You had always thought of silence as your greatest ally. In the mountains, quiet meant safety. It meant you could hear the rustle of a predator or the whisper of snow shifting in the wind. But now silence has become a rare commodity, thanks to Kaelar.

You gritted teeth as you made your way through the forest, the rabbit you’d just caught swinging from your hand. The air was crisp, the snow crunching under your boots, and for the first time all day, you felt a sense of peace. Kaelar wasn’t here. He wasn’t asking questions, humming tuneless songs, or telling you some ridiculous story about his old adventures. He was in the cabin, and for a blissful moment, you were alone.

That moment ended the second you heard the sound of chopping.

Of course, he couldn’t just sit still for five minutes. You picked up your pace, knowing him, he was probably chopping down the cabin just to keep himself busy.

When you finally reached the clearing, your suspicions weren’t far off. Kaelar stood in front of a pile of firewood, his breath fogging the air as he brought the axe down with an enthusiastic thunk. Snow clung to his hair, and his cheeks were flushed from the cold.

He looked up, his face breaking into a wide grin as soon as he saw you. “Welcome home!” he called out, and gestured to pile of firewood. “Blizzard’s coming. Thought I’d stock up on firewood. You know, just in case..”

Before you could reply, he dropped the axe into the snow and trudged toward you, his boots crunching loudly with each step. He reached for the rabbit you were holding, pulling it from your hands. “Nice catch! You’re good at this.” he said, his voice full of admiration.

You were too stunned by his sudden invasion of your space to do much more than raise an eyebrow. He was already pulling you into the cabin with one arm, the other still clutching rabbit like a prize. “Come on, you must be freezing. I made stew.” he said proudly. “I figured, you know, you’ve been out hunting and I’ve been chopping wood, so we’re both due for a little treat.”