Welcome to Gaia! ::

The air was significantly colder than when he had laid down the night before. Shivering under his normally warm cloak, Draven opened his eyes to catch the sight of his own breath as he breathed. Shivering, he rolled onto his side and covered his head, he should have been used to the cold, he had been in Zena for a while. But this was sudden, this wasn't the gradual chill, this was the drastic change that caused havoc. Reaching out, he forgot that he was sharing his tent with another, he grasped for his blanket to see if that would help, only to rest his hand on another warm body. Sitting up, the cloak falling into his lap before he wrapped himself again.

"I don't like this." Draven muttered as he shivered, "Aldara, I hope you packed some warm clothing in those packs of yours." He looked down towards the still sleeping woman, noting that she too shivered now and again against the cold.

Slipping out of the tent, Draven looked around to find Regale standing very close to where the fire had been. The hulking beast shivered in his own right, grunting Regale looked at Draven, who wasn't sure if he wanted food but knew he would have to don the winter gear. "Let me get the fire started and I will get your blanket out." Draven patted Regale before gathering materials to start a fire and hope to warm things up a bit.

Draven looked up as he heard the tent flap rustle and noted Aldara coming up wrapped up in the blanket. She wasn't as used to things as he was, even this had caught him off guard. Still, he was getting used to the cold quickly as it seemed that Aldara wasn't. "I get this fire going, we can warm up a bit better." Draven said as he struck his steel against flint.

Sparks finally caught against the tinder in the small firepit. He added more to the tinder until the campfire was a blaze. He watched as Aldara the Scorra and Regale moved closer. He retrieved Regale's warm blanket from his packs and tossed it over the Janarim's back. After securing the warm blanket to Regale he turned back to the fire to add more wood to it. "A warm place would be great, even a cave would work as well. Somewhere where we can hold in the heat until the weather warms back up or we're able to move comfortably." Draven stretched his hands out over the flames to warm them before he stood to break down camp.

"We should also get moving soon. The movement will keep the beasts warmer." He voice still shook a little from the shivering, but he had to do something and this was what he could think of.

As he was packing up the tent, Draven looked over towards Aldara whom seemed to be having an internal struggle. He shook his head as he rolled the tent inside the mat he slept on. Securing it to the back of the saddle while packing a few of the other items back into the saddle bags he looked at Regale.

"Zena is going to be worse than this. It is cold nearly all year long. There are some moderate days, but cold is a thing there. Cold and snow." Draven explained as he hefted the saddle up to place on Regale's back. He dared not remove the blanket as of now. If they find a place that is better sheltered he may just to not over heat the Janarim. "Come on, lets get moving. The sun should be up soon..." Draven looked towards the skies to see it covered in clouds. That didn't exactly bode well. The sun would rise, but not shine down unless the clouds parted ways.

"We'll have to ride together, wrapping the blanket around the both of us to share the warmth." His back was to Aldara so he didn't see the color flooding to her face.

"If you have any other ideas you're welcome to share." Draven said a little too tartly, perhaps it was because of the cold and how he wanted to press on. "We can hopefully find something when we reach the next town."

Making sure that his things were secure, Draven started kicking dirt over the fire to douse the flames. He wished he had some water to help, but the large pile of dirt should be good, yes? Afterwards he pulled himself onto Regale's back and held out his hand to Aldara once more.

"Thankfully it hasn't started snowing here. If its this cold, anything that starts falling with either become ice or snow. And I can tell you that I would rather it be snow." He had an experience with ice and he didn't want another one. "We can also talk as we go."

Draven pulled Aldara up into the saddle before him, he took the blanket from around her to wrap it around them both. He looped the ends to keep the heat in as he grasped ahold the reigns and nudge Regale into movement. The Janarim grunted, shaking his head before turning in the direction that he was directed to. Draven noted the Scorra that followed on nimble legs, he wondered how fast it really was.

Glancing down, he held onto Aldara tightly as this cold was affecting her worse than it was him. He had lived in Zena for a few months before things happened and he found himself on the opposite side of Tendaji. Though the words that he heard from her as she seemed to drift off into slumber puzzled him. Had he ever fallen in love? He didn't think so.

"I haven't stayed in one place too long to even think of falling in love with someone." He admitted, "But I am sure that if I were to find someone." Though he wasn't too sure of what he would look for?

He had feeling that he didn't understand nor did he have anyone to talk to about them. Feeling that made him... He wasn't sure, they were things he never felt before. Was it love? Growing affection towards someone? He wasn't sure. Perhaps even a protectiveness? Possessiveness? There were too many words that could fit the feeling, but it was only something he felt around Aldara..

"What about you? Have you fallen for someone?" He looked back towards the road, not wanting to know the answer. Perhaps he did want to know? Everything was getting jumbled.

Draven stiffened a little as Aldara seemed to describe him, perhaps there was someone else? He didn't know her that much, only that where ever he went they bumped into each other one way or another. Thinking back on it, their lives seemed fated to entangle the moment the bumped into each other in those woods. Though she was a few years younger than he was. Four or five he gathered, it wasn't too big of an age gap right? These things worried him and he, again, knew no one that he could talk to about these things. He hadn't seen his adoptive mother since before the Dretch encounter and the travel back to Zena.

"He does sound like someone attractive." Draven teased, "I may fall for someone with auburn colored hair that reminded me of autumn leaves. Eyes that sparkled like emeralds and who's face turned colors easily." He teased as he pulled Regale down another road that lead towards a small town. It seemed that they hadn't been too far from Iory.

As they drew closer, Draven noticed the first hints of snow starting to fall. In front of him he felt Aldara shiver and give a small squeak. "You ok?" He asked pulling Regale to a stop and glancing down.

Awkward moments were awkward. Draven said not a thing as he turned towards Iory and kicked Regale to move a little faster. While it was nearing midday, but the weather was getting worse. Snow was falling thicker, coating the ground as they traversed towards the town. When they reached Iory, Draven lead them to one of the inns. Here he paid for a room and stables for the beasts. He didn't know that the Scorra was always with Aldara, but figured that it could remain in the stables with Regale. The Janarim had come to enjoy the bird's company to a point.

"We'll stay here until the weather hopefully clears up and we can head into Zena to find Rhyne." Draven said as he lead Regale into the stable and proceeded to unsaddle the Janarim and place his gear in the back of the stall. Taking with him just his household gear. "You can leave your Scorra here, I think Regale would watch over it. He seemed fond of it even in this short span of time."

Regale gave a huffing sound before settling down in the stall. His back to the rear of the stall, as if he were guarding the gear that would be left behind. He did looked expectedly for his meal that would come from inside, Draven often ordered a hot meal for Regale on cold days..