone hu… Oh… Whats wrong?” He asked, looking at the four.

Bast looked up, smiling, “Yes, hot sopu will do us all good.” He said, turning back to his work with Silver. “Silver’s got frostbite and hypothermia.” He said, probably was as affected by cold and more so than Rena but the idiot said nothing.”

Lei sighed quietly, going over to all of them and putting down a bowl of soup beside each of them. “Maybe some soup would help him then. I can understand the little guy reacting like that to the cold.”

Bast nodded, “Me too… but he should have spoken up! One more night out in the cold and he wouldn’t have woken up ever again.”

“Guess he got lucky then right? No need worrying about it now. Just means next time it gets really cold to keep an eye on him more right?” Lei said with a small smile.

Bast sighed and nodded. “Yeah…” Silver was finally more conscious, and he sat up slowly, as Iris wrapped the blankets around him, rubbing his shoulders. Bast picked up the bowl for SIlver. “Think you can hold and eat with your hands?” He asked the now violently shivering jerboa. Silver hesitated, then shook his head, teeth chattering.

Jing was already eating her own soup, and looked to Silver. Atleast he was up now.
Lei chuckled nervously “If you don’t mind, I can feed you Silver. You need something warm in your stomach.”

Silver nodded, “O…okay.” He said, as the others ate, greatful for the hot soup.

Lei smiled at Silver, sitting down and starting to help feed the Jerboa. “You shouldn’t worry your friends so much.”

He huffed, “I didn’t!” He said between mouthfulls. “Had I spoken up about the cold I might have, but as I kept quiet they just worried a bit now.”

“And you could have died from how bad you got.” Lei pointed out. “Then they might have blamed themselfs for not realizing you wern’t doing well.”

Bast nodded, “As it is you’re lucky ta be alive, Silvertongue.” He said, “So don’t keep quiet like that again.” Silver huffed, still shivering quite badly.

Lei nodded as he ehared Bast. “So finish your food and get some sleep.”
Jing by now had finished her soup, empty bowl beside her. That had helped warm her up quite a bit, besides her still numb feet.

Bast had finished his too, his feet propped up close to the brazier to warm them up. Iris had quickly finished her bowl and was now helping Rena drink some in her bed.

Lei looked at all the others for a minute before sighing. This place wasn’t too far from his… he watned to atleast go back and see if anything was left. He didn’t have high hopes… but there were a couple important things to him there. Maybe that hasn’t been taken or distroyed.

It was close to five minutes later that SIlver was bundled up on his bed once more, sleeping peacefully, Iris was also in bed and Bast stretched by the fire, yawning.

Jing was curled up in her bed as well, not asleep yet, jsut wanting to stay under the warm blankets. Lei had finished cleaning up the dishes before coming back into the dorm and looking at Bast. “I’m going to head back towards my place, jsut to see if there is anything left of it.” He told the Kankiru. “I should be back soon enough alright?”

Bast frowned, “You sure? It’s dark out, and what if you run into those draconians?”

“I’ll know to keep a lookout for them.” Lei said with a nod. “I know my way around this mountian like the back of my hand and its a clear night so the moon will give me enough light.” He explained. “I just… I have a couple things there I hope survived…”

Bast sighed, “We’ve been walking all day, surely you’re tired, if not cold?”

Lei laughed a little and shook his head. “I’ve never been cold in my life. Why do you think I love living on this mountian? I’m a little tired but my place isn’t that far off.”

Bast sighed, “It took us a day’s march to get to that cave close to your house, Lei… why don’t you get some sleep and head out tomorrow? We’ll wait for you to get back.”

Lei shook his head “Sooner I go the sooner I’ll get back Bast. I can sleep in some tree if I get to tired. Trust me alright? The cold doesn’t bother me at all. Maybe this is a good time to test out my wings… Flying will be a lot faster.”

Bast chuckled, “Persistent bastard, eh?” He waved a hand, “Suit yerself, but don’t make that kid cry.” He nodded to the sleeping Dalit.

Lei smirked and nodded “Of course I am. And don’t worry I won’t.” He said, going over to Dalit. He was planning to tell the little dragon before he left anyways.

Bast nodded, sitting once more by the fire with a sigh, rubbing his eyes tiredly. He wondered if he’d ever get a good night’s sleep, or if he’d die of exhaustion.

Lei shook the small dragon lightly “Dalit?”

Dalit mumbled, but woke as he heard his name, liquid silver eyes looking up at Lei. He smiled sleepily, “Hey.”

Lei smiled a little, putting a hand on Dalit’s head and getting down to the dragon’s level. “Listen… I have to go for a little while. I’ll be back soon alright?”

Dalit blinked, sitting up slightly, ‘I’ll go with you!’

Lei shook his head, “No, please Dalit can you stay here? It will be safer. And its a reason for me to get back as quickly as possible.”

Dalit hesitated, pouting. Finally he yawned, ‘Okay, but… be quick okay?’

Lei nodded and smiled at Dalit. “I will be. Promise.” He said, hugging the dragon lightly before standing and looking at Bast. “Be back soon alright?”

Bast nodded, “Don’t make that kid worry.” He smirked.

“Not planning to.” Lei said before heading out of the dorm and off the ship, heading back in the direction of his house.

Bast sighed as he watched the small dragon fall back asleep, warming his hands by the fire as he sat down once more.

It took a while, and on the way to his house Lei had found his sword, half burryed in the snow but was glad to have it back. He had flown a lot of the way, letting him cut down a lot on the traveling time adn soon enough he landed back at his house, or… what was left of it.

The draconians had burned most of it o the ground, including what they hadn’t pillaged from it. The bath-house was gone, the heated waters had been rerouted elsewhere, and an empty pond remained where once the waters filled the baths.

Lei looked around in horror, slowly walking through the burnt remains of his place. It had taken him years to make it all, and he had been so proud of the place he called home. But in a short period of time it had been taken away. He started searching the remains, going to what had once been his room and pushing away the remaining ashes of his bed. Hopeing the draconians hadn’t realized the trap hidden udner it.

The stone floor had resisted the fire, and the trap door had not been discovered.

Lei smiled happily, one good thing atleast, moving he opened the door and looked in. The area wasn’t big. just a place for important things. Inside was a gold and silver necklace, a couple pictures, money and a couple other things. He picked them up, putting them in a small bag he brought with him and nodded. “Atleast I didn’t lose everything…”

After gathering up his things Lei went around his place one last time, stopping at where the hot springs had been. Sighing he shook his head “Still can’t belive this…”

The place was silent, but as he stood there she heard the racking of a twig.

Lei twitched as he heard the noise, turning towards it and backing up a  little quickly, hand going to grab his sword, ready to defend himself.

A draconian appeared over the stones where the waterfall had once fallen, and he hissed as he spotted Lei, snarling as he took out his own sword.

Lei glared at the draconian, inhailing quickly before blowing out a large cloud of gas at it while it was grabbing the sword. It would numb all the muscles numb and make movment impossible if inhailed.

The draconian was startled, and tried to move forward, but found it’s movements clumsy, making it topple forward down the rocks.

Lei nodded, moving forward quickly to bring his sword down right into the Draconian’s back, planning to break the spine and cut through the heart to kill it instently.

It died as Lei plunged his sword into the Draconian, and it turned to stone, encasing his sword as four more appeared.

Lei looked at the sword in shock “Oh shit…” He muttered, ramming his foot into the stone to try and break it and get his sword out.

The stone didn’t budge, neither did the sword, as the other draconians swarmed down on him.

Lei looked up at the four, quickly blowing a large cloud of freezing air at them, and the stone, trying again to break it. “Come on!!!”

Finally the stone crumbled, releasing the sword, the ice temporarily slowing his opponents.

Lei nodded, blowing out a larger cloud of freezing air around him to use as cover before quickly running off then starting to fly so he didn’t leave foot prints.

Lei continued to fly without looking back for a long time, and when he finally landed to catch his breath and look back he realized no one was following. “Good… BEtter then last time.” He muttered before continuing back to the ship.

After quite a while of walking Lei was finally back at the ship and sighing. He was tired but atleast things went almost completely without a problem.

Dawn was fast approaching, yet the ship was silent and there was no movement from within. Apparently it’s crew was still asleep.

Lei smiled a little, heading down below deck and going into the dorms to look around.

Everyone was where Lei had last seen them, down to Bast, who had fallen asleep, finally, beside the brazier which had long since burnt out, wrapped in his cloak and curled up on the floor.

Lei nodded, smiling at them all before going over to the bed Dalit was in and  moving to lay down with the dragon, hopefully not waking him.

Dalit shifted in his sleep, but only moved to be more comfortable, sighing contently as he kept on sleeping.

Lei smiled a little, looking at Dalit before around the dorm… no he should really relight that fire. Making sure to be careful again he went to grab some wood for the fire.

Though he made slight noises, none of the group woke up, exhausted as they were after days of travel through the mountains.

Lei relit the fire, especially careful since Bast was so close.

Bast stirred as Lei worked beside him, finally jumping awake, sword in his hand and a second later it was at Lei’s neck.

When Bast suddenly woke and brought the sword to Lei’s neck he reacted just as quickly and without thinking moved to elbow Bast right in the gut.

Bast’s eyes went wide at the elbow, dropping his sword he crumpled to the ground with a groan, grabbing his middle.

Lei turhed quickly, going on his knees beside Bast. “Oh shit… Sorry Bast!” He said worried, half whispering so he didn’t wake everyone else. “I…I did that without thinking!”

He grunted, trying to get his speech back. He sighed slightly, glancing up at the draik. “Nice reflexes.” He grumbled quietly.

Lei sighed a little, looking at Bast worried “Sorry… I’m really sorry. Didn’t mean to wake you or hit you…”

Bast laughed faintly, finally able to sit up straight, “I shouldn’t have been asleep anyway.” He muttered.

“Yes you should have.” Lei said with a nod. “You need sleep as much as everyone else. You feeling on now?”

Bast sighed, rubbing his eyes, “I know, but I couldn’t leave the ship without a guard.” He said, moving closer to the fire, shivering. “And everyone else was too asleep to bother waking for another watch.”

“Then you get some sleep now.” Lei said with a smile, moving over to the bed and putting his sword back agenst the wall. “I’llkeep watch.”

Bast yawned, “I… what time is it?”

“Still dark out. But dawn will be coming soon enough.” Lei said with a nid, sitting down on the ground beside the bed Dalit was in.

“We should be heading out then. No time to sleep…” Bast got to his feet. “I’ll just wash my face and then rouse the others.”

“You sure…?” Lei asked, looking at Bast. “When was the last time you slept for a full night?”

Bast looked at Lei, sighing. “I… don’t know. Back in Silver’s hometown maybe.”

Lei shook his head a little “You need sleep as much as everyone else! Get some sleep, atleast a few hours.”

Bast hesitated, “I already got some sleep.” He murmured.

“How much?” Lei asked, crossing his arms.

Bast shrugged, “No idea.” He said with a small smirk. “You sound like my mother.”

Lei twitched a little, “I don’t care who I sound like. Just get a couple more hours of sleep and I’ll stay up alright?”

Bast sighed, “I suppose you’re right. I just hope our luck doesn’t run out.” He walked over to his bed, taking his jacket and boots off, he got under the covers, shivering slightly.

“It won’t…” Lei muttered, watching Bast before sighing a little. “I’ll wake you up in a few hours alright?”

Bast nodded, “Before, if anything comes up.” He said with a stern look at the draik.

“Ok, if things keep calm though I am letting you sleep.” Lei told him with a quick nod.

Bast chuckled, then rolled over to face the wall, quickly falling back asleep despite his protests before.

Lei smiled, looking at Bast for a minute before pulling out the necklace he had gone back to his house for. Atleast it hadn’t been taken.