[color=00aeef]Alaskan Federation[/color] Somewhere amidst the frozen plains.

Deep in the permafrost farther than the patrolled lands that offer safety lies a place between North and South the Mid Lands. It was a village protected only by it's own where huts dug deep within the earth and ice serve as the only outposts to warn against danger, which although present was far from civilization and the bands of roaming raiders. No only the outcasts presented a threat those who broke law and slew brothers; here the wilds were tough grasses few and fish plenty, whaling was king. As a young villager rolled a wood barrel among the pile he shook a waxy mucus like substance from his fingers as his brother stood above him on the ramparts if one could call them that with the wood frozen and ancient taken from forests even farther then they. Uther the guard one of many and Oolie the one propping the barrel of whale oil that would eventually be taken next week as per monthly agreement with the Rangers who in return exchanged goods and medical supplies for the valuable fuel source; both watch the plains keeping eye on any smokestacks and strangers who approach. 

As one such stranger makes her way towards the spiky wooden gate Uther notes the garb she clothes herself in, a long white jacket with blue tinted lenses for her military helmet. "Ranger." He said in muffled tone as he rushed to the gate controls and met another guard. "Think they're here to investigate the trouble?"

"Surely." Uther said as he yanked back on the lever.

The stranger walked through nodding only once as she took off her helmet revealing her fair skin and blue eyes, while Uther walked up gun in hand. "You here about the sacked warehouse?" To his surprise the woman who looked even younger than he shook her head and began rubbing her palms as they looked back. "Why are you here then?" 

The woman removing the gloves that kept her fingers from freezing removed a notepad from her pouch.. [u]I wander, you have trouble I look into it.[/u] She pointed towards the handwritten note as she held it to the guard's eyes.

"Not a talker, that's rare." He motioned for her to follow as he led her towards a broken down warehouse of corrugated metal with the doors barely attached to their hinges. "Started happening about a month back, every couple days something will be missing, food, wood, a basket ball. All odds and ends like someone didn't know what they were stealing, could be an animal; always tracks, big ones."

Lifting her pencil and softly writing again. [u]Will see what I find, after fire. I need warmth and have MRE to cook.[/u] 

Uther read her hastily penned message and pointed. "The town longhouse is just over that way, if you need some water we have some to spare."

[u]I am Fontaine, much thanks.[/u] 

Uther read and said, "Uther." as she slowly put away her notepad and stuffed it in her pack. As he left her to investigate the warehouse the other guard spoke. "Odd one yeah, crossbow and sword weird combination; think she even has a gun?"

"Not sure, didn't see one. Badge looks genuine and that armor isn't fake so she must know how to defend herself. Let's hope she finds something and tracks the beast down. Can't loose people wandering out on the frozen wastes, don't want the Ranger to get hurt either but that's what they do and they're better trained than we." With a sigh Uther and his fellow guard walked back to their posts to watch over the village.