[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/tHK3yAW.png[/img][/center] [hr][hr][sub][b]Location:[/b] Camp[/sub] [hr][hr] [color=B1E4FC]“Don’t worry, girl.”[/color] Eris said softly, breath fogging in the air. A black dapple mare huffed as the Sage rose onto her tippy toes, struggling to pull a large wool blanket over the horse's back. The blanket was thick and heavy — clearly expensive — and decorated with intricate geometric patterns in the signature Aurelian colors of emerald green and gold. [color=B1E4FC]“There.”[/color] Eris tugged the blanket snug and fastened the clasp beneath the mare’s neck.[color=B1E4FC]“Nice and warm for you, Ves.”[/color] Vesper flicked both ears flat against her head and simply stared. Eris stared back, pursing her lips in response. [color=B1E4FC]“I know…”[/color] The horse looked unconvinced. Yesterday’s arrival had been merciful. Calm skies. The bright moon overhead to light their path. Almost pleasant. But now, the landscape seemed to remember itself. Large snowflakes drifted from the sky. Storm clouds gathered, obscuring the moonlight. What had once been a gentle breeze was slowly becoming aggressive gusts. Within the first two days of the eleven day journey, Eris had discovered she despised the wind. The way it kept her awake at night, howling at the fabric of her tent. The way it made the air feel like tiny razor blades against her skin. Long gone were the days where she yearned for it in the dead heat of an Aurelian summer. And the cold… the cold was relentless. Ever present, stiffening every muscle and joint in her body. Even now, under her fur-lined hood and insulated winter-wear, she knew the cold would manage to find its way under each layer. The Lunarians would laugh at her for saying this was the worst weather she’d ever experienced, she knew. The worst was yet to come, they’d say. The thought did little to comfort her. Gently, with gloved hands, she cupped Vesper’s face and pet the bridge of her nose. The mare protested immediately, lifting Eris’s wrist with her nose and nibbling at the end of her coat sleeve. Eris yanked her hand away, shooting Vesper an unamused glare. [color=B1E4FC]“Hey! You goat.”[/color] She said pointedly, then smiled. Vesper looked entirely unapologetic. [color=B1E4FC]“Fine. Get some rest.”[/color] Stepping back, Eris surveyed the makeshift coral. The expedition’s horses stood bundled beneath blankets, heads lowered as they grazed on hay that had been tossed out for them. Like the people who accompanied them, they looked exhausted from their long journey through frozen mountain terrain. Her gaze shifted beyond them. The camp sprawled across a clearing. Tents scattered in a loosely organized fashion, clustered around a central fire. Guards patrolled the perimeter while others unpacked equipment or tended to the animals. Snow piles lined the edge of the clearing where they’d shoveled it to make room for crates of research, medical and food supplies. Beyond the trees lay the western sea. The scent of salt lingered faintly in the air. People moved slowly, milling about as they settled into what would become their new home for the next few days. Some warmed stiff hands around the fire. Others were only now emerging from their tents — deservedly. She, too, was exhausted. Sleep had been hard to come by since she’d arrived in Dawnhaven, but out here, it’d been ten times worse. Every snapping branch. Every distant howl. Every unfamiliar sound set her on edge. Her gaze lifted, following an old road that had long been forgotten. Abandoned and snow covered, until they had arrived. The path climbed steadily towards the ruins of a village perched atop a distant hill. Even here, when the moonlight hit just right, she could see the deathly purple glow of blight emanating from it. It made her stomach knot. Turning away from the village, she spotted Orion heading toward the campfire. Good. Yesterday, they’d agreed to begin research immediately. Time was not on their side. There had only been so much they could safely haul from Dawnhaven and back. Food would only last so long. They couldn’t remain here indefinitely. And none of them truly knew what lingered at the edge of the blight — or in it. Leaving Vesper’s side, Eris quietly made her way into the center of camp. As she approached, her eyes briefly settled on one of the figures already standing around the fire to warm themselves. The High Priestess of Seluna. Admittedly, Eris hadn’t spoken to her much. A greeting here. A brief conversation there. Eris had spent most of the journey buried in her journal, trying to document everything. The paths they took. Plants. Wildlife. Weather patterns. Animal behavior. Anything she thought might prove useful later. If she documented enough, perhaps she would eventually see something everyone else had missed. [color=B1E4FC]“Good morning, Priestess.”[/color] She greeted softly, offering a respectful bow of her head as she passed, then continued forward. [color=B1E4FC]“Good morning, Lord Nightingale.”[/color] Eris slowed to a stop beside him, offering another polite bow. [color=B1E4FC]“Thank you for meeting with me.”[/color] A faint smile touched her lips. A forced habit despite the nerves twisting her gut. [color=B1E4FC]“I believe Ivor already went ahead to scout the area.”[/color] Her gaze briefly followed the road. [color=B1E4FC]“Nesna should join us today, too.”[/color] She paused, scanning the camp, but failing to find the blight-born. Surprisingly, she’d grown fond of the woman’s company during the journey. Nesna’s curiosity sparked something in Eris, which helped to ease her nerves and refocus her mind. Her casual conversation had even become something to look forward to. [color=B1E4FC]“Guard Hale.”[/color] Eris called, spotting the dark-haired Lunarian guard as he tossed a log into the fire. He turned and met her eyes, raising a brow. [color=B1E4FC]“Would you mind finding Nesna for us?”[/color] Hale answered with a lazy mock salute and a smirk before disappearing between the tents. Eris watched him go as the wind picked up again, carrying a swirl of snow through the center of camp. Around them, more expedition members were beginning to emerge from their tents. Some carried mugs of steaming coffee or tea. Others began checking their equipment or speaking quietly with one another. The camp was waking. Eris folded her gloved hands together in front of her for warmth. [color=B1E4FC]“The weather appears to be worsening.”[/color] She stated softly, her gaze flicking briefly to the distant ruins of the village and then back to Orion. [color=B1E4FC]“Once Ivor returns and Nesna joins us, perhaps we should gather everyone near the fire?”[/color] [hr] [sub][b]Interactions:[/b] Orion [@Qia], Kat [@SpicyMeatball] [b]Mentions:[/b] Ivor [@Beard Dad], Nesna [@enmuni] [/sub]