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Adranel trudged on through the snow. Light was fading as the day waned, though it was still just bright enough for her to see where she was going in the sparse forest. She was heading for Dale, though she knew it would be a few days before she arrived if she did not freeze or starve to death first. She thought that freezing would be more likely; already her fingers and toes were numb, and she did not have a cloak or any additional layers to keep herself warm. Her mind, too, was numb from all emotion and care. She liked it that way, because she did not have to think, or remember. Adranel was glad the tears had stopped - she had always hated crying.
She lost track of time as she hiked. Surely she could not have been walking more than a couple hours? Darkness came early during the winter, and with it the frigid temperatures of night. Perhaps she would stop for the night soon, and build a fire to keep warm. She was drained, both physically and emotionally, but she did not want to stop. If she stopped, she might start remembering again. So she kept moving, even when it became to dark to walk safely through the woods. Dinnertime came and passed, and even though she had eaten nothing since breakfast, Adranel was not hungry.
Finally, Adranel could not go on any longer. Her body simply could not handle it, and she very nearly collapsed. It was late, she knew, for the waxing half moon had nearly set in the west. Due to the snow, none of the wood she could find in the deep dark was dry. She gave up on trying to start a fire and huddled down in the shelter of a tall tree and made no attempt to clear the snow away. If snow was used properly, it could also trap body heat and help keep her warm. Her older brothers had taught her about woodcraft, and focusing on the little things like the moon and snow helped occupy her mind away from her family, her village, and the cruel, merciless Orcs.
As she closed her eyes for sleep, the memories came back even as she feared they would. She could hear the screams, see her father being murdered by the Orc. Tears threatened again, and this time she tried to suppress them. She had no energy to do so, however, and they trickled down her cheeks in tiny rivulets. Overcome by weariness, Adranel finally fell asleep, though sleep was even less peaceful than waking.
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