Despite the cold, despite the blizzard, I feel an extreme sense of warmth and pleasure. It is the mere touch of Israfel against my side. The way he commands everything in his power to make me happy so I cling to that feeling as we trek into the mountains, weaving down snow-covered pathways and towards the foothills where the rocks push against trees, toppling them. Admittedly, this was a beautiful and rugged place. Once, my mother had told me of Spirane in longing tones. It seemed fitting for Arthfael to be here for he was more of a rugged sort yet I wonder how my mother had fit in amongst the tall peaks, the rolling foothills, and sharp drops. If only I had had more time to ask her. To delve into her history, to learn more. Time had a way of stealing away from me the things I loved and I had fast decided I would cling to them fervently.

His nudge has my bright eyes scouring the wind-swept landscape for whatever he had found. It is his loping figure that directs my gaze towards the covered entrance. I do not think it was meant to be a den but mother nature had seen fit to carve out the space and I would not turn it down. A tiny smile blooms on my face as he pauses to press a paw against the stone and I admire him for it. For his cleverness to remember to check things in order to prevent pain. I would heal him if he hurt himself but I did not wish him pain. His bark sees me jolting towards him, racing into this den with him waiting gallantly to save me lest I slip or... something.

The makeshift den will warm quickly with the both of us in it and as I spin around, he enters, lamenting the fact that he had not prepared ahead of time. My tail wags, brushing against the damp walls as I smile happily at him before biting it back, my body warming at his compliment. If I didn't know better I might suspect I ran a fever. His words tended to do that to me. They left me breathless too and being so close to his handsome visage almost broke my concentration. But no, it would not.

"You don't have to do that, Issy," I say chidingly but with warmth as he tries to clean up the space. "It is my fault for not calling ahead of time so do not blame yourself. I was just wanting to... well, I wanted to visit my brother but I had hoped you were here. And here you are!" The last words felt rather lame coming from my mouth and I felt a stricken sort of panic at feeling so flustered yet I grin winningly at him. Fake it till you make it sort of thing, as Thor once taught me. "I-I missed you," I said haltingly but bravely. That is what mattered most. Bravery!