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Venthyr trotted after the young man, sinking into the snow under his great weight. Earth dragons were not designed to move gracefully, let alone in three foot snow drifts. But even with his bulk, he managed to maintain an easy, confortable pace with his human companion, despite Jorge's advantage of snowshoes.

Their breath rose is misty wisps, translucent and shining in the light of the streetlamps. Sakaen was a tiny town, more a village than a town, consisting of a single saloon, an inn, a general store, and the various shacks in which the miners dwelled. In the day it was deserted, all the men gone to the Hills of Glass and the women too few in number to cause stir. During the night it was too cold for any sane creature to venture out of the house. But when one's job was at stake, no one was sane at night. Jorge Berlman was no exception.

His teeth clattered together as he trodded through the snow, his parka seeming only a sheet of paper between him and the icy air. This night the wind was still, thank the Gods, and it did not snow or hail. It was almost too good to be true. Such was life in Frigidus.

In the night stirred another figure, grumbling and unhappy as he was. Being woken up by one's own brother in mid-sleep to be informed he was going back to that hellish place that supplied his income did not ever put him in a decent mood. His footsteps were silent, sharp ears picking up that another was nearby, a much larger figure forging through the snow.

He shivered, glancing back at the town to ensure that no one about could see him. Many frowned upon the thought of one of his kind living peacefully among them, and it would be so much more obvious if they saw his transformation. Amber eyes watching from the direction of the footsteps, Xanam changed as fast as he could. His pores stick up like chillbumps, sprouting thick hairs a moment later. On his head, two pointed ears stood up, the round human ones vanishing simultaneously. His teeth sharpened, his senses jumping to their height as the wolf lycan shifted to half form. His black bushy tail wagged behind him, eyes widening as the scents cut distinctly through the snow. Earthy... wasn't everything in this place?

Xanam stayed on top of the snow, snowshoeless as he followed the others slowly to the mine. The town knew of his existance, but precious few had seen his natural form. He had made sure of that.

Jorge let out a slow, long breath.

They stood outside a large, gaping hole in the side of a steep, ice-covered slope. There was almost no pause between where the buildings ended and the hill began, simply snow-covered tools piled as high as a man's shoulder. The snow about the entrance was packed hard with a thousand footprints, blackened with coaldust and littered with bits of rock and ice.

Home sweet home.