I stayed staring ahead, where there were four workers trying to light a campfire that refused to cooperate. For the past few hours, the snowfall had begun to intensify.
"How boring," I said with my head resting on my hand, sitting on a log beside my tent. It had already been a week since we settled in the area. Luckily, the work progressed faster than expected; even so, it would take us almost three weeks in total.
I looked up at the sky and saw how more and more snow kept falling. The snow already on the ground covered around 20 centimeters. It was starting to be annoying even to walk.
Suddenly the wind began to blow very hard, making the canvas of the tents creak and lifting some stakes. I covered my face, stood up quickly, and grabbed the two ties that were now 'flying' out of control.
"Shit," I looked around for help, but everyone was focused on their own tents; apparently, it had caught most of us off guard. The guys weren't nearby, and Rowan was on guard duty.
I looked back and one of the ties on Daren and Claire's tent began to come loose as well. I stretched my leg and pressed it against the ground so it wouldn't slip away.
"Someone… help…" I shouted for help with great embarrassment because of the position I was in. Of course, it was useless; the wind was too strong for anyone to hear me.
But just then it seemed someone heard my prayers. "Who nee—… Luke? Ha…" Leofric tried to hold back his laughter when he saw me.
"Don't laugh, idiot, and help me!" I said irritably.
"Alright, I'll take this one here, you take the others," he held my friends' tent while I held mine, "now grab one and tie a knot."
I held the rope and the stake in my hands. I stared at it for a few seconds and then frowned.
"It's not that complicated," he said as he turned his head and saw me hesitating without doing anything, "the rope doesn't bite."
"Tsk, that's what you say," I formed a loop, then passed one end over the other, then under and finally through the center and pulled tight.
I lifted the 'knot' and the next moment it completely came undone. "W-what have you done?" Leofric exclaimed with a stunned expression when he saw my attempt at a knot.
He drove his stake into the ground, which was already completely secure, and walked toward me. "Come, give me one."
I gave him one of the two ties that had come loose from my tent, and he began to explain, "Watch closely. This is a bowline. It's used to make a fixed loop that doesn't slip. Useful if you need to secure something… or someone."
I watched and paid full attention to his explanation, though slightly puzzled by his last comment.
Leofric formed a small loop.
"First you make a loop. Think of it as a hole in the ground."
He passed the free end through the loop.
"The rabbit comes out of the burrow…"
Then he wrapped it around the standing part of the rope.
"Goes around the tree…"
And passed it back through the original loop.
"And goes back into the burrow."
He pulled both ends firmly. The knot tightened cleanly and solidly, forming a perfect loop.
"Done."
Leofric pointed at the remaining tie.
"Now you do it, and take off your gloves so it's easier."
I did as he said and took off my gloves, then took a deep breath. I formed the loop clumsily.
"The hole…"
I passed the end through.
"The rabbit comes out…"
"I took it around the main strand."
"Goes around the tree…"
I tried to bring it back through the loop, but my fingers were numb from the cold and the end slipped from my grasp.
"And the rabbit… falls off a cliff," I muttered, somewhat frustrated.
Leofric shook his head and smiled at my joke after the failure.
"Don't tighten it too soon. The rope responds better if you don't force it."
I tried again. This time slower. More aware. Feeling the tension of the fibers as they crossed. When I pulled both ends, the knot closed properly. I stared at it for a few seconds.
"I did it."
Leofric tugged hard on the loop. It didn't give.
"Now you've tied a knot. And a good one."
I couldn't help but give a small smile. It wasn't a sword. It wasn't pulse. It wasn't speed or combat, but it was something I didn't know how to do before.
"See?" Leofric said, returning to his practical tone, "In moments like this, it's not all about fighting. Sometimes surviving depends on knowing how to tie something properly. Now go undo the rest of the simple knots and retie them firmly."
I followed his advice and took the remaining ties to redo them; besides, it would help me practice what I had just learned.
Once all the work was done, I invited Leofric to sit at my incredible and luxurious campfire. "How is it that you were already here as soon as the storm began? Didn't you have to secure the tents in your sector too?" I asked uncertainly.
Leo looked at me and raised an eyebrow. "No, because… I had already tied everything properly when we arrived?"
"Oh, right, that makes sense," I replied while taking a piece of firewood and tossing it into the fire.
While we chatted casually, I heard footsteps behind us and turned to look. It was Daren and Claire, who apparently came once the storm calmed and the wind died down.
"Where were you? We almost ended up without a place to sleep," I said jokingly.
"Claire practicing with her sword and me helping load the logs onto the carts," he narrowed his eyes and seemed to realize something, "What do you mean we almost ended up without a place to sleep?"
"You tied all the knots extremely badly. As soon as the blizzard started, it almost carried your tents away," Leofric answered in my place, "it was very funny. If you had seen the position Lu— ouch." I kicked his heel when I realized what he was about to say.
"Anyway, I'm hungry. Should I make the food?" Daren offered with a bright smile.
"Brother, if you cook again I swear I'll become a herbivore and live off grass and leaves," Claire said with a solemn expression while holding her shoulder.
"I agree with her. My taste buds are still negotiating peace since I tried your cooking," I added to her comment.
"Hey, hey, why are you like this? I don't think I cook that badly," Leofric added to calm the mood.
"That's because you haven't tried it," Claire and I said at the same time.
Leo shrugged. "In that case, I'll cook. I'll go get some provisions to make a stew."