The rains had finally come to an end, but in the months following not a drop fell over the forest. With the arrival of winter there came no snow, only a bitter cold that froze the ground and made drawing water from the already shallow wells impossible. Blocks of ice cut from the lake were available daily from the marketplace to be melted down for whatever use may be in mind. Water was rationed fairly strictly; even the lake couldn't last forever.
The village had settled into an uncomfortable silence. The streets we busy for only a brief few hours during the warmer parts of the day, and then the villagers vanished back into their homes to hide from the skies that always seemed to promise snow and never delivered. Small Sargtlin patrols maintained their watches on the perimeter of the village, but their guard was only half-hearted. The Ssan had long since retreated from the cold. The patrols were merely a means of keeping Sargtlins occupied while their leader was distracted.
Thankfully, Lysius's absence from his position wasn't expected to last much longer. Satou was said to finally be recovering; that is to say, she was finally to a point where no one feared her passing on in her sleep. She was awake and speaking coherently, and Lysius, who had hardly left her side in the weeks since her return, was now making frequent appearances in the market during the busy hours of the day--usually to bring blocks of ice back for the pair and the healers staying with them.
Today, however, the pattern of the winter days was broken by one once-Uuthli striding down the empty street, a large block of ice hoisted onto his shoulder. With the news of Satou's improvement, Jack had ventured free of the safety of the Vhaid's mansion to check in on the sargtlin--and the Sargtlin--for the first time in the months since the incident that had led to Satou's injury. Upon reaching Lysius's home, he knocked with his free hand and was greeted by one of the healers, who invited him in and, at his request, led him to Satou's room.
"The Sargtlin isn't actually at home right now. I believe he's gone to check in on the patrols...finally." The healer paused, hiding a smile, then waved Jack ahead. "Satou was awake when last I checked."
Nodding his thanks, Jack stepped past the Afya and risked a peek into the room before stepping completely through the doorway. He greeted Satou with a somewhat forced smile, hovering awkwardly in place before gesturing towards the ice still propped on his shoulder. "I brought water."
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