Vigi wondered if this would be the day he lost a few extremities from the cold. The fire last night had done little to keep them warm and the snow that had fallen had made it worse. The fact none of them had frozen to death through the harsh night was a miracle.

As they trudged through the snow at mornings first light, Vigi's body longed to reach the fort so he may curl up in a pile of furs by the fire and rest. However his mind was anxious to return with only the broken spear of the young Jarl.

Shaking his head to try and clear the dark thoughts Vigi focused on the injured. The old trapper looked as though he was flushed with a fever and there was pain burning in his eyes. But despite it he pressed on, snapping at him and his son when they showed concern. The man’s strength was admirable and Vigi was able to ease his sons worries a little by telling him he'd be able to properly treat his father at the fort.

His attention shifted to Einnar and he moved closer to him. [b]"How is your ankle fairing?"[/b] He asked softly.

Einnar woke, unsurprised finding the snow had covered his cloak and draped the surrounding woods with a blanket of white. He rubbed his hands together and stood up with a grunt, a sharp pain flaring in his ankle. His head felt heavy from drink and exhaustion but he was used to that and ignored it. The sun was rising though it was masked by the cloud laden sky but slowly the darkness faded to a gray light and they broke camp. He lead the way, picking a narrow trail through the woods, his eye keen in the dim light of the forest. Being hobbled by the injury made the going slow, his bow left strapped to his back as he was unable to hold it and the crutch at the same time. 

When Vigi fell in step next to him and inquired, Einnar shrugged with his free shoulder, [b]"It hurts."[/b]

He took a few more limping steps before glancing at the fair man's face, [b]"Tell me, seidrmadr, do you think Loker will be satisfied with the broken spear? The question nagged me like a fishwife as I tried to sleep."[/b]

Vigi took in a deep breath at the question. [b]"I suppose he won't."[/b] He answered softly. [b]"But if such a strong spear is broken then the chances of him being alive are slim and, I know this won't mean anything to you,"[/b] He put a hand on his shoulder. [b]"I can feel it from the spear...Bjorn has gone to join his father in Odin's hall."[/b] He let his hand fall off Einnar's shoulder. [b]"If Loker is not satisfied without a body though, I will offer my services again if he wishes to send out another search party. For now however we have to return. We do not have the supplies nor the strength to continue searching these woods."[/b]

Einnar listened quietly as Vigi spoke and glanced back over his shoulder, spotting Leifr who walked with the hunting dogs and his father Ulfr who seemed worn and moving slower but they all were tired. He stayed silent for a moment then spoke in a low voice. 

[b] “So, what if we tell Loker we saw Bjorn’s body? I know the housekarl, he won’t rest until he is certain, more loyal than any hound that man. If we say we saw him dead but could not get close because of the draugr, he would accept that more readily than just the spear, I think,” [/b] Einnar said. [b] “It’s not much of a lie, I’m sure the jarl is dead.”[/b]

That thought had crossed Vigi’s mind as well, but it did not sit right with him. However, Einnar knew Loker far better and if he said the housekarl would not rest without a body...He said he’d offer to go on another search party but the thought left him more exhausted than he already was. And it would be all for nothing as well. [b]”If you think it is wise then I agree and will back your story.” [/b] He replied in a whisper. They would not even need the trappers stories because they had been at the camp when Vigi made the discovery of the broken spear.

Einnar nodded, [b] “I am grateful, no more men need to be injured or lost to searching for a dead man.” [/b]

The huntsman wound his way through the twisted game trail, using his free hand to push his long dark hair back. [b] “You know if I thought there was a real chance Bjorn was alive, I wouldn’t give up so easily.”[/b]

He glanced at Vigi when he said this, not wanting the seidrmadr to think him a coward. Truth be told the jarl was dead and life moved on. They had enough to worry about behind the walls of Trelleborg. 

[b] “I trust your feeling on the situation, what you felt about the spear,”[/b] he continued after a moment. [b] “Along with my own.”[/b]

Among the trees, crows cawed and jumped branch to branch, knocking snow down which sprinkled the small group of men. Leifr gripped the leashes of Roxanna and Alexander, the dogs snuffling the frozen ground and he kept close to his father. Ulfr held his arm against his body, it ached terribly where he had been bitten, even more so than the time he suffered a wolf bite when driving one off a kill in a trap. He trusted the seidrmadr though, the young man seemed wise beyond his years and even more important, he had a sensible head and was not lost in the clouds like many practitioners of seidr. 

[b]“I know you wouldn’t.”[/b] Vigi murmured, inclining his head slightly. 

He looked away from the rugged man to the trappers behind them and fell back to check on Ulfr. [b]“How are you faring?”[/b] He asked with a smile and trying not to let his concern for the man show. He looked worse than he had when they set out early morning. 

[b]“Well enough.”[/b] He grunted, glancing at his son. [b]“My arm is in a lot of pain.”[/b]

[b]“I have something to help.”[/b] Vigi said, moving his cloak aside to dig into his bag. [b]“Chew on these.”[/b] He instructed, pulling out a few dried leaves. [b]“They should help with the pain until we can reach the fort.”[/b] He smiled, holding out the herbs.

[b]“Thank you seidrmadr.”[/b] Ulfr took the leaves and quickly stuffed them into his mouth, gagging after the first bite. [b]“They taste worse than goat dung.”[/b]

Vigi chuckled. [/b]“I know they do, but they help with pain.”[/b]

The trees began to thin out, more cold sunlight filtered through as they made their way home. Einnar knew the forest would dissipate soon and the land become more open and marshy before it would become stoney and easy to travel quickly. The road cut around this area for good reason and it would not be easy getting across with his bad ankle. Despite this, he saw little way around that would not lead them into areas infected with draugr. They seemed to congregate where people would go and the fenlands they were headed for was not such a place. 

Einnar turned back and caught the eyes of the seidrmadr and beckoned him forward with a nod of his head. 
 
Vigi arched an eyebrow but quickly moved forward to his side. [b]“What is it?”[/b] He asked.

[b] “Past the forest we will enter a marsh, it is likely frozen...hopefully frozen solid but in case it is not I will need your help,” [/b] he lifted his crutch and looked at Vigi squarely, [b] “I fear that is the only way that we might avoid the attention of any draugr, no one ventures out into the fens. I’m hoping that the draugr will be absent as well.[/b] 

Leifr watched his father grimace as he chewed the herbs, and smiled, [b] “Madir used to say the more bitter the medicine, the better the healing.” [/b] 

The older man nodded, managing to swallow down the herbs, [b] “That she did, she was handy with plants, your madir. She could grow just about anything. If my traps and bow failed, she was there with cabbages and turnips. A good woman she was.” [/b]

Ulfr trailed off and sighed, remembering his late wife, feeling the throbbing in his arm start to fade to a dull ache. He noted the trees thinning out and guessed they were getting close to emerging from the woods from the narrow deer trail the hunter had led them on. He shifted his axe on his belt with his good hand and kept a watchful eye on the shadows among the trees. 

[b]“My help?”[/b] Vigi repeated, giving Einnar a critical once over to guess how much he weighed. He was not very strong, but Einnar would not be dead weight either. [b]“Of course.”[/b] He nodded, trying to brush aside his self doubts.

[b]"Who else? Leifr must help his father,"[/b] he replied, [b]"I should be able to find a decent path through the marsh and the cold helps, the shallow pools will be frozen."[/b]

He lead them out of the forest and the wide stretch of brushy fen laid out in front of them. To the east was the salt marsh where the fishing village had stood that had been raided yesterday morning and the road that was built up on mounded soil and stone. Einnar considered the dangers, the draugr were certain to be roaming around the road as that was a place where people would be. The marshes, despite their treacherous footing, were the safer route. 

The morning was silent, only the sound of the icy mud squelching around their boots as Einnar made his way slowly, gritting his teeth against the pain in his ankle as he had to put up the crutch, it was useless on the soft ground. He had taken the dogs leashes from Leifr, using the stout animals to brace himself if he happened to slip. 

Mist hung low, obscuring their view to only a dozen yards, the snow that had fallen the night before dusted everything in white and ice coated the shallow pools and broke under their weight in the larger ones. It was cold, wet, slow going and the huntsman was miserable.

Vigi stayed close to Einnar, ready to help the hunter if he needed it. He strained his ears, listening for signs of any Draugr lurking in the fog. 

His mind flashed back to the details of his vision and he shuddered, pressing a hand to his chest. The blade had felt so real. 

Was he really going to die so soon? He had tried to seem like he accepted the news...but really he hasn't. He didn't want to die, he was afraid.

He had gone the vision over and over again, trying to find some sign that he hadn't foreseen his own death. Like perhaps Odin had merely been toying with him; he wouldn't put it past the old wanderer. But there was nothing. 

Something small dropped on his head and he jumped, catching a glimpse of the object as it fell. He looked down and his eyes grew wide seeing his bead that had been taken from him.

A crow cawed above them and his head snapped up to see a lone bird flying over them. 

It was the crow from yesterday! Why had it returned? 

Vigi licked his lips, bending down to pick up the bead. He cast a look to Einnar before he split from the others to chase after the crow.

His rational thoughts screamed at him to stop and return to the safety if the group but he ignored it. That crow had returned for a reason, he had to know what it was. Maybe it could tell him the vision of his death was wrong.

He ran through the mist, eyes on the crow above him so he wouldn't lose it. Every now and again he looked away to make sure there were no Draugr in his path. 

However he should have paid more attention to the ground beneath his feet. 

One second he was on soft but sure ground and the next his feet were sinking into icy mud. He stumbled in surprise, but kept himself from falling face first into the frigid mud he was sinking in.

[b]"Odin's eye!"[/b] He gasped, eyes widening at the mud that was already to his knees. He swore under his breath, trying to pull his legs free. The mud held fast, sucking him down the more he struggled. 

He opened his mouth to start yelling but quickly shut it with a clack of his teeth. There could be Draugr lurking near by and if he started shouting they would hear him. Not only alerting them of his presence but possibly the others as well.

[i]How could I be such a fool![/i] He yelled at himself, the cold of the mud seeping into his very bones. He stopped struggling as it seemed the mud pulled him down further the more he struggled.

Vigi shut his eyes taking deep breaths to try and calm his racing heart. He had to remain level headed if he was going to escape this earthen trap on his own. He had taken off from the group without a word. Even if they had followed him he doubted they would be able to find him in this thick fog.

He opened his eyes and looked around him for something to help him. With growing dread he saw nothing that could aid him. 

Truly, he was a fool.

Einnar spotted the raven as it circled and dipped down toward Vigi and when the seidrmadr ran off to follow the carrion bird, the huntsman called out in a harsh whisper. 

[b]"Vigi stop! It is trickery!" [/b]

The dogs strained on their leashes, instinctively wanting to follow the running figure but he held them fast. In seconds the mist swallowed up the pale man, leaving the rest of the party standing around looking at each other. Einnar swore under his breath, [b]"Loki in disguise, cursed foul bird!"[/b]

The marshes were treacherous even in the best conditions but the icey slush and limited visibility, along with the constant threat of draugr made it much more dangerous. He could not leave the healer to his own devices and did not want to drag the rest of them along. Ignoring the pain of his ankle, he turned to the trappers and said in a low voice, [b]"Stay here, do not move if you can help it. I know the paths but they change and are often deceiving to even the most experienced woodsmen. I'm taking the Alexander, you keep Roxanna here. I'll track down Vigi and the dog will bring us back to his mate." [/b]