Broken Antler Fen My eclipsed sun

Arcturus, unsettled by the change in the air and the ripples of the first quakes had left several hours before. Wraen had stayed put, remembering the last winter and the hardships, hoping dearly that yet another such year was not ahead of them. Then she witnessed the dark cloud rising, the smell too and, how the snow that fell was mingled with grey and black of ash. Her first thought was of a wildfire, but, how could that be possible in this weather? 

Ibis's urgent call came right at the moment, when the elder was heading towards the site, where her niece with her daughter had settled, and she reached them just as Lilitu went to greet her mother and ask, what had happened. Wraen sidled next to her and looked at Ibis expectantly.