Jade Fern Grove klagelied

set for tomorrow morning 12/8 early but after dawn

through the darkness mahler had traveled. keeping noctisardor to his west, the gargoyle found himself in a glen of ferns kissed in frost as dawn began to loom. beyond that, a lake, and beyond that, the edge of swiftcurrent. he did not enjoy this place despite its familiarity.
but it offered a goodly degree of protection, and wearied, mahler lay himself down among the breaking leaves and nestled himself into the underdown, asleep quickly for a sleep punctuated by several interruptions.
the morning came. mahler woke just after the grey-gloom and its flurries of snow began. narrowed gaze as the gargoyle rose, stretching his ached limbs and cursing in a gruff tone the age of his body.
snow would not keep him. mahler paced through the muted greenery, knowing with another handful of hours he could be near to the sunspire if he kept to the path that had led them from sawtooth.