Gathering of Comrades

The fortress walls loomed heavy in the morning light, their stone ridges layered with frost. Whispers carried through the courtyards - last night's patrol had gone missing, and shadows in the snow no longer seemed like tricks of the eye. Fear lingered in the air, but discipline and duty kept the fortress alive. Even so, the unease clung like frost in every breath.

Inside the council chamber, the air was hot with arguments. Akari shifted her paws on the stone floor, ears pricking as voices clashed. Noel and she had accompanied Seren and Caldris to the meeting.

Lord Halveth, draped in heavy furs, slammed his palm against the table, rattling ink pots. “Enough. Too many signs have been ignored. If we sit idle, we invite disaster to our gates. Captain Seren, you will investigate this immediately.”

Seren dipped his head respectfully, but his eyes burned with an intensity that made even the torches waver. “If corrupted spirits are stirring, I’ll hunt them. I’ll scour every drift of snow until their cries are silenced.”

Murmurs of approval swept the council table. His eagerness to destroy made Barkley stir uneasily at his side. The wolf pressed against Seren’s leg as though to remind him to hold back.

Halveth’s gaze shifted. It landed, to Akari’s surprise, on Noel. “And Noel Velrath. You’ll lead your own squad. It is part of what you did in the capital.”

Noel stiffened, shock flashing in his eyes before he buried it under calm composure. He bowed deeply. “Understood, Lord Halveth. I’ll see it done.”

Akari’s chest tightened as the councilors turned to measure him - some doubtful, others curious. Seren wasn’t the center of their gaze anymore. Noel was. The weight pressed on her too, though her fur bristled with pride. He had been chosen, trusted, even if others doubted.

Halveth gestured with a weary hand, his voice dropping into a tone more grave. “We’ve seen footprints circling the outer watchfires. These patterns don’t match any beast we know. No bodies were found from last night’s patrol, not even broken steel. Find answers. The north cannot afford mysteries.”

...

The drill yard buzzed with tension. Snow swirled beneath boots, and the clang of steel echoed sharp against the cold. Soldiers gathered in small knots, waiting for orders. Akari padded close to Noel as his new squad stepped forward to meet him.

Sir Branek came first, his armor dented but polished, the marks of battles past etched across it. His hair was streaked with gray, his jaw square, and his eyes sharp. He gave Noel a slow nod. “I fought beside your mother when she protected these lands. She never faltered. If you’ve half her will, you’ll have my sword.”

Noel’s composure cracked for just an instant. His mouth pressed into a line, his eye flickering with something soft, almost wounded. Then it was gone. “Thank you for protecting my mother in the past. I’ll rely on your strength, Sir Branek.”

Next came a girl around Noel's age, though her smile carried the ease of someone twice her age. Mage Lysandra twirled her staff idly as if it were a toy instead of her lifeline. “Don’t worry, I’ll keep spirits high! Yes, it’s cold. Yes, we might be walking into doom, but that’s all the more reason to laugh, right?” She winked at Akari as if they shared a secret. Akari blinked, warmth stirring in her chest - maybe comfort at her friendly personality.

Last came a young man clutching prayer beads, his knuckles white as bone. Priest Ansel’s lips moved in whispers before he managed to lift his eyes. “I’ll heal who I can. My courage may falter, but my faith will not. If I must bleed to keep another alive, then… then so be it.” His words shook, but the heart in them rang clear.

Noel lifted his voice, calm but steady. “Let's not walk into the snow as strangers. Let's get to know each other. Today, we walk as a unit. Trust in one another, and we’ll return together.” His words pressed on every heart, even Akari’s.

The yard churned with activity. Horses pawed the frozen ground. Armor was buckled and weapons sharpened. Mira and the logistics department wove between soldiers like a thread stitching them together, tugging straps, fastening loose belts, chiding one man for a fraying scabbard. “If your gear fails, you die. No excuses.” When she reached Akari, her hands brushed through the fox’s fur, smoothing it as though she were a child. “Stay safe and come back, Akari.”

Akari’s ears twitched. She wanted to answer, to promise she would return. Instead, she leaned into Mira’s touch, letting the warmth sink into her chest.

Caldris stood by the gate, a tower of steel, his eyes heavy with emotion. He clasped Noel’s shoulder with a gauntleted hand. “I have confidence you can lead well. I made sure to pick those agreeable with nobles and exiles and spirits! Remember that today, they’ll look to you before anyone else.” His voice was steady, but the weight in it was clear - he knew Noel’s burdens.

From across the yard, Seren strode with his chosen patrol, Barkley strolling at his side. His expression was sharp as if he wanted to devour the danger ahead. “We’ll see who uncovers more,” he called lightly, though his eyes carried no jest. “Don’t fall behind, Noel.”

Noel gave the barest nod, his jaw set. “I’ll bring my squad back whole. That’s all that matters.”

Seren didn’t notice Akari waving at him! The fox huffed, stamping her paws in the snow before trotting back to Noel’s side.

The gate groaned as chains pulled it open, the sound grinding into the bones of all who listened. Cold wind cut sharp against faces. The captain faced everyone before the first squad left the fortress.

“We march now. Stay sharp and stay close to each other. Today, we only investigate the odd occurrences of last night's patrol. If you're in trouble, use the flare. Sir Caldris will lead all rescue missions.”

Branek saluted, his eyes gleaming with a soldier’s fire.

Lysandra lifted her staff in a playful flourish. “Forward it is!”

Ansel pressed his beads so tightly they looked ready to snap, whispering prayers as they crossed the threshold.

Caldris called out to everyone. “At any sign of trouble you can't handle, don’t be afraid to signal! May you all come back safe and sound!”

Together, the squad stepped beyond the walls. The snow stretched endless, swallowing their tracks. Behind them, the fortress gate slammed shut with finality. Akari’s heart hammered with fear and unease. It was the first time she left the safer fortress for the outside where Noel almost died. She pressed closer to Noel’s side, her fur bristling in the wind. Whatever awaited them in the frozen wastes, they would face it together - not as strangers, but as comrades bound by trust and by fire.