Snow Day

A clear, brilliant, and freezing cold day in Alexandria means that the snow from multiple recent snowfalls isn't going anywhere. Clearing has happened, enough that the horse yards are a mix of mud, dung, ice, and snow, all churned together in something that nobody really wants to walk in. Outside of that, the yards sleep, and the Lancers' exercises are done for the moment, so relatively few people are out and about in the open, snow-covered grounds. There's a tree beyond the spectator fences, huddled over like an old woman in its cloak of snow.

There is one person out here in the snow, though, a good distance away from the snow-and-ice-draped pells and fences and archery targets. In fact, Seldan's standing, calf-deep in snow, alone and well outside the horse yards. He is bareheaded, ginger blonde hair and fair complexion bright in the sun, wearing twin cloaks over open-front robe, warm shirt and trousers and knee-high adventurer's boots. His armor is not anywhere in evidence, but Reunion is in his hand, unsheathed, and he seems to be using it to play with a flaming ball several feet across, keeping it up in the air with the tip of the sword in gloved hands. He seems somehow straighter, taller, less burdened, a smile of sheer boyish joy stretching from ear to ear.

From the sword, a querulous old man's voice emerges. "Ow! Ow! That's hot! What are you playing at, Seldan?"

"Practicing," Seldan answers shortly, without dropping the grin. "Control is the concern. Do I attempt this in the horse yards, I am like to light a campfire using horse droppings, without intent."

GAME: Seldan casts Flaming Sphere. Caster Level: 16 DC: 20

Two figures are dashing across the snow. One of that of a rust red egalrin woman, half skipping and gliding over the snow and throwing it up into the air in a fine mist. Behind them, being chased, is a teeny, tiny white thrush. Little talons out trying to grab at the back of the egalrin's head. "Get back here, Unmesi, I'm not done with you!" they tinnily tweet in frustration.

Slixvah pants back, "Lemme get my mornin' coffee!" as she hops over a snow bank. But as luck would have it, theres a chunk of ice hidden under all that, and down she crashes into a plume of snow.

Still for beat, then she perks her head up. Just a few yards away from Seldan. "Oh. Yo."

The little bird flutters down and pecks at Slix's head. "Ow, ow, ow, c'mere you little sh..." And they're promptly yoinked off and shoved into a pocket.

Patch trudges through the snow, her maroon cloak fastened tight against the chill air as she follows Slixvah. She'd caught sight of the Egalrin running from Fidah, a smile on her lips at the antics. Her heeled boots sink with each step, the blonde short haired Llyranesi taking some time to make her way after, only showing up as her rust-colored friend finds Seldan.

"Oh, it's one of those days." Patch says to herself, but loud enough to announce herself, even though the snow had done so already. Casual day for her, busy for others.

The snow has lured more figures out to the festival grounds. Auranar holds Verna's hand gently as they walk along. Having spotted Seldan from a distance - and recognizing him immediately - she and Verna make their way over toward him. Though stopping at a fair distance so as to avoid interfering with his practice. "Hello Seldan!" She glances toward Slixvah, but doesn't recognize her, likewise she doesn't recognize the other person who approaches, but she does smile. "Seems you're popular today!"

Verna is in no particular hurry and seeks to enjoy the day as it is: namely, in the Auranar's presence. The note, and recognition, of Seldan from some distance is one thing; the sudden appearance of a dashing Slixvah from the periphery is another. Initially, there is a startle, though perhaps only noticeable to the bearer of her hand. It fades promptly with recognition of the Egalrin, however, and she offers a nod of greeting along with lifting her free hand. Another follows to Patch.

Seldan receives her focus last as they halt in conversation range yet outside risk of potential immolation. She observes a moment before inquiring. "While the spell is familiar, the pressing of ancestors into flames is not. Is it a seasonal tradition to push one or more relatives into a fire?"

Startled, Seldan loses the flaming sphere he'd been bouncing on the sword. It drops to the snow not far at all from Slixvah, and he immediately slashes his free hand through the air, across his body, in an arcane gesture of dismissal. The flaming sphere winks out promptly, and he sheathes the blade with a *shnik!*. "Her light upon your path," he greets Slixvah, striding over to offer a hand out of the now half-melted snow. "Are you all right? I trust the spell did not find you."

Even so, he looks up to find the others walking towards him. For a brief minute, he tenses, coiling warily as if ready to spring, but then the faces in question come into view, and most of that at least releases. "And Her light upon your paths as well, Auranar, Mourner, Patch. Indeed never would I do so, Kanian is unharmed. He has been pushed into worse, and is well."

"Oh, it's just terrible!" comes the querulous voice from the sword. "I'm meant to be stuck into demons, not a breakfast grill!"

Slix blinks at sphere rolling towards her. "Oh. That's a spicy meatball," she idly comments as it nears. A sigh relief escapes her as it is dismissed, her reaching up for the offered hand to help pull herself up. "Heya hon, Her light upon ya path as well. I'm all good! Thanks fo' keepin' an eye on things."

Others arrive, her looking out as her gaze ends p on Patch last. Her face floofs a touch. "Only thing hurt is my pride," she coos, dusting herself off and waving to the others as she drifts closer to the Bard. "Cookin' on a sword sounds like an excellent gimmick on the road," she chirps with a grin.

A nod is cast to Verna, the approaching steps from behind causing her to turn. She flashes a smile, letting Slix and Seldan speak as the man offers her a hand. "I was on my way, chasing. I promise." she says to Slixvah with wink, a grin forming.

"I saw you running was all." Patch tries to explain, simple being content to close distance and hover. "Pride's not too bad a wound, and sometimes? It's needed." dismissing the hurt in play, and picking up on the topic of food. "Oh, I don't know. I'd likely burn myself or someone. Have to be a big sword." contributing something, even if not the most constructive words. "Also, hi."

"All of you." Patch including Verna and her company in that meek greeting.

Auranar offers a polite half-cursy what with her hand being comfortably in Verna's. She offers a broad smile to Patch, and a more concerned look at the elgarian who fell. It seems that she's alright though, and Auranar offers her a smile as well. It seems that the wild elf is in a good mood today. "Greetings and salutations to you all! A pleasure to meet new people on a day like this!" She seems to be enjoying the snow.

"Of course," Verna admits to Seldan. "I know you would not endanger any. It is good to see all, once more." All are known to her, though both Auranar's and Patch's comment make her realize that such is not the case for every permutation of those present. "Aura," she notes to her escort, gesturing to Egalrin and Llyranesi with her free hand, "Slixvah and Patch." The offered introductions are then reversed as she gestures to Auranar. "May I present Auranar, my far superior half, for those unaware."

"It is well to see all of you well," Seldan agrees. He doesn't seem to be fazed in the slightest by the chill breeze, for all he is dressed for the weather, if not a touch underdressed. "It is better that things remain quiet, despite the disquieting rumors." What those are, he leaves unsaid, but looks from face to face, speculatively.

Slixvah tilts her head at Patch, a feathered brow raising. "Chasing?" she echoes. "And ya didn't stop Fifi? Wooow," the egalrin teases.

At introductions, she gives a big wave towards Auranar. "Hiya sugar! Slixvah Unmesi, one of the besti, take note else ya may miss-me!" she bows, wings flaring out behind her. Must be a trick of the eye, as the feathers seemingly dig into snow around her. "Nice ta meet ya!"

She shifts a bit, wings still held out, attention half on the group. "Yeah, the rumors kinda suck. Do all this work ta make a good name, and what good is it for? Gettin' the stink eye. Ah well. I'm sure we'll bring it 'round."

The egalrin taps her beak. "Speakin' of comin' around... I have way too much energy ta burn."

She ducks down, grabbing at some of the snow and packs it into a ball. Slix smiles with her eyes.

Animated feathers on her wings pull out of the snow to show about four more snowballs held. "GRAPESHOT!" she barks, chucking all five snowballs at the group with no real aim or power.

Patch cants her head to Seldan's glance, returning it with a soft smile and a bit of confusion. "I assure you I am not the source of disquiet." a quick bit of words with mirth and a grin as she lets eyes linger at at his choice of winter clothes.

"Well not without hurting them! You'd be surprised at the amount of speed a sleepy bird has when they're motivated!" Patch's attention shot to Slixvah with a laugh and mock hurt in her tone. "I did all I could to save you, but I learned early on, there is no stopping Fidah. There is only Fidah's plan." the dry humor a bit easy to pick out in her tone.

"And yes, always a pleasure. Most just call me Patch if you'd not known, but *WHACK*" Slixvah's assault striking Patch squarely in the face. Who needs to aim when you have luck? An explosion of white and powder almost sending the Dawn Elf backwards as her hat is jostled loose and into the loose snow at her feet.

"Oh, that does it!" a flurry to make a ball of her own. "That will be your last surprise, Slix!" for the Egalrin does not know what she unleashed!

Patch isn't the only one hit square in the face by a snowball. Auranar, who is caught completely off guard, takes one directly to the chin and rocks backwards in surprise. She loses Verna's hand and blinks dumbly at the unexpected but playful violence. "Hey!" She states loudly, and gives Slixvah a playful glare. "We only met and you're already throwing things at me? I'll see you returned the favor!"

She bends down and starts to pack up a snowball determinedly. "Come on Verna! Between the two of us we can take her down!"

To say that Verna is startled would be an understatement, for even after there is an impact and snow-splosion upon her robes, she still has yet to parse what is happening. She might have read something of such winter activities in passing, but never participated directly. She might not ever have even witnessed, or not paid mind to, the activity directly, either. Books tend to remain indoors in inclement weather, afterall.

It is not until Auranar's rallying cry that she blinks, looks to her, and assures, "Of course we shall..." Her fiancee's actions are mimicked as she also stops and begins grabbing at snow. Less confidently and less loudly, she then inquires, "What, exactly, are we doing?"

The assault is out of nowhere and completely unexpected. Even knowing whence Slixvah's magic comes, the use of it catches Seldan off-guard, and thus does a snowball strike the robe covering Seldan's hip with a *PAFF!*

It is perhaps a mark of the change in him that instead of drawing sword or being wary, the ice-blue eyes light with challenge. "Even so?" Laughter sings through the Myrrish-tinted tones of his voice. "Very well. But - I daresay that you are outnumbered, and thus perhaps it is well to even the odds."

While he talked, he'd bent down to the snow at his half-melted snow at his feet, around his boots, and quickly formed a missile of his own in gloved hands. He eyes Slixvah speculatively, but it is Patch to whom he turns, and the missile flies swift and sure in her direction.

Slixvah cackles as snowballs find their mark, her shielding herself with a wing as the other's feathers animate and grasp at more snow behind her. "And I am a very motivated bird!" she quips to Patch. "I have many more surprised in store, Patty! You ain't seen half of me yet!"

She's packing more snow behind her wings. "Have at thee!" she cries to Auranar playfully, more snowballs being shown held in her feathered grasp.

She blinks at Seldan's sudden change of attack, as well as actually joining on the fun. She cackles.

"You're always full of surprises! That's why we get along!" Patch calls, as she packs her snowball hard. "I'll warn you. While snowballing is a simple game, it is direct and familiar to most of us. I use this simplicity as a container for feelings and ideas that function on many levels!" putting all she has into this shot, winding up for it as she talks a big game. That is till she throws the ball, her lobbing arc slow and a bit wide. Nope, the elf has never played much in the snow, but she's always wanted to! That counts! "Shit." her poor shot noticed even by her.

"Someone else is going to have to humble her. I think I'm powerless here." Patch says with another snort.

Auranar's first snowball is... not terribly accurate either. Yet she is surprisingly fast at making the snowballs and equally skilled in their creation. All of them fly true, just... not very well aimed. "You make a snowball and then throw it! Like this!" She has a second one in the air aimed for Slixvah in the space of a moment. She might not be very accurate, but she'll clearly make up for it in speed of delivery! One of them has to make it! "This is just like when I was a kid! I haven't done this in years!"

When Seldan joins Slixvah's 'side' of things she groans and hides behind Verna. "Seldan! How dare you! You should be on our side! He's so good at this! Oh no!"

Verna watches Aura before making her attempt at a throw. It is hasty and unskilled, with the improperly packed projectile promptly explodes into particles the moment it leaves her hand. She crouches to make another even as Aura moves to utilize her as a sildanyari shield. "We shall persevere!" Once she has re-armed herself and goes to ready, she is uncertain of target. Slixvah is perhaps the larger, but also has innate shielding. In the end, her ball of snow is lobbed in Seldan's direction. It is strongly implied that he is the greater threat and thus the higher priority.

"I allow none to stand alone, my lady, if they be not evil. Four on one is hardly just." His first missile having gone well wide of its mark, he bends to making, not one, but multiple snowballs, moving swiftly in an assembly-line sort of style, and twists to take Verna's missile over the top of his shoulder. It grazes him, leaving a scrape of white across the shoulder of his woolen traveller's cloak. He seems to be focusing on making snowballs more than throwing right this second.

Slixvah is preparing to launch her new volley, all those aimated feathers locked and loaded. "Of course, hon, that's why we do-"

Several snowballs fall short and disintegrate. Which makes Slixvah burst into giggling laughter.

Which drops her guard, and the snowball from Auranar clashes cleanly into Slix's face. The egalrin tumbles backwards into the snow with a >paff<.

She lies still. Then- "Lpya it'sme vreo!" chanting comes from the ground. Snow rustles, and Slix slowly sits up. There's a brief moment of confusion, as her wingspawn has elongated from that of twelve or so feet to a stunning sixteen.

But it's not long to appreciate before show uses both to shovel the snow below her and throw it all at everyone in a chaff. "Haaa!"

GAME: Slixvah casts Strong Wings. Caster Level: 6 DC: 16
GAME: Patch rolls reflex: (7)+8: 15
GAME: Seldan rolls reflex: (9)+24: 33
GAME: Auranar rolls reflex: (3)+4: 7

Patch had been having her innocent fun, not realizing the devolving civility was leading this into a different type of skirmish. Oh, this wasn't a game. It was a 'game'. A distinction the bard now notes. Why did she realize this now? The betrayal of Seldan. She'd been completely oblivious as he lobbed that ball, only realizing it after turning when she heard it miss, and that Auranar called him on it. Shock was on her face, and resolve had to be found. "I'm getting complacent." it's true. Not but a few weeks ago she'd never turn her side or back on a person here. Let alone a stranger. This may be only snow, but war is war. Seldan hit her with cold reality. "That really wasn't nice. I trusted you." thinking she only had Slix as a foe. A glance is cast to Verna and Auranar as if to gauge them. "Allies?" she has to affirm, already bending to arm herself and pack another ball.

That's about as far as Patch makes it, looking to Slixvah deciding to assure victory with a war-ending weapon! How is that fair?! That's all Patch can think before she's bowled over with snow, her first instinct to run, but instead she slides! Being missed by the bulk of it, though she's frosted from the attempt. If she'd not slipped, she'd of been done. "Foul!" she calls. But is it? She doesn't know the rules.

"Allies!" Auranar calls out to Patch. She trusts at least that Verna will be at her side, but now Patch has declared herself safely on their side as well and- FLUMPH! There's a great gout of snow and Auranar finds herself bowled over by it. She falls on the ground and is quickly buried. "MMMMPFH!"

GAME: Verna rolls reflex: (14)+13: 27

Verna managed to strike! Even if it was only a bit of snow and glancing, it is more encouraging than some of her other efforts as of late. A moment of triumph! "Agree-!" she starts to concur with Aura when the incoming blown snow causes her to suddenly stoop. This might be a secondary bit of encouragement until she realizes that her ducking makes her a poor shield. Also, where did Aura go? Uh oh. "Aura?!" She forakes follow-up ammunition preparation, much less loosing, in favor of flailing to excavate her fiancee.

GAME: Seldan attempts to cast Wall of Ice but fails due to ASF.

Slixvah shakes herself off from all the snow she threw with her wings. "Foul? I think I'm mo' like a raptor, sugar!" she cackles to Patch, her turning towards the two and a half elf alliance as they gird themselves and extract one from the avalanche.

And then Seldan starts casting magic. She flinches, half expecting to get blasted skyward like some kind of part time goon.

But it fizzles.

Slix gets up on a mound of snow, cackling like mad. "Bwuahahaha, I'm unstoppable!" she declares, massive wings spread wide as ribbon-like feathers scoop more snow up, getting ready for another volley.

"Someone stop her, please, Umesi is on an ego trip," a tinny voice chirps from the egalrin's robes.

"A raptor? Maybe!" Patch answers Slixvah as she is one one knee, a ball of snow being pressed and formed in hand. "But, I can't really argue with a snowball to the face. It is a sign of lasting friendship."

Whatever Seldan was doing is given a raised brow, but as it produces little in the way of results, Patch focuses on the bigger weapon of war. Slixvah. "Verna, save your friend! Go after Seldan." two distinct ideas, the playground game afoot, this next shot lobbed at Slixvah with maximum effort! Coming from Patch, it looks mostly like a lazy softball pitch.

A quiet amble to try to drink in the ambience of the city and to clear her thoughts has brought Ygraine across the bridge and to the festival grounds... and very nearly into the heart of the snowball fight, before she rouses from her distracted progress and manages to register quite what is happening. It takes another few moments for her to realize that she recognises more than one of the participants - resulting in a startled laugh and a broad grin, a lopsided look of startled good humor as she tries to take in just what it is that she has found.

GAME: Auranar casts Bless. Caster Level: 3 DC: 14

Auranar pops out of the snow, shivering once and shaking snow all over the place. "I'm alright Verna! Get Seldan!" She motions with her fingers. "If they're going to use magic against us we should return the favor!" She winks at the woman and casts a quick spell on her allies to aid them.

The emergence and assurance is all that Verna needs to calm. Well, not calm, per se, but no longer fret for Auranar. Her focus turns promptly back towards their 'foes as she considers. "Indeed, Dearest, we should..." It is further something she trusts far more than her own throwing arm.

With a well-practiced gesture and brief invocation, she adds to Aura's aiding of allies by accelerating them. Her magic is, alas, not terribly conducive for use against opponents in winter games. 'Slay' and 'sleigh' may be homophones, but that would be the extent.

GAME: Verna casts Haste. Caster Level: 19 DC: 20
GAME: Seldan attempts to cast Wall of Ice but fails due to ASF.

Seldan looks up from shucking his cloak to see multiple castings. "I have caused more trouble than I have solved," he sighs, his smile fading, his eyes lowering. "Very well. Let us level the playing field." Again he begins, but this time using a different, simpler set of sigils, and an extra phrase brings them to icy, blue-silver life before him. He gestures to the snowy ground, and the icy sigils shoot where he gestures, to form a wall of solid ice between the two groups, thick enough to stand on, high enough and wide enough to use as a shield for both sides.

Notably, it is also large enough to prevent the throwing of snow.

Some of his boyish glee has faded as he surveys his handiwork.

Softball pitch as it may be, Patch's strike with the snowball lands true, it crashing against the side of the bird's head. "Ack!"

She topples to the ground, enlarged wings throwing up more snow as she rolls down the small bank and stopping right in front of Ygraine. Dazzled, she blinks, then raises a hand in greeting. "Yo."

Then ice explodes up in all directions, high walls being erected to divide the groups. "Sorry hon, there's a war goin' on!" she quickly excuses herself, standing up as her wings cock back. A blast of air buffets the snow as she launches herself up on high, landing atop the wall of ice. "Aha! Your silly barriers mean nothing to me! Divine and conqu-"

There's no snow up here. "... there's no snow up here," the egalrin comments, the feathers on her large wings drooping down like the wind died down.

Tactical miscalculation, she's a prime target.

"It's a war. A cold war. But really, we don't know what we're fighting for." Patch grins as a new face appears, packing another snowball and dropping to a knee again.

Seldan's antic give Patch pause, the wall of ice just gazed upon with awe. This game more interesting by the moment. "Adding obstacles with this wall?" Patch calls with a laugh as she finishes arming. Thankfully Slixvah's bad judgment was her gain, and it saved her from having to think too tactically. It's appreciated that the egalrin makes a target of herself again, and tossing it at the rust-colored woman.

Auranar gapes at the wall, her hands full of snow and snowballs. She's not sure how to get around _that_! Thankfully her main target of choice chose that opportune moment to appear at the top of the wall. Without hesitation the sorceress unloads her snowballs at the egalrin. She tries for more accuracy now that she has the opportunity, but regardless of her best efforts... she's just not that great at that sort of thing. Still the effort is well worth it!

For her part, Ygraine is clearly more than a little awed at the turn the playful combat took, right after she stumbled across it. She had *not* anticipated seeing anything like Haste or the conjuration of a wall of ice from mere snow... and now there's a friendly stranger soaring up to (apparently) make herself the most obvious target possible. Laughing, the Muse of Ceinara shakes her head, glancing around in search of threats, further surprises... or perhaps a safe vantage point from which to watch the snowy mayhem unfold.

Verna witnessed Seldan's prior attempt, so the sudden conjuration of protective ice is slightly less surprising. That is not to say that the results are not impressive. On the other hand, it does force a complete impasse, with both sides separated from one another. Unless someone happens to... do exactly what Slixvah does: expose themselves. Still, the deterrent remains, and Seldan is opposite it.

"Is that a sign of your desire to surrender, Seldan? Has this battle only just begun? It should continue." All seemed to be enjoying themselves, and Verna, herself, was only just beginning to get a handle on balls of snow. This is impeding that fun, and so she focuses upon the wall, itself. As she incants, she focuses not on the ice, but the raw mana that formed it, seeking to disperse it back to The Source. What can be conjured can, in most cases, be banished...

GAME: Verna casts Dispel Magic. Caster Level: 19 DC: 20
GAME: Verna rolls 1d20+20: (17)+20: 37

Seldan, who had been standing off to one side, continues to make snowballs, merely chuckles quietly as Verna dispels the wall. "Nay, Mourner. Merely a tactical choice. A wall may be shield and weapon both, unless one makes of oneself a target upon it." Some of his good humor is blunted, but it is not entirely gone.

"However, you are not the only one who flies!" As he speaks, snow-white feathered wings, different in structure than Slixvah's, sprout from his back, and unfurl into a ready pose. Not as large or as strong as Slixvah's enchanted ones, but still a good 12-14' wingspan. With this, he jumps up into the air and flings the snowball in his hand directly at Verna!

From the combination of luck, magic, and poor positioning, the snowballs from the two full elves crash into Slix, her putting her arms up to blow her face from the chaff. "Aaaaa...!" she yells gleefully, turning down the wall of ice and taking a step-

Talons meet air...?

The egalrin starts to corkscrew out of the sky. "Ack! Mayday! Mayday! We're going down! We're going do-" >PAFF<

The rainbow dressed egalrin crashes into a pile of snow. Her tail feathers twitch, wings sticking out awkwardly as shes upside down.

One feather languidly rises to the air, waving a white ribbon.

Patch gasps and laughs as Slixvah falls, that collapse of wall at Verna's hand another shock. "So this is how the big children play." the bard's words a self-whisper. She's suddenly all smile when she breaks into a run after the Egalrin as they admit defeat. Yes, she tears at that bank of snow and bird what and jumps playfully after her. "I think surrender is a good idea. If this gets any heavier, it'll bleed out into the street!" she calls, digging for the other woman. "Just..." her words trailing off at the battle of Verna and Seldan. "Look at them go."

Laughing as well, Ygraine takes the risk of starting forward - joining in Patch in moving to check on the (apparently *cheerfully*) downfallen Egalrin. She is doing her best not to gawp *too* openly at the 'big children' at play, but cannot help but be more than a little distracted by the display of magical might. Still, she flashes a grin at each of Patch and Slixvah. "Are you both fine?"

Auranar is entirely triumphant at the defeat of Slixvah. It's a hilarious end to the combat, and she's- Was that another snowball? So quickly is her mind turned around on the subject when Seldan lobbies yet another snowball at Verna. She's glad in her heart really, to see the paladin so happy and light-hearted. Verna as well. Verna never had a chance to play in the snow like this and now... "Get him Verna! You can do it!" She encourages loudly while flopping herself down into the snow. She doesn't care at the moment if her dress gets wet. She's enjoying herself too much.

"HA-MMFFPFFT!" Once again, Verna's moment of victory is short-lived and/or bittersweet. Whatever her exclamation was intended to be, it is interrupted by a Seldan snowball to the face, much of which ends up in her mouth. She is fortunate that Seldan is an honorable combatant, and the snow is fresh and clean... or so she presumes. Still, it leaves her sputtering and wiping at her face. Yes, she will get him. Possibly. When she is not snorting snow.

It is indeed, with neither rocks nor ice. It is naught but snow, and Seldan is chuckling to himself, turning to check on Slixvah. That was quite a fall. "If one wishes to make use of a wall for a height advantage, best one lies flat upon it," he advises, then turns to retrieve his cloaks, and his pack not far from it.

He's a pretty good target right now, utterly not paying attention, and the shirt beneath and the robe collar above are quite damp with melted snow. The wings melt away from his back, the shoulder blades beneath the shirt resuming their usual size and structure as they disappear.

Slixvah just barely manages to get herself pulled free as she's assistted by Patch. "Bwuh...!" she lightly gasps before breaking into laughter. "I'm good, I'm good!" she giggles to assuage worries.

She looks off to the others, eyes widened slightly in amazement from the display. "It's pretty cray cray, that's fo' sho'," she hums back to Patch and by extension, Ygraine.

There's a snort as Verna eats a snowball, her reaching up with some feathers to attempt to yank Patch into the bank with her. "Noted, Selly!" Slix chirps to him, snickering.

"Doing fine, Muse!" Patch calls back to Ygraine with a toothy grin. She's enjoying being out in this snow for once, turning to grin back upon Slixvah.

"Lots of notes to take, not just?" Seldan's words to Slix, and her reply laughed over. "Who'd of thought there would be actual lessons." Amused, and still enthralled with the fight, Patch happens to glance up to see Verna take that hit, laughing again at the chaos. "I think all of us got it good at some point!"

Auranar keeps out of the fray for the moment, and keeps quiet in case Verna wants to sneakily get her revenge on the paladin. Still, she can easily hear the conversation not far from her and she agrees whole-heartedly with Patch. All of them had taken some solid snowball hits at some point!

Patch wasn't expecting Slixvah's antics, having been distracted by the fight. Her surprise of being yanked ending her laughter quickly, a yelp replacing it as she is just covered in powder, and left blinking. "Right, I think I deserved that. One betrayal, met with another." a half-snort coming from the snow pile.

Verna finally clears her face and Seldan does make a good target at the moment. She does not reach for snow nor gestures, however. "I believe this can be considered a draw, and hostilities concluded." Victory, she speculates, was likely never the actual goal for any of those involved. Admittedly, she does so with limited experience on the matter, but the pervasive light-heartedness and laughter ... well, perhaps all were victorious?

She glances back and down to Aura seated in the snow before she allows herself to fall backwards of *plompf* into it alongside. "Would a truce be too lenient for them, Love?"

Laughing and shaking her head once more, Ygraine beams happily at Patch and Slixvah - and indeed everyone else present. "I am glad to have witnessed at least a small part of it," she agrees happily. "And to have seen a truce break out, too. Peace as an outcome of shared joy seems fitting. Thank you for allowing me to see it."

"You need no permission from us." This time, Seldan is rosy-cheeked as any of the others. "For truly are you welcome among us, Muse. But, I fear that my practice is concluded." He doesn't seem to mind in the slightest, and his laughter has gone ragged around the edges. "I, too, have grown complacent," he admits quietly, looking down, "and it is not safe for me to remain here. Would that I could invite all to the Fernwood for warm drinks, but that is a risk I dare not take. I should take my leave." He gathers up wet, snowy cloaks, and his pack, and turns to depart. "Her light upon your path."

-End