Frostbound

I was so excited that I had finally got the profession that I nearly started shouting in joy. It then dawned on me how late it was and thought better of it. I had already been making enough noise with my hammer, no need to add to it by shouting.

The exhaustion from the day came and hit me in full force and I internalized what time it was. It was the dead of night with the only light being the twinkling of the stars above, no moon to light the way. I didn't know where we were exactly but the no moon thing still threw me for a loop every time I looked into the sky.

The night sky just looked so different than what I was used to, all of the constellations were different and I couldn't find Orion in the sky. It was the end of winter when we were sucked into this tutorial and Orion should still be in the sky to signify winter was still here.

I knew of other constellations but none I could pick out as easily. There was obviously the big dipper and the little dipper but they were absent as well. Even the north star was missing from its rightful place in the night sky.

Orion was always my favorite because if I could see it, it meant winter was coming. It was usually only visible halfway through fall where I lived and there would be a chill in the air as it began its stint across the horizon.

Winter had always been my favorite season and I absolutely loved the snow. It was a beautiful time with the chilly weather, foggy breath, and the crispness in the air. It was a thousand times better than the humid, suffocating heat of summer or the pollen-infested winds and rains of spring.

Fall, or autumn if you're fancy, was a close second. Watching the leaves change and the beginning of sweatshirt weather was second fiddle to the snows of winter, but it would always remain second. At least to me.

I was in dire need of sleep so I left my ruminations about the sky there and made my way toward my bed. Sleep claimed me quickly and I was off to dreamland.

Austin had to wake me up the next morning or else I would have slept in.

I must've been more tired than I thought and it took him a few minutes to wake me from my slumber. I was still wiping the sleep from my eyes as we walked through the gate out of camp.

"What time did you go to bed last night? You were sleeping like the dead." Austin asked.

"I don't know, I didn't check before I went to bed, but it was late," I answered.