He clamped the wooden spindle between his calloused palms and spun it furiously, the friction building a desperate, smoking heat.
Poof!
Suddenly the tinder tied around the branch caught fire, setting the whole thing aflame. He guided it beneath the metal bowl, watching the tiny blaze lick at the stacked firewood. Slowly, the heat began to melt the layer of frost clinging to the bowl's rim.
The flame crackled weakly, and he leaned close, shielding it with his hands, breathing encouragement into it until it steadied. There was a heap of snow in the bowl, the fire melting it over the course of a few minutes.
"Ah!" he said pleased.
It was usually better to let the water warm up for a while longer and drink it while it was hot in order to deal with the climate, but right now he had to get going.
'It should be in that direction,' he thought as he stood up and began to walk.
Lately, life has been unbearably dull. But as someone who lives not sure of the next day, dull is good. However, it isn't like he doesn't look forward to days of excitement, after all there will be no hope of a better future if he doesn't search for it.
Looking into the distance above the tree line smoke rose up to the heavens, his destination. Moving with as much stealth as he could muster, it wasn't long until he came upon a set of tracks, most of them were tracks he recognized, 'Forsaken'.
He thought to himself as his eyes landed on something he had not expected to see,
'Human, human tracks'. He blinked several times in shock and confusion, his eyes scanning the place, trying to remember if he had seemingly walked around in circles, but he hadn't.
Looking slightly ahead he caught sight of something in front of him, it was a metal cylinder placed on the ground, he picked it up and shook it, the sound of water being heard through it.
His excitement peaked his heart beating faster as he kept moving further storing the cylindrical object in the pouch on his back, however, his heart beat even faster when upon walking farther he saw the crimson liquid that painted the surroundings.
Bodies, or what remained of them were strewn across the place, more and more strange objects littering the dirt as well, the air stank of a metallic tinge that was sure to attract Forsaken beasts.
Not giving it any thought he dropped to his knees and began to stuff his bag full of everything and anything he could find, deciding not to think further on it. It was quite a shame that none of them were alive but he would need to leave before anything-
He stopped his movements noticing a trail of blood leading in a particular direction, the same direction that the smoke he followed was coming from. A moment of contemplation was all it took for him to abandon his current actions and head in the direction of the smoke, it didn't take a minute of walking for him to come upon a body lying on the ground next a fire.
'Their alive,' he thought to himself as he got a closer look.
The figure was in one piece, at least compared to the rest of their supposed compatriots, but was unconscious and might remain that way forever if they kept losing so much blood.
That may not have mattered much though because at any point in time swarms of Forsaken would come here in desire for human flesh, he still had enough time to escape on his own but carrying an unconscious person with him would be a recipe for disaster.
'Damn, she's heavy,' he thought to himself as he lifted her up and carried her to the best of his ability.
Of course, just because it didn't make sense didn't mean he wasn't going to do it. Why would he leave the first human living human he had seen in years to die, a human from the outside world no less.
After all, he Mryhhl had always desired nothing more, than to leave his birthplace.