They had already been breaking solid chunks of ice for the past few days, but Nocipel had yet to feel anything other than water under it. Although Thar had been weakening the ice the thicker it got, the ship was once again moving too slowly the further north they got. It got to a point where even with all of their mahee combined, there was no point in trying to push the ship further.

Instead, the ice got hard enough for Haur to send out a new order. Disembark and continue atop the ice. They decided on one final night of rest and dropped the sail, covering the entire hull of the ship in a makeshift tent to try and stave off some of the cold winds.

In the morning, the ice had crawled up the ship hull and snow had fallen to hide the cracks around them. The crew split into two parties. Kassar was to remain with six mortals on the ship to make sure it did not get buried under the snow and ice while the rest continued on.

“I am not sure how long we would be, but if we are not back in a full turn of the moon, head back south,” he spoke to Kassar. “Go to Salem, Olde is aware of our expedition, and he can resupply you before you return here.”

“Without your combined mahee, I am not sure if we can make it even this far if we leave now,” Kassar argued back in a soft tone.

“Then as far as you can. And it will be summer soon. Bring some of it with you.”

Kassar grinned at those words and nodded.

“If we are still not back by the time you return, do not stay longer than another moon,” Nocipel added as she joined the conversation. “But, if the ice softens enough in the summer, keep going without us.”

D’Argen was not fully listening to them. Instead, he stared at Thar as the man crouched by the railing. After staring down into the ice by the ship, he jumped down. The scent of his mahee brought a coldness that even the winds could not match to harden the ice under his feet. He stayed still for a long moment before taking a halting step away from the hull.

“If we need help, we will send D’Argen to Salem,” Haur laughed behind them.

The mention of his name almost drew D’Argen into their conversation. He ignored that pull and was quick to follow over the railing and land in the exact same spot Thar had been at. He froze as soon as he landed, waiting for the ice to decide if it would hold his weight. It felt more secure than the ship’s deck.

While Kassar shared his luck with Abbot, Thar stepped further and further away through the soft snow that reached his knees. Just looking at him in his white linen robes made D’Argen shiver and he burrowed into the fur around his neck. It was soft at his cheeks and neck and kept the warmth he breathed into it. He followed after Thar slowly, keeping an equal distance between Thar in front and the ship behind, but always making sure to walk through the snow exactly as the other had.

“Do you want me to go ahead?” D’Argen called loudly.

“No!” Haur responded immediately from behind him. D’Argen had meant the question for Thar.

“Let me check.” Nocipel was next to disembark, using a rope ladder, unlike the jumps both Thar and D’Argen had done. As soon as he was off the ship, he crouched and placed one hand on the ice. He closed his eyes, and the scent of seaweed came out with his mahee as he felt for the water under it. “It is thick enough for us all, but I am not sure if it will support your push,” Nocipel announced then turned towards the ship where Haur was waiting. With a nod, Haur started directing the others to disembark.

D’Argen faced forward again where Thar continued to walk ahead, burrowing a path through the snow, and hardening the ice under him even more. D’Argen waited until Nocipel reached him and grabbed the offered packs, the weight making him freeze for a moment, expecting the ice to crack under him and drown him. It did not happen, so he grinned at Nocipel and then turned around to chase after Thar. Without the use of his mahee.

“Wait for the others,” D’Argen said as he stopped beside Thar and handed him one of the packs.

“You? Telling me to wait?”

“I know,” D’Argen grinned wide but both did not move further. “What do you feel?”

“Ice.”

D’Argen rolled his eyes then adjusted his cloak to bury himself further into it. “Do you feel an end to it?”

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“Do you?”

“Really?”

“Stop it, both of you.” Nocipel came upon them quietly. “Save your strength for our walk. Who knows when your ice or speed will be needed if we do not reach land soon.” He burrowed into his own furs as soon as he was done speaking.

“Are you sure you don’t want me to go ahead and check?”

“Not yet. Haur is planning on sending you when we make camp.”

“No rest for the wicked, eh?”

Thar took another few steps away from them and D’Argen shivered. Neither of the two though disputed his words and he pouted. “You could deny it, you know?”

“Deny what?” Nocipel was playing innocent.

“That I am wicked?”

“Who said so?”

“I did, but you could have said otherwise.”

“To disagree with someone of an equal status can be taken as an insult.”

“Yea, yea, I get it.” Both were smiling wide though Nocipel was hiding behind the fur cuff he had put his hands into to keep them warm.

“Who are we disagreeing with?” Yaling asked as soon as she reached them.

“No one, apparently,” D’Argen replied.

“Oh, that is good, no?”

“Not in this case. You see, I was saying that—”

“Enough, start walking,” Haur ordered from behind her and only then did D’Argen notice that their entire travelling party had disembarked and Thar was already quite far ahead of them. He saluted Haur and raised his chin in respect, deferring to their party leader, then turned around and jogged after Thar.

They walked in a single line, careful not to step too far away from the path Thar was creating through the snow. Thar was leading, D’Argen forcing himself to walk at least two steps behind, and Nocipel was right behind him. Yaling had fallen back to be closer to Abbot and Lilian and D’Argen could hear snippets of their voices on the cold winds but not the actual words. It was not the only conversation in the column, but D’Argen was walking between Thar and Nocipel, both of whom had their mahee open and were completely silent.

The sky was filled with dark grey clouds that seemed to blend into the horizon. The only thing that created that line was the ship and water behind them. The closer they got to the horizon, the thicker the clouds that were touching the ground. It was hard to tell what time of day it was, so they decided to camp based on how tired the mortals were feeling.

While Haur directed Thar to specific spots to harden for their tents, Nocipel went up to D’Argen.

“Come here, I want you to feel something.” Nocipel took him a bit aside. The two crouched in the snow and Nocipel cleared it until he could touch the ice. He pulled one hand out of the fur cuff and took one of D’Argen’s hands. “Do you feel this?”

The scent of seaweed filled the air around them as D’Argen touched the cold ice with his bare palm. At first, he did not feel anything other than the cold. After closing his eyes to concentrate, he felt something moving in his palm, as if his blood was flowing in only one direction and curving slightly towards his thumb.

“What is it?”

“The current we are using to direct us,” Nocipel answered. “Based on the current, I believe there to be land here,” he tapped his own finger against the tip of D’Argen’s pinky a few times. “Unfortunately, I cannot get a read on the distance, so Haur has approved for you to run in that direction to check.” when D’Argen looked up, Nocipel was looking to the east. “Whether you find something or not, return before first light.”

The two rose slowly.

“I would like you to collect some water for me to feel when you come back. A single ball of snow should be enough but collect more if you feel the need for it. Keep it separate from all your other liquids.”

“Understood.”

“Do you need anybody to lay a path for your return?”

“I’ll make my own.”

“Good. If you are not back by first light, I will have one of your usual companions lay a path for you to follow. It may be hidden because of Thar, but it will be there.”

“I’ll find it. Thar using his mahee makes it easier for me to split the scents apart, actually, so I know exactly who to follow.”

“And how do you feel about taking someone with you? How much will it slow you down?”

“Take someone with me? Why?”

“We may not be on land, but we are on new lands. I would feel better knowing you are not alone.”

“Who did you have in mind?”

“D’Argen,” Nocipel sounded like he was getting ready to chide him. “This is not a matter of who you like or not.”

“But it is a matter of safety! And I would like to make sure that whoever you had in mind will not kill me on our short journey.”

“Hmm… you have a point.” D’Argen was almost insulted. “In that case, we are lucky because the person I had in mind is one of your own companions. Take Yaling. I want her to listen to the north.”

“Smart choice!”

“I know.” Nocipel hid his grin but D’Argen knew it was there. “You can leave as soon as both you and Yaling are ready. Make sure you start your run outside of our campsite and get Thar to harden out a spot for you to push out from. And one to stop at, preferably.”

Without another word, D’Argen jogged over to where his companions were setting up their tent. Abbot and Yaling were packing snow on the edges of the stretched canvas to keep it down and Lilian was already inside it, holding a support beam though mostly likely hiding from the cold.

When D’Argen shared the news with them, Lilian and Yaling switched places so the woman could eat before they left. D’Argen told them he had to share their path with her and joined her inside, though both of the others knew it was a flimsy excuse to get inside.

By the time the tent was completely set up and not in danger of falling on them, Yaling had eaten and drank her fill.

“It will be cold,” Lilian shuddered as they entered the tent and immediately started unpacking their sleeping furs.

“I know, but we will be fast,” D’Argen nodded.

“I meant us,” Lilian snapped. “Less bodies, less body heat. I am taking your furs,” they announced without question and opened both Yaling’s and D’Argen’s packs. They took out said furs and wrapped themselves in them quickly.

“None for me?” Abbot questioned with a smile.

Lilian hissed out something from under the furs. Both Yaling and D’Argen laughed.