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Chris placed some wood onto the coals, the world around him had quieted and only a few sounds of the forest made his ears twitch and strain to hear its cause. He'd been woken a few hours ago by one of the two girls. He had the last of the watch shifts and now sat looking out into a world of fog. He'd pace to the edge of the campsite and snuffle at the brisk thin air searching for any new scents that may be out of place.

His heart stopped for a moment at the rustle of a tent, but it was only Aaron sleepily crawling out. The boy smiled at him for a moment and then stepped to the back of the clearing. Chris looked away as he heard the sound of falling water.

After a few moments Chris listened to Aaron's steps as he came close and looked over as the youth sat himself down next to the fire wrapped up in his cloak.

"It's icy out here isn't it? I hadn't expected that" Aaron said, his accent making his words crisp and fast. "I've become so used to the weather at the mage keep, always warm and sunny and only now and again some rain."

Chris only nodded, now that it had been pointed out to him he realise that in all his time there the season had never seemed to change.

"I wonder what it must be like to be able to control the weather like that. Don't you ever wonder what it would have been like if you'd been chosen as a mage?" Aaron asked.

Chris shook his head and wished that Aaron would keep quiet, he was a distraction and he had to stay attentive. He could not fail Grev and the others whilst he was on watch.

The silence lasted a while before Aaron's voice again broke it. "I was sure that I would be chosen as a mage when I came to the Keep. I never thought that I'd be chosen for the Wind Riders. Now I guess I wouldn't have chosen it any other way." Aaron chuckled to himself. "What about you? What did you think you were going to be chosen for?"

Chris could feel those raptor eyes floating like black specks in a blue sea on him. He kept his gaze out toward the world hidden in the mist. "I didn't think anything. I came to keep my people safe and to fulfil a pact." Chris growled and wished again that Aaron would let him alone.

Aaron seemed to completely ignore the undertone of the growled warning in his words "So you joined to protect your people?" Aaron laughed richly "That's quite noble, most come because of tales of glory, valour and honour. I won't deny I was one of them. I dreamt of being a great mage and then I wouldn't just be..." his voice cut short for a moment before continuing "I always thought I'd become a great magic user, the magic of my people are so small compared to the tales of the great feats of master mages. You know, I'd never even heard of the Wind Riders until I was chosen for them."

Chris kept silent even though he could almost feel a physical need for the stillness to be filled. He didn't want to talk about his past or his people. Didn't want to think about his father or the wagon he'd called home. Yet his mind took him back to then, back to memories of a time that he'd always hated and now missed. He may never have been one of the Meeko, but he'd had a father who loved him and that he now missed immensely.

"It really is cold." Aaron's voice broke through his thoughts. He heard another few branches going on the coals and felt the heat growing on his back as the youths loud breaths blew life into them.

Chris tensed when Aaron sat down next to him and shifted close, only the thick cloth of the boys cloak and his own leather armour between them.

Chris couldn't help but look into the others eyes. "Your nice and warm" Aaron said, "you're lucky for all that fur. You don't mind if I sit so close while the fire gets going do you? I'd change, but Grev asked that I don't unless he sent me out scouting."

Chris looked away and shrugged. He wondered at what the youth meant with change and what being a Wind Rider entailed. In all his time at the keep he'd only spent time between the Wolven and everything he knew about mages was from Skye. Chris realised his ignorance, he'd never even thought to question what else the mages had done with the others from the choosing. Never wondered what the other things on the table had been for. He couldn't recall now what else had been on the table for that matter.

Mentally he shrugged the questions away and focused his senses outward again, listening to the quieting forest with daylight now only a few hours away. The reflecting light of the fire threw shadows over the clearing and the mist seemed to swirl with half seen shapes, but Chris knew it was nothing more than his imagination.

Skye woke to the sounds of footsteps and talking, for a moment disorientated by the small confines of his tent. He was loathe to climb out of the comforting warmth of his blankets, but the call of nature became an urgent need and at last he had to succumb.

After seeing to his need he quickly stepped up to the fire for its warmth. The morning air was frigid.

The sky above was heavy with cloud and there seemed to be little hope for the warmth of the sun. One of the twins handed him a mug of tea and the other a warm bowl of porridge. Skye felt uncomfortable at their intent gazes and broad smiles. He felt his cheeks heat and focused on spooning the hot porridge into his mouth, revelling in the warmth it spread through him.

He watched as the two girls walked over to see to the horses and found his mind once again wondering at what lay under their heavy cloaks.

"We'll be heading out soon, so get yourselves organized!" Grev's voice called out, Skye saw him watching over the campsite from his tent.

Skye smiled to himself, the group was in for a pleasant surprise.

Having finished his breakfast and seeing his things stowed on his horse he went round and made sure that everyone had their gear out of their tents and packed away.

"Everyone" he said timidly and cleared his throat. "Everyone?" he said louder and when he was sure he had their attention continued "Please move away from the tents, I've learnt a trick that may well save us all some time and effort." He grinned broadly at the consternation on the faces all around him.

When everyone was standing by him he readied himself and stretched his mind forth. Felt the magic searing through him as he readied the spell-form and copied it, laying one over each of the tents. It was a surprisingly complicated structure for something he'd thought would be relatively simple and it had taken him most of yesterday riding to find the spell itself and the rest of the day practising it in his mind.

The pain hammered through him, he had braced for it but still gasped at its ferocity. He'd not thought that it would be this intense. He unconsciously brought his arms up and released the magic through him.

He heard the gasps around him, the giggling laughter of the twins and the contemptuous snort from master mage Gren.

He watched as the tents fell in upon themselves, the poles floating out and dropping into an organized bunch at their fronts. He concentrated on the magic and invoked the next components and watched elatedly as the tents took to the air and folded themselves before dropping down to the ground.

The pain again welled through him and he found that a flush of sweat covered him that he covertly tried to brush away from his face with a sleeve. He smiled to the thanks and congratulations from the other youths. Happy that not only had the spell worked, but that everyone was so pleased with him. Everyone except seemingly Grev who eyed him once, shook his head and went to gather up his now folded tent.

"That's a neat trick" Snow said grinning broadly in a show of teeth. "Glad to know you can do more than fancy fire tricks"

Skye grinned back at him, but when Snow turned away let out a pained breath. The magic had taken more from him than he'd expected, most likely because he'd simultaneously done all the tents. He noted Gren staring at him, but was unsure of the master mage's thoughts as his face gave no indication of what lay under the stony face.

Skye was uncertain why this was the case. His previous encounters with Gren had all been pleasant. The old bald mage had always had a smiling face and a personality that warmed up the room, but since the start of this trip had been nothing but cold and distant.

Brushing the thoughts from his mind he walked over to his own folded tent only to be intercepted by the ebony skinned twins who snatched it up. They were away even before he could make a comment and so followed them to his horse where they were stowing it away in a saddle bag.

"Come, we help you onto horse yes" one said, it was the first time he'd heard either of them speak in common. "Come now. Horse not to be afraid of" the other said when he seemed to hesitate.

"Thank you." Skye said once he sat astride the beast. His muscles already pulling painfully, he wasn't sure if he'd be able to walk when they stopped next.

"Shalo take care of you. We spoke, he not think you bad no more." One of the two said, her hand resting on his thigh. Skye wished there was a way to tell the two apart, but he couldn't tell a difference between them at all. "Oh, good... Thanks." He said feeling his face heat again, but he was spared the embarrassment of them noticing when Grev barked an order for them to mount up.