Winter deepened, the kind of deep where snow didn't simply cover the village — it owned it. Roofs hunched under the weight, fences stood like white bones, and every breath rose like tiny clouds escaping the body.
It was the perfect season for mischief.
And that meant Borin was in his element.
Borin, Kael's childhood neighbor, had returned from the northern outpost two days ago, carrying a sack of smoked meat and ten times more chaos than any peaceful winter needed.
He was already yelling across the courtyard at sunrise:
"KAEL! Stop acting like a responsible adult and come outside! I need help with something extremely stupid!"
Kael, who had been quietly chopping firewood, froze.
Charlisa looked up from sorting dried herbs and raised an eyebrow.
"Oh no," she whispered, "he's back."
Kael sighed deeply… but his eyes brightened in a way Charlisa hadn't seen in a long time.
He muttered, "He's going to get me killed," but he was already walking toward the door like a boy answering the call of adventure.
---
Borin had a Brilliant terrible idea.
Outside, Borin was building something.
Something big.
Something round.
Something… dangerously fast-looking.
A snow sled made of:
two stolen wooden lids from the grain barrels
rope that definitely wasn't his
and a pair of antlers for "steering," which made absolutely no physical sense
Kael stared.
"Borin… what is this?"
"A vehicle of destiny."
"It'll kill us."
"Kael, my beloved brother in chaos—if we die, at least winter will be fun."
Kael laughed.
Actually laughed — not a soft exhale, but a real, youthful, uncontrolled sound Charlisa hadn't heard in weeks.
Borin squinted at him.
"You've been too serious. If Charlisa joins the Matriarch Circle and you keep acting like this, she'll leave you for someone exciting."
From inside the hut, Charlisa shouted, "I CAN HEAR YOU!"
Borin grinned.
"Good! Motivation."