"I could, but he is already accompanying us into the Fortress.  I would rather not burden him more by asking for more from him.  I'll just go look for some.  Shouldn't take me very long." she said.  She then gave a little chuckle.  "I had a hunch we would be coming someplace cold, but I didn't know we would be here exactly."

"I never knew there was places as cold as this. Up until you released me, I had lived in that stable. Winer was cold, but this is rediculous. Then again, I can't seem to retain as much heat as I used to. Something about this tulip seems to have reduced my resistance to the cold," she said, looking down to the flower in her chest, "I can't complain though, I'd rather be susceptable to the cold than under that tyrant's rule."

Goldenscale shudddered as she remembered all the winters she had gone through.  "At least you knew what it was like to at least hold in body heat.  I've been like this for most of my life and winter has always been harsh for me.  I end up freezing half to death every winter when I go out because it lowers so rapidly.  But then again I've been connected to a flower since after I turned one, so I haven't really known heat during the winter." she said with a shrug and a sigh.  She then gave a smile.  "Yeah, I agree with you there.  I had only talked to him a few minutes and I couldn't stand him, as much as I tried." she said with a chuckle.  "At least we were able to free everyone."

"I'm glad too.So many suffered  under him. At least someone more capable is taking his place. They're much more close to nature than he was," she said, "Well, I guess we should be getting back to Deniigi and Alignak soon."

Goldenscale shook her head.  "I don't know how you all survived so long u derneath his rule.  But thankfully now he is dead and no one will need to worry about him." she said with a smile.  She then sighed.  "That would rpobably be best.  We should not stay here for longer than we need to." she said, getting up and stretching.

"We lived very restrictedly. We were only given enough food and water to live. The stables served as our only places to live," she said, stretching herself, "It was horrible, and he used his magic to creep into our weakened minds to control us. Enough of that though, let''s get going before Alignak get's hostile or becomes uninterested."

Goldenscale sighed as she heard what Midnight and the others had gone through.  She then gave a nod to her and stretched one last time before walking to the door.  "That would probably be best since I would like to get out of this place as soon as I can.  I don't like the cold and I don't want to endanger Ahnah more than is needed." she said.

Giving a nod, Midnight fallowed Goldenscale out. Meeting the two outside, Alignak and Deniigi could be seen, their faces sharing mimiced scarswith traces of blood still seeping out.

"Good, I was about to give up on seeing you two again," Alignak said, glancing over Goldenscale and Midnight, "I will take you to the barrier, no farther. Once you three are in, I will be returning to my duties here."

"They already knew that brother. Let us not waste time talking, these two can only stay out here so long before their bodies fail them," Deniigi said, giving a nod to everyone and turning to lead the way, "If we leave now, we will reach the fortress itself at daybreak. Better to enter during the day than at night. What little light gets in the fortress walls will give us some form of heat, however little."

(I am so so sorry, zezmeril, for not posting!  I feel so guilty for not posting in so long.  I'm going to try and remember to post as often as I can on the weekends!  I am so so sorry!)

Goldenscale gave a low growl of annoyance when she saw that the two beaten up from fighting.  She honestly hoped that Alignak would notfight again for this made her quite irritated that he would try to hurt others.  Thank goodness that wasn't Ahnah that he had fought.  Otherwise she wouldn't hold back in the slightest.  "That is by all means alright with me." she answered calmly to Alignak.  She then turned to Deniigi and nodded.  "Whatever you think is best is what we should do.  You know more about the Fortress than either of us." she said.

((It's fine. With everything that been going on for me this past month, the break was nice. It's given me time to recover. In all honesty, I haven't been online much more than to just do daily stuff recently.))

"The more day light  we can get while inside, the better. Eveery bit of light provideds some bit of warmth and light. I'm bringing materials to start a fire just in case though. Even the most nturally equiped creatures find this place to be difficult to survive in," Deniigi said, falling in behind Alignak as he started towards the Fortress, "I assume you know exactly what you're looking for there. The less time we spend inside, the less likely it is for us to freeze."

"If you do manage to get out alive, I want you to return to me. This is the Icewarden's chellenge. All who pass it are welcome as one of our own, regardless of who or what they are. I may have sealed the place off long ago to prevent deths, but that doesn't mean I will throw away the long held traditions out ancestors set before us," Alignak said, spreading his wings out to block the headwind for the others, "All who survive entering the Icewarden's lair are welcome as brother and sister to our clan."

(Alright, as long as it ws beneficial.  I just felt so bad because I was doing exactly what I hated other people doing to me and so I came and tried to fix that as soon as I could.  I'm glad that you were able to worry about other things other than posting.)

"Yes, I do have an idea of what to look for, though it might take me a moment to realize it once we are there.  I just hope tha we can get in and get out as quickly as we can without risking our lives much more than necessary." she said.  She then smiled and nodded to Alignak's words.  "That is very kind of your ancestors to do and it sounds like a wonderful tradition to keep up, even if very few make it through.  We shall al try our best to make it through, though that was our original goal so that we can continue with our journey." she said.  You hear that, Ahnah?  Alignak says that all who survive going through the Fortress need to report back to him because they then are welcome as brother and sister!  Maybe we can get you back into your clan if he sees how strong you have become. Goldenscale thought to Ahnah with glee, though her facial features remained calm and collected.

((It's fine. This past month has ben rather strtessful with things going on between family and work. While it is nice to escape into this world in the rp, being away from it  allowed me to keep things in perespective through it all.))

"Good, keeping a goal in mind will help you in finding what it is you are looking for. Judging by the spike of excitement in your aura, I would think this kind of challenge is something you seek out. I can not say I look forward to your success, but I wish the Icewarden's blessings to you," Alignak said, projecting a dome of ice around the group as the weather picked up around them, "I hope you are ready though, we will be there shortly. The rip may be short, but the seal will take time to break. i am putting my trust in you and your friend to protect me as I work on the seal. While I work, all my focus with be on the seal so i will be defensles should something attack us."

"Don't worry about that brother, nothing will attack you in that time. Your barrier has crated a field of negative energy that keeps wildlife away.," Deniigi said, reinforcing Alignaks's dome, "The only thing you have to worry about is the weather picking up."

"Yes, I am well aware of the old tradition. it is because of that old tradition that I want to  face the challenge at your side. Even if he's against it, he will have no choice but to accept me into the claan once more. None too soon though. My mother will be on her last days when we emerge from the Fortress again," Ahnah said, "The current  shaman is doing everything they can to keep her alive, but her organs are slowlly shutting down. She wants me to be there when she passes. It's the least i can do for her."

(I'm sorry things have been so stressful for you for the past month...  I hope things have gotten better for you.)

"Thank you, Alignak." Goldenscale said.  She listened to him as he spoke, afterwards, she began to think of what she could do to help him with keeping weather out of the way.  "Well, I can help with keeping weather out of the way.  Though I cannot prevent the snow from falling or control it in any way, I can try and see if I can change the air currents in the air so that the weather can blow over us.  I'm not sure if it would work, but I can try." she said, analyzing the atmosphere around them. 

I'm sorry we have come so late in her life and I am sorry that she is on her death bed.  The only thing we can do now is survive the Fortress and try to be back in time.  Alignak is currently going to work on opening the entrance for us, so you have a few minutes before we officially go in.  I wish there was something I could do...  One of the only family you have left that still cares for you here is going to die and I can't do anything for you.  As I said though, we will try to get through and back before she does die. Goldenscale said before turning her attention to the atmosphere and keeping an eye on the weather.

((Unfortunatly, I'm can only learn to cope with it.))

"I would advice against that. Changing the air currents could cause unwanted damage to the area. It would be easier to just create a barrier around him to block the weather rather than mold the wind to redirect it," Deniigi said as a great distrubence flickered in the distance where the barrier was, "We just need to overcome the field of energy coming from the barrier."

"It is fine. It wasn't your fault for the timing. At least now I have insentive to make our time in the Fortress as short as possible. Aga is a stuborn soul. While we must hurry, she will try to hold out as long as she can,"  Ahnah said, "I'm heading that way now. Alignak wont attack me outside the village as it isn't in the village itself, and not in his realm of control."

(Oh my dear goodness!  I am so so very sorry!  I haven't posted on here in ages!  It is adamant that I can't keep my promise to become more active, and I am truly sorry about that...  I can't even say how sorry I am for not posting very often...)

Goldenscale lowered her head.  "Oh, that sounds like a good idea." she said sheepishly.  She hadn't really thought about what would have happened in consequence with what she had suggested, and now she thought about them, feeling a bit guilty.  Alright.  Just be safe.  I don't know what's out there, and it will be harder to detect auras around your location. she thought back.  "Alright, so how do we overcome the field of energy?" she asked Deniigi.