Welcome to Gaia! ::

Stitches. So many stitches. She was nearly finished, though, the cloak was nearly done. Material that had been salvaged, lined and stuffed for extra warmth. She had a feeling it would be useful, what with things growing ever colder. A heavy cloak, something inspired by the books she used to read.

It hurt her heart that it wouldn't be white.

She planned to stitch in a division symbol anyway.

"Gray will probably be better in the dark," she muttered, shifting the garment and pushing the needle in a gain.

Everything was dark. It was less dark in the day, sometimes the sun was actually warm. Usually the ash blocked it out. On the brightest days, you could even see the sun, a disk behind the gray. On the brightest days, everything was tinged orange.

More stitching. She'd have it finished in time. A gift, for a birthday. A gift before winter.

Winter would come early, she figured. Wasn't that what all those science shows had said?

"They hadn't even known," she laughed bitterly. No one had, really. Not even the Hunters. All that time spent chasing monsters in other worlds, across the ends of the earth, in dreams and memories. All for nothing.

The Island had been full of jokes about the world ending in fire. At least until some of the Life techs had made it very clear that the ice was coming next.

She was glad they'd been reassigned. Glad Deus hadn't decided to give up, to roll over and die. Of course, that had been weeks ago. Things might have changed back home.

Sherry sighed. Sighed and shifted the cloak in her lap, still working on stitching the lining to it. A tiny little outpost, watching for monsters that hadn't returned. Not to the this part of what was left. It as fine, as far as she was concerned. Living would be hard enough soon, without having to watch the ever growing darkness for monsters.

"Now?"

Sherry glance around, noting that it wouldn't be difficult to gather things and leave. They'd done it enough. Traveled light because they had to.

She sighed, looking at the material in her hands. She'd have to finish it later.

Once, long ago, she'd thought it might be nice to travel always. To have no where to call home other than the road. But the road of her dreams had been filled with sunshine and happiness. All they had now was darkness and pain.

"Where shall we go?" She was tucking the needle safely away.

"I suppose, I don't like it either." She wished she could- staying on one place would make things easier, or at least it seemed that way. In reality, it didn't. Not with everything else in the world.

Sherry set about packing up everything important. It wasn't much, just essentials- when you moved so much you really learned what you could do without.

After a bit, when she was satisfied with her packing, more or less, she walked over to Jake. "Just let me know when." Then she stole a hug, because time was precious.

She thought about it, considered his offer for a heartbeat or two. There was always something else to be done, another thing she could be doing. Another moment she could fill with work or sighs or sleep.

But she didn't need to. Not right then. Besides, he was right. It was safer to move, safer to run. It was always safer to continue, no matter how dark it got, no matter how bad it got. Those who lingered died.

"No," she said, shaking her head, "I'm ready when you are."