Submission (#647) Approved

+4 shards for entry
+4 shards (400 words)
: 8 shards total

The moment Alorus opened his eyes, he knew something was amiss. There was an underlying cold in the depth of his bones that did not seem normal, and though the house wasn't exactly cozy warm this early in the morning, the creeping cold seemed... strange to him. Still rolling his eyes, the wool shook off the sleep from his limbs, got up, made coffee and began his day.

The feeling persisted though, all throughout the day, and never did it quite lessen, always eating away at the edge of his thoughts, even while he did errands, or spent time with his friends. Not even Aiko's music could warm the core of his being, and though the weather wasn't exactly hot yet (far from it), Alorus still felt that things weren't quite right. Like a worm at the very edge of his thoughts, eating away at the his mind as he ran from place to place doing errands. The feeling sunk to the depth of his stomach and persisted.

Never quite managing to rid himself of it, he ended the day and returned home, which felt even colder than that morning, somehow. He felt the absence of his grandfather deeply, who'd gone on an adventure of some sort, and he missed the warming company of his best friends.

Sighing and thinking himself utterly ridiculous, he figured the only way to push away the cold, which not even vigorous exercise had managed to beat, was a good fire, and some hot, pipping soup. As such, the young wool set himself to the task, making the food while trying in vain to ignore the feeling creeping in his veins.

It wasn't until he'd managed to finish setting up his ingredients and had begun his soup, warming himself as best he could by the fire that he heard it. A voice calling to him from outside, the sound of it raising the fur on the back of his neck and causing him to straighten up.

Still, curiosity got the better of him, because he set down the utensils he'd be holding and walked out with slight trepidation, only to spot a letter on his doorstep. He'd almost bent down to grab it when he heard the flapping of a large creature, and he raised his gaze to note the extraordinarily large faelidh flying away.

Carrying the letter inside, it had only a few words written on it... and left Alorus wondering what on earth to do in such a situation.

You are summoned to meet Wynter at the Palace in Aldlight with Queen Rue.

And so... go he would, he figured. Setting the letter to the side, he returned to his fire and his soup, and tried in vain, still, to will the creeping cold away. Perhaps following the summons would yield answers.