Higher than heaven

Deepfrost in Halo might not have been as instantly lethal as it had been before the War, but the temperatures were still dangerously cold. Hadama had never missed his Academy protection as much as he did now, trekking through the Hollow Forest as the first stars of the night sparkled through the stark black branches overhead. A crescent moon glowed against the dark violet bruise of a clear sky, but it had been dark enough that the demigod had been able to teleport from the relative comfort of the Citadel to the frozen forest, piled deeply with snow. Normally he would not have been out in such frigid temperatures - his Torchline blood, even tempered by his deep sea-going forms, protested the necessity of it - but Safrin had set him a quest, and he knew he could count on the Wild Thunder's assistance.

If he could find him.

A helpful Halovian in Snowcloak had reported that Sah and his pack were out hunting fresh meat in the Hollow Forest, a region of Halo that Hadama was unfamiliar with, but his teleportation had brought him there nonetheless. "Sah Lovi?" he called at intervals, his deep voice reverberating from the metal trees and sending small showers of snow down from the mounds on their branches as it bounced through the forest, growing tinny with distance as the echoes reflected from trunk to trunk.

...look into a wolf's eyes. You'll never be the same again.

A small bolt of lightning landed a close, but safe, distance from the Demi-god. Out of the raw element stepped the Wild Thunder, followed by a trio of wolves. "Hadama? I thought I heard you calling me." Lilly had been the one to alert the pack first and with Frog's abilities, Sah was able to pinpoint the Demi-god's approximate location. It had still taken a few jumps to find him, however.

"Are you alright?" It was rare that he saw anyone apart from hunters or adventurers coming into the Hollow Forest at night. Lilly happily walked over to Hadama to greet him as Pad remained at his bonded's side. Frog, however, was very curious about the newcomer that his family had been looking for. Disappearing into the shadow at Sah's feet, the small pup reappeared in the shade of a tree a few feet from the Demi-god. His white eyes watched the man as Lilly approached.

Sah

Now that he was familiar with the Wild Thunder's method of teleportation, Hadama did not flinch at the lightning bolt that struck nearby out of a cloudless sky. His emerald eyes had closed against the flash and his hand tightened briefly on the haft of his trident until he heard the Halovian's voice over the ringing in his ears, but after a moment the echoes of the thunderclap faded and he inclined his head at the hunter in greeting. "You did," he confirmed solemnly, before bowing politely to Lilly and pulling off his mitten to offer the wolf his hand in greeting. If she allowed he would give her chin a gentle scritch, and though he glanced to the white eyes that watched him from the shadows he made no move to coax their owner any closer, respecting the pup's caution.

"I am unharmed, thank you." Straightening up again and pulling the mitten back on, his expression eased as he took in his fellow follower of Safrin looking so healthy and hale. He paused, tilting his head slightly at the little shadowy canine without looking at him directly. "A new companion?"

He waited courteously for Sah's answer before continuing with what had brought him out into the dark of Halovian Deepfrost, bundled up thickly in a parka, scarf, and mittens, with a thick stocking cap pulled down over his ears to protect them from the cold. "I apologize for interrupting your hunt. But I have a quest from our goddess, and I have come to ask for help."

...look into a wolf's eyes. You'll never be the same again.

Lilly offered Hadama's hand a lick, her tail wagging happily as she accepted his attention. Sah watched Frog with a small smile as the small wolf took a few steps forward but still kept some distance between himself and the stranger, "Yes. He's what was pulling me to the Grounds actually. His name is Frog."

Sah waved off Hadama's concern, instantly focusing on the quest. "No need to apologize. How can I help?" The hybrid was always ready and willing to do his Goddess' bidding, whether by direct order or assisting with a quest. Even beyond that, Hadama was a friend. That alone would have had Sah changing his plans for the evening.

Sah

You know how sometimes you step outside and the cold just catches your lungs? And you cough and gasp and desperately try to inhale more oxygen?

Congratulations! You probably just wandered into a breath snatch!

Yeah, that glittering cloud of glittering frost wasn’t friendly either. Who knew?

---

You’ve encountered a Breath Snatch. This counts as an uncommon creature encounter for the purposes of levelling, but does not count as a Random Event for levelling or MP. There will be no further admin/re intervention. If you choose to follow this creature, you do so at your own risk, however, just having it in this thread is enough to satisfy your levelling requirements. (You may not kill this creature without admin permission. )

Breath Snatch (uncommon) - A minor Halo nuisance, the Breath Snatch is a small elemental spirit that lingers in open areas on cold days. They're easiest to notice on bright days, a concentrated cloud of glittering frost lingering in the air, but if not noticed and walked into, the elemental will disperse in a puff of freezing air, often freezing the breath in the lungs of whomever was unlucky enough to come across it. It doesn't seem to possess enough sentience to be truly malevolent. Large groups of the spirits are rare, but potentially deadly if walked into unknowingly.

Hadama was also quietly pleased to see Lilly, though he straightened soon after their initial greeting. Only after Sah introduced him to Frog did he turn his gaze upon the umbral pup, giving the young canine a small bow. "Hello, Frog. It is good to meet you." His usual low rumble of a voice was even quieter than usual, and there was a gentleness to it for the cautious young creature. He made no attempt to get closer, however, and turned his attention back to Sah--

Only to suddenly lose his breath as the air between them glittered with more than just starlight. Cold lanced into his lungs even through his scarf, and his usual method of dealing with the creatures - ducking under the waves and flooding his gills with water - was not particularly useful right now.

It took him a few minutes to clear his lungs and ease his throat, a faint grimace of discomfort lingering briefly until he regained his poise and could breathe freely again. "Ah. Excuse me. I am improving my armor again," he explained, removing the bangle that contained the owlbear plumage armor from a pocket and holding it out to Sah. "Safrin has tasked me to take it 'up high where the air is very thin.' I do not have a winged form. But when we repaired her shrine you used a raven shift. Would you be willing to carry this up as high as you can fly?"

Sah

The Raven must be sent
before the Dove

Frog watched the Demi-god curiously, a soft yellow coloring the bond. He made a single step forward only to freeze and pin his ears back as both Hadama and his bonded were affected by a weird cloud. Sah coughed into his elbow as the breath snatch went by, gritting his teeth afterward. "Darn things." Thankfully, the creature had remained high enough in the air that it had avoided the wolves. He gave Frog a gentle pat on the head to sooth the worried pup as he refocused on the conversation.

The hybrid listened to Hadama describe his quest, nodding along. "Of course. I'd be happy to help." Large dark wings grew as she shifted form, gaining air with a powerful flap. The raven gently took the offered bangle and surged upwards. Sah went as high as he dared, where the air grew thin, and his heart had to beat faster to maintain his altitude. Holding there for a moment, he waited for a few moments before beginning a careful descent.

Reaching the ground, Sah returned to his true form and handed the bangle over. "There. That should do it.

ominous controversy must precede
peace and the olive wreath

Hadama nodded his agreement with Sah's sentiment - 'darn things,' indeed - while he worked to regain his breath so he could explain the nature of his favor. There had been no doubt in him that the hunter would agree to assist, though the Tidebreaker had been prepared to wait for a more convenient time for the Wild Thunder if necessary.

It was still a little strange to see the Halovian shift from man to animal when Hadama had known him for so long as an Abandoned, but it was a welcome change. More evidence of Safrin's approval and affection for the man, which the Tidebreaker could only admire.

He offered up the bangle solemnly to the raven's careful beak and then watched as Sah circled higher and higher until the dark bird was lost in the dark night sky beneath jeweled stars. It was a matter of faith that his friend reached the heights necessary to complete the task, but faith was something that Hadama had in abundance. He waited with quiet patience with the wolves, offering Lilly scritches once more until her human returned.

He accepted his armor back and then gave his friend a deep bow of gratitude. "Thank you," he murmured, slipping the bangle back into his pocket. He would return it to its customary spot wrapped around his bicep when he did not have to remove so many layers in order to put it back on. "Is there a task I can help you with in return?"

...look into a wolf's eyes. You'll never be the same again.

"Of course. I'm happy to have helped." Sah wasn't surprised at Hadama's offer to return the favor. There wasn't anything that the hybrid truly needed at the moment. He wasn't on a quest. A thought occurred and he let out a hum, "If you wish to join us in our hunt, feel free to. Otherwise, I was intending to go to the Greatwood soon and search for roses. I could certainly use an extra set of eyes." The wolves would no doubt help. But they'd likely be more focused on romping through the woods than looking for flowers. Not that their bonded could blame them.

The Wild Thunder softened as the shyest of his wolves slowly inched up to the quiet Demi-god. Hadama had a steady presence, and it didn't surprise Sah that Frog would be more at ease with the Tidebreaker than he was with others. Stopping a foot or so away, the young pup leaned forward and hesitantly sniffed, debating drawing closer.

Sah

Hadama considered the forest around them and the white snow that lay so thickly on the ground. He also considered the chill in the air that his Torchline senses were ill-suited for. Once, he had been able to use the Academy's blessing to keep the cold at bay but now...

"I would slow your hunt down." Which did not stop him from slowly sinking to one knee on the frozen crust, inclining his head to Lilly and to Frog both before looking back to Sah. It was a tacit invitation for the youngest wolf to come closer, though Hadama did not pressure the pup by watching him. "But I will join you in the Greatwood. I would like to gather our resources for Flowerbirth."

They had pushed the Void back to Starfall at least until a few days later and it was time to consider taking the fight to the invaders.

Hadama was unhurried in spite of the chill, and willing to wait until Frog had made his sniffs. Once the companion was content, the Tidebreaker rose and wished the Wild Thunder luck before stepping into the warped shadow of his magic and teleporting away.

~Fin