As Val walked through the ships long-stretched door, the cold breeze of the mountain air hit him like a needle. He was hesitant at first but he had forced himself to leave. His boots crunched through the early morning snow of the mountain top. Despite his breath taking surrounding, he found himself still nervous after that attack that put Thorkell in the medical bay.

Vals unease was halted by the sweet aroma of the of the plants around the ships landing zone. The smells were comforting and slowly overshadowed his fear. The fresh snow contrasted vividly with the blue berries that were scattered around his feet. He crouched down, picking a few berries, the fresh scent of the berries wrinkled his nose.

Val’s eyes widened as he thought of earlier planets he had landed on. Val thought of his general rule he had taught those interested in the art of brewing mead. “The worst it smells when picked, the sweeter the mead it will make.”

As Val placed the berry in his mouth and chewed, he tasted a quick blast of a sugary sweet juice as the berry blasted across his tongue. He struggled to contain his excitement as he carefully picked the low-growing plants clean of berries.

Sitting in the snow, Val savored the berries, his mind drifted to when he was a young boy. He recalled various adventures of sneaking through his local berry farm's stealing blueberries and strawberries by the handful. He remembered his first time trying a freshly picked strawberry and how sweet the taste was and how nervous he was that that old man that ran the farm would catch him. The taste of the berries brought a nostalgic feeling to him, one he hadn’t felt since the day Thorkells mother passed away.

Before Val could think of the past he hears a young voice echo from behind him “Val, what are you doing in the snow?”

Val lays back resting in the snow and peers up to see a young boy with deep brown curly hair and skin the color of caramel. The boys eyes glistened with excitement upon seeing his old friend.

Val grinned and replied “Kare, you curly-haired devil. How was stasis?”

Kare sat next to Val and took some of the berries from him. As Kare examined the berries he plugged his nose and laughed as he mocked Val “The worst it smells the better it tastes, right?”

Val sits up and nudges Kare before answering his mockery with “Fruit that give off a bad aroma have developed that smell to protect them from predators. So yes, in most cases the worst the smell the better the taste.”

Kare places on of the berries in his mouth and chews, his eyes brighten highlighting their copper-brown glow. The sweet burst of flavor seemed to amplify his naturally cheerful mood.

Val smiled, sharing in Kare’s excitement. “See, my rule hasn’t failed me yet!”

Kare tries to hold back his joy as he responds with a playful smirk “I mean, they are alright.”

Noticing Val’s smile fading slightly Kare shows a look of concern “So, how have you been? What has been bothering you?”

Val didn’t attempt to hide his dismay. Instead, he replied “You always had the ability to see right through me, even as a young boy.”

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Kare raised his eyebrow and said “Don’t try to distract me with stories of old times, I understand that you are old, but you can’t fool me!”

Val ate another berry before replying “It is not the burden of the young to carry the weight of older generations.”

Kare, with a determined expression, took all the berries from Val and said “No more berries until you tell me what has been bothering you! You stone man!”

Val sprang to his feet and said “Then I will go find more, the grow plentifully around us!”

Kare stood up, still carrying the berries and shouted “I’ll be joining you then, until you learn to talk about your feelings!”

Val hid a wide smile as Kare rushed toward him, almost tripping over the snow.

Kare intentionally bumps into Val as they walk down the mountain side and demands “Talk about your problems, old man!”

Val held strong as he scanned the landscape in search for new fruits in that inhabited this new world.

As time passed, Kare continued to press the issue antagonizing Val constantly as they trekked through fields of tree and bushes in search of fruits.

Val’s attention was suddenly drawn to an apple-sized object hanging from a large tree, it had very few branches obscuring it from easy reach. Without hesitation Kare scrambles up the tree and, with deft movements, grabbed the elusive fruit.

As Kare perched on the branch he dangled the fruit, teasing Val “Only way I don’t eat this myself is if you agree to talk about your problems.”

Vals waved him down, remaining silent as if to avoid making promises.

Kare, with a triumphant smile, said “Say it” as he lifted the fruit to his mouth, ready to take a bite.

Val felt his mouth watering for the mysterious fruit blurted out in desperation “Fine, we can talk about my problems!”

Kare felt accomplished as he descended the tree the tree. He tossed the fruit to Val and gave a satisfied nod “Now, let’s sit down and we can discuss what's troubling you.”

Val caught the fruit, almost fumbling it. As they settled down on the snow-covered ground, Val took a deep breath and said “I have been thinking about all the pain I have caused my brother. I am the reason his wife had died and now his son remains in critical care due to my failures.”

Kare listened intently, his normal playful demeanor replaced by an expression of concern. Kare placed his hand on Val’s shoulder and said “I understand this burden is heavy, and I wish you would stop carrying it on your own.” he continues softly “But holding blame for yourself helps no one. Instead, it acts like an anchor weighing down everyone. Eir is one of the best doctors we have ever known if there is a cure she will find it.”

Kare forced himself to smile through the tears streaming down his face as he added “You need to be strong, that is true. You also need someone who can understand and listen to you. When your brother returns, he will need you as he always does.”

Val looked over the reddish yellow fruit and said “It's not always as simple as just talking about it, I don't want to remember. I hear the stories of Hamund’s great adventures and how he hasn’t lost a member of his raiding party since we departed. I look at my constant failures and remember all the lives that I have failed.”

Val looked into Kare’s eyes and said “I remember your fathers last words to me. He wasn’t concerned with his fate, he just wanted me to promise to protect his boy.” Val handed Kare the fruit and said “I always fail, that's why I am not out there with Hamund now.”

Kare leaned in to hug Val and replied “You're not out there with him now because he trusts you to protect the only thing we have to call home.”

Kare sensing Val was close to shutting down any further conversation stood up and said in a joyful tone “What do you say we go turn this thingy into the finest wine we have ever tasted?”

Val looked up at Kare and he pictured Kare’s father and said “you remind me a lot of him.”

Kare assisted Val up and replied “In what way?”

Val laughed and said “You both were a pain in the ass.”

Kare smiled as he watched Val trek back up the mountain.