Strange places, stranger people

"If I can't move the heavens above, I will move Hell" Sah nodded, struggling to process Noah's words somewhat. The sense of gratitude was almost overwhelming for him and he didn't know how to articulate it.  "Thank you." He finally said simply, hoping that his tone portrayed just how thankful he truly was. He collected himself as he listened to Noah's instructions. "Don't let the fire go out, got it. Do you think that they'll accept prey as payment? I'm used to hunting... or at least I was. I'll likely pick it up again now that I'm here." Sah was eager to pay his debt. Owing someone anything, especially a stranger, had  never been a comfortable feeling for the canine. "In terms of management, is there more than just keeping fresh wood on there?" sah There stood the wolf in the winter wind Full of fearsome might There stood the wolf in the winter wind King of the winter night. -Tim Vallie

NOAH

Noah nodded firmly. "That is the most preferred payment. If you can prove yourself as a hunter and provider, you can get anything from the other skilled workers here in Halo. If you feed them, they will take care of you." The man was speaking from personal experience. the Olsons, his family, had been hunters providing for the people of Halo for as long as Noah knew. It was all his father's family had ever done, as far as he was concerned, because it was all that was ever talked about.

Noah turned his attention back to the fire, then. "You want to keep the flame going and keep it warm enough for you to thrive in here. You also want to make sure it stays warm enough the any of your drinking water doesn't freeze. You can keep it closer to the fire to guarantee that. In the warmer months, when you know you can last a little longer in the cold, you can let your fire burn down to coals," he pointed up to a cast-iron bin, only about four inches deep and eight inches wide and long, "and put them in here. Then clean out any built up ashes in the hearth and make sure the soot is taken care of in the flue and chimney. Then you can use the hot coals you took out to rebuilt your fire once it is all cleaned. I just pay attention to that and do it by feel -- if it looks like too much, then its time to do it."

will you hold the line
when every one of them has given up and given in

"If I can't move the heavens above, I will move Hell" "Excellent. Hopefully I'll adjust to hunting in this form quickly." Sah was glad that he'd be able to use skills he was comfortable with to survive. Granted he'd have to relearn many tactics but at least he had a starting point and wasn't going in blind. He listened intently as Noah explained how to tend to a fire.  "I think I've got it."  He noted once Noah was done. The process was far more complicated then Sah had expected. Though it did make sense that with a fire indoors there would be extra precautions and steps involved. Still, it would likely take practice. "Thank you for your help and for explaining everything." Sah said with a nod of gratitude. He wasn't sure what would have happened should Noah not have stumbled upon him. He would have hesitated to enter Halo and likely would have froze. sah There stood the wolf in the winter wind Full of fearsome might There stood the wolf in the winter wind King of the winter night. -Tim Vallie

NOAH

An epidemic of the mannequins
Contaminating everything
We thought came from the heart

Worry started to settle into the man's chest, as it often did when he thought about the survival of outlanders during such a season. He hesitated for a moment as Sah thanked him for what he had done and taught him, and Noah smiled. It was soft and genuine, but did not wrinkle the sides of his eyes as it did full of mirth. "I couldn't have you freeze to death." He said, standing. He extended a hand out for Sah to grasp and shake, as he had observed between Noah and the many merchants they had done business with. "If you ever want a hunting partner, send word my way. I know this tundra like nothing else." He nodded again and moved towards the door. "I'll leave you to it, then." He finished, before opening the door and slinking out into the snow as a lynx rather than a man.

-FIN

It never did right from the start
Just listen to the noises