Tarvam Dir

Tarvam sat comfortably in the snow with his legs tucked neatly beneath him, entirely unbothered by the raging blizzard. He crossed his arms, the tinkling of his icy limbs making contact barely heard above the roaring wind, and breathed deeply. Little relaxed him more than a snowstorm, as it almost guaranteed his solitude.

His head turned sharply when a soft sound and flicker of movement caught his attention. His vision cut through the snowfall, spotting a lone figure, a stranger on his mountain, trudging slowly through the snow.

What fool traverses my mountain in this weather?

Straightening his posture, he watched the figure struggling against the raging wind. Duty demanded that he subtly aid the lost, guiding them back down the mountain and out of harm's way without revealing his true form or nature. He had never neglected his duty as guardian of the mountain, but this particular task was one he was loath to do as it involved interaction with others, even if it was indirectly. Irritation washed over him when the figure collapsed and ceased moving. His hand had been forced now.

I cannot leave them to die...

He lifted the stranger from the ground as though they weighed no more than a snowflake, carefully cradling them close to his chest to shelter them from the storm. They lacked the warmth he knew their species should have. He needed to move quickly in order for this stranger to survive. Tarvam's six legs carried him swiftly across the snow-covered ground as he made his way toward the nearest vacant cave. Using a flurry of magic ice crystals, he collected wood for a fire as he passed through the forest.

They are lucky not to have ventured above the tree line of the mountain.

He looked down at the figure in his arms again, noticed the slight discolouration of their flesh, indicating how cold they were, and picked up his pace.

Sometime later, deep inside the cave where the ground was dry and the chill wind didn't reach, Tarvam sat against the wall a safe distance away from the unconscious stranger, who he had placed close to the fire. Colour had returned to the stranger's cheeks, and their shivering had ceased. They would live, but his duty would not be fulfilled until the storm ended and he escorted them off the mountain.

He ensured the fire would continue burning in his absence, intending to leave the cave and pretend for a while longer that he was alone and without a life under his charge. The stranger, however, woke before he could slip out of the cave.

By the glaciers, why now? Couldn't you stay sleeping just a while longer?

Tarvam's irritation increased with each passing second, but duty demanded he ensure they were unharmed and provided for before he could leave them unattended. But he stood still as a statue, his icy form giving no hint of his thoughts or emotions.