:::::::: The night was long as the day was short. It seemed an endless motion of riding.. trudging through the snow.. wagons getting stuck.. bosk lying down to die.. people fighting for their lives. The ice.. how sick it made Her. Hearing it. Seeing it. Watching it build on everything that crossed it's path. It's weight was at times unbearable. And because of this.. as Her wagon's rolled forward.. Silken noticed they came upon another wagon pulled out of line and off to the side. She had Wily stop... and Silks unstrapped the babies from Her chest and handed one to Aunt and one to Shanay. Wily was told to keep moving.. for fear the wheels would lodge into the ice and become bogged. She unhitched one of the medical wagons that was in tow with the Nightmare and pulled the team out of line. Heading to the stuck wagon.. She looked inside and found an old couple huddled together. Their son had rode ahead to gather up another team of bosk. Hearing this.. Silken leaned around the side and took a closer look seeing that the team that pulled this particular wagon had all but died. So looking back to the old couple.. they were motioned forward and gathered up with furs around their shoulders and head and ushered to the last of Her wagons with Aunt. Silks told them not to worry.. She would unhitch the team and then hitch Her wagon to their's and pull it out. The old man was hesitant.. but His mate finally poked Him in the ribs and then pushed Him to Silken's wagon. The wagon was filled with furs and crates. Jax had rode up.. and they began to dig out the wagon and take care of the dead bosk. The team had been unhitched and Silks stood up to stretch.. rewrap Her wind scarf and tighten Her gloves when She suddenly heard a sound that made Her breath stall. She felt the vibrations in Her boots and saw the crack in the earth that ripped across the snow covered land. Jax yelled.. She saw Him.. saw His face.. but heard nothing. Nothing but the sickening cracking and grinding of ice. Something in Her vision caught Her eye and She turned to see little Mia running towards Her. It was all in slow motion. She put up Her hands.. screamed for Her to stop. Then She saw Jax diving for Her and suddenly they were being lifted up. Silken craned Her neck up and thought the earth had heaved. But it was not them that lifted up.. but instead.. it was Her that was being sucked down. The ground had given way... and Jax suddenly appeared again.. laying on His stomach and reaching down for Her. Silks was frozen in Her spot.. afraid to move.. let alone jump from the small island as it might totally give way. She clutched the teetering wagon and heard the cracking again. A voice inside Her head told Her to move and She flung Herself into the old couples wagon and burrowed into a cocoon of furs. The crackling and crunching grew to a deafening sound and then the wagon turned over. The sensation of falling.. spinning.. and it was errily quiet. The next sound She heard was the ground rushing to meet the wagon. Somehow.. the wagon crashed down rightside up.. She was thrown up to the top of canvas and then tossed down.. landing half out the back flap. The whole mess had come to rest on a ledge about the lenght of three Men down. Furs covered Her and She tried to move.. when there was a sudden stab of pain to Her legs that made Her cry out sharply. A heavy crate had broke free.. lodged into the wagon floor across Her legs and now pinned Her on Her stomach in the wagon. Not far away.. upwards from where She was.. She could hear Jax calling...tell Her to stay calm.. He would get help. But She could not answer.. She tried to call out to Him... but the cold.. the weakness had taken it's hold and soon the darkness took Her and She closed Her eyes.:::::::::
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