[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/hSbxgyH.png[/img]
[sup][@Pyromania99][@Rune_Alchemist][/sup][/center]
Even at the height of his power and influence, Isidore had not had the pleasure of sleeping with two women of extraordinary beauty. Part of it, perhaps, may have been his age at that time; certainly, his youth had been occupied with proclivities sexual in nature, such that if not for more pressing concerns, he’d have indulged in such debauchery freely. But though his heart beat faster, though he had regained his physical youth and some semblance of his vernal predilections, Isidore kept his distance within that cozy alcove, only occasionally reaching over to scratch Octavia behind the ears.

The alcove offered sufficient cover from the blizzard, and Leuca’s stories kept his mind busy. It was a pleasure, that he could hold onto his thoughts so easily. Superhuman when it came to the mind too. Wonderful. The Apostles were humans, armored and xenophobic, claiming that this world was false. It was worth interrogating, to see if they were otherworlders like himself and Octavia, if they held the same goal of ‘return’ as Nicholas did. The long-eared came from further south and were possibly nomadic; their [i]current[/i] home being Tamaln. The Bastellians lived across a snowy plain, emphasis on ‘snowy’. Either this world had no seasons, or they were far north enough that snow didn’t melt even in summer, even across open plains with no mountain to cast shadow. The Urutha, the Shadow Elves, lived in Gloomhollow, with previously friendly connections with the Dwarves, and Leuca had come here to foster more positive relationships between the Urutha and the Sirithen. The Dwarves, at least a faction within their society, does not approve of this, however. Lord Firebeard is an individual of influence within their own society, and perhaps, if Leuca’s own information was out-of-date, had become the leader of the Dwarves. That may be unlikely though. Firebeard specifically wanted the elf, and would be in trouble if such was found out. So the Dwarves were splintered. Some amongst them, perhaps, wished to sabotage relationships between the Urutha and the Sirithen. Now, why would the Dwarves wish for this upon their allies? 

Dwarves? He pulled at the threads of his memory a bit more. Dirithen, that was what Augusta had called them. Interesting naming conventions then, for the people present. Sirithen for the pale and long-eared. Dirithen for the short and stocky. Urutha for the ‘shadow elves’.

More thoughts connected, a network of names, faces, and ideas, but after a certain point, Isidore was content to close his eyes and listen to the sound of the wind and the snow, the thunder and the blast of a distant horn. More Apostles to worry about, but with snow this thick, they’d have to walk over the alcove to see it. Nothing to worry about then.

Nothing, but he still only snatched snippets of sleep throughout the night and woke up bleary-eyed.

Isidore forced himself up anyways. The deathly quiet and the miserable cold reminded him of the location, and the aches of his body reminded him of how long it’s been since he’d rested properly. He grabbed a handful of snow, scrubbing it over his face to chase away the last of his sleepiness, and then split up portions of preserved food for the others to eat. With four mouths, they’d be going through the rations at twice the speed, but with any hope, they’d find a way to the Urutha before then as well. Which meant they couldn’t linger.

He dug out of the shelter, brushed the snow off the blanket they’d used, melted it loose, and then flung it off dramatically, exposing any of his still-sleepy companions to the painful brightness of pure white snow. It was bothersome, that the snow had covered up any paths and had served too to hide any dangerous crevasses in the mountainside, but there wasn’t much that could be done about it.

[b]“Should advance early,”[/b] Isidore said. He removed the cloak he had pilfered from the knight and tossed it towards Augusta. There were only two, and both the Dirithen and the Apostles cared only for two people within this group. [b]“Hoods up, Leuca, Augusta. With luck, they’ll only see three humans.”[/b]

There it was again. ‘Luck’. He narrowed his eyes.

[b]“Any signs for Gloomhollow to look out for?”[/b]