Bryson walked his way through the lightly snowing forest, hearing the crunch of the thin layer of snow and dried leaves beneath his feet. It was nearing the end of fall and here winter had already begun. Taking a breath of cold air he thumped his walking stick on the ground in frustration as he turned to the other person who had joined him on this hunting trip.

Lottie Frost travelled next to him, arms behind her back and happily humming along. She was dressed in full hunting equipment and even had a small rifle strapped to her back and a bycocket on her head with feathers attached, all camouflaged for the winter of course.

Aside from the large backpack she carried, the gear itself did not look like it was made for winter however. Her shirt wasn’t the thickest and only had a short-sleeved jacket as an additional top layer. Her pants were some simple leggings and she wore hiking boots that did not look like they were made for the winter.

“What are you wearing?” Bryson said, her outfit had been distracting him the entire trip over.

“My hunting uniform! Duchess Coldwater said that this looked good on me. What do you think?” Lottie said.

“It’s snowing, how are you not freezing in that?” Bryson said as Lottie only seemed to be wearing a couple of thin layers of clothing.

“They’re enchanted, the Duke gave them to me.”

“Gave them? I don’t even get those! Father said I had to learn to do it myself!” Bryson complained.

“Meh.” Lottie said playfully sticking her tongue at him.

“Urgh, how is this even a hunting party? There’s two of us!”

“It’s not like that would stop us.”

“Just saying it doesn’t feel very traditional.” Bryson said as he used his stick to prod a puddle to see if the sheet of ice was frozen enough to hold his weight.

“Who cares about tradition?” Lottie said with a shrug.

“You’re wearing an old traditional hunting uniform.” Bryson pointed out.

“Yeah, but I look good in it right?” Lottie said with a smile.

“Hmm.” Bryson grunted not wanting to agree with her, instead he decided to change topic, “Why are you helping me hunt anyways?”

“I’ve hunted small game before, I’m pretty good with a rifle.” She said gesturing to her rifle.

“We’re here to catch a moose, bear, boar, elk, and a storming hawk. Those things are a lot larger than a red squirrel.” Bryson pointed, putting emphasis on the storming hawk, a creature that only resides in the contaminated zones. He still couldn’t believe he had to venture out there with Lottie.

“That’s why the rifle is magic. Besides, you don’t even have anything to hunt with.”

“I have magic.”

“That’s not very traditional.” Lottie pointed out.

“I don’t need it to be super traditional.” Bryson grunted.

“But we were told not to make the kills excessive.”

Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

“I just need to use my magic to shoot. I’m not going to obliterate them like Marsh’s canon would.” Bryson said with a grunt.

Lottie then looked at Bryson curiously, “Hey, I’ve been curious about something.”

“What?”

“Your voice is different.”

“It is?”

“Yeah, it’s a bit deeper. It sounds pretty cool.” Lottie complimented.

“Hmm, I guess it changed then.” Bryson said before a smell caught his attention.

“Is that a fire?” Lottie said smelling it too.

“We’re still a few hours away from the village nearby.” Bryson said.

“Smoke.” Lottie said pointing at the faint fog of smoke.

“Campers?” Bryson wondered as Lottie already began to move towards the fire, “What the? What are you doing?” He called out.

“I’m checking out the fire!”

“Really? They could be bandits.” Bryson called out.

“You don’t need to worry about me.” She said before disappearing up the hill.

“I swear to, fine.” Bryson grumbled and followed behind.

The two began making their way to the fire. Bryson trailing behind can’t help but be impressed at how quiet and graceful she was moving her way through the woods, she made no noise moving through the busy forest. Even the occasional squirrel or bird failed to notice her glide straight past them.

Lottie moved past a few more green patches before she indicated for Bryson to be cautious before disappearing further into the brush. Bryson took a deep breath and silently cast a silence bubble around him and began to creep forward.

Just as he reached where Lottie disappeared through the shrubbery and Bryson heard several voices. Bryson quickened his pace as he realized that it sounded like they were directed at Lottie, she had been seen, or she was confronting them.

Once he saw Lottie and the campers, he was flabbergasted. Lottie Frost was helping herself with the warmth of the fire of Frans Snowfield and two other noble boys along with that girl Clarrisa.

What is Frans doing here with two random idiots? He even brought his aid… guard, squire? Girlfriend? Girlfriend. He brought his girlfriend here in the woods. Bryson decided. As Bryson walked near the camp the others noticed him.

“Bryson! I should have known this vermin wouldn’t be far from her master's leash!” Frans spat staring at him.

“What in the world are you doing here?” Bryson said in a low voice glaring at Frans.

“Hunting.” Frans said as he noticed Lottie’s rifle, he addressed Bryson, “It’s not just your land here.”

“Hey! That’s my stew!” One of the noble kids complained as Lottie helped herself to the contents of the bubbling pot.

“Shut up.” Both Bryson and Frans said in unison. Frans then turned to Bryson looking at him curiously, “Are you sick or something, you sound different.” He asked Bryson.

“Puberty.” Bryson said with a shrug.

“Huh, it’s fish. I wasn’t expecting that.” Lottie said savouring the flavour of the stew.

“Yes, Lord Frans had used dried cod as a stock. It’s a recipe he got from one of the gardeners.” Clarrisa said tending the flames.

“What are you hunting? This isn’t a proper hunting party.” Bryson said noting the very clear lack of equipment everyone but Frans and Clarrisa had on them. The two boys seemed to wear very expensive jackets that seemed out of place out here.

“My father wanted to be nice to some family friends, thought it would be appropriate if I showed them some of the less inhabited areas of the land.” Frans said.

“They’re not very good.” Bryson noted.

“How dare you! Who do you think you are!” The boy who complained of Lottie drinking the stew complained.

Bryson, Frans, Lottie, and Clarrisa all looked at the noble boy with a questioning look. Looking self-conscious the noble boy hesitantly asked, “W-what?”

“Coldwater.” Bryson said simply.

“What?” He said confused.

“That’s his name.” Lottie whispered loudly before taking a sip of stew.

“C-c-coldwater?” He stuttered out he then looked at Bryson, eyes wide before bowing quickly, “I’m sorry Lord Coldwater! I didn’t mean any offence!”

“I’m too tired to deal with this.” Bryson said ignoring the apologizing boy, “Frost let’s get to the village already, you can eat there.”

“Wait, you’re headed to Minnow Village?” Frans asked.

“Why do you want to know?”

“That’s where we’re going.” Frans said folding his arms as he looked at Bryson unpleasantly.

“You’ve got to be joking. I thought they need to be camping.” Bryson said indicating to the two other nobles.

“Safer and easier at the village.”

“Of all the coincidences… Frost we’re going.” Bryson said as he turned and left.

“Okay!” Lottie said cheerfully before moving in stride alongside Bryson.

As they began to leave the camp Lottie looked back at Frans and the group and asked Bryson, “Will we hang out with them again?”

“I hope not. Let’s get this hunting trip over as quickly as possible.” Bryson grunted.