Duskfire Glacier ever since i was a kid,

the glacier was silent, save for the whisper of the wind against the stone, the distant call of an owl. the night stretched long and restless, a heavy weight pressing down upon the taiga.
faust did not sleep. he waited.
when the familiar scent of @Svalla drifted through the cold, his head lifted, green eyes sharp in the dim light. he had sent her on a task, one that could change the course of the war to come, and now she was here—finally.
the kaan rose to meet her, stepping forward from where he had been lingering at the edge of the frozen meadow. his breath curled in the frigid air as he watched her approach, scanning her for wounds, for exhaustion, for any sign of how her journey had gone.
what has happened? his voice was quiet, measured. any alliances?
the wind howled between them, but he did not move, did not blink. he needed answers.