Genres: Horror, Tragedy

Rating: R

Warnings: desperation, hopeless death

Summary: There is no song sung about the Grinding Ice. There is a reason why.

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A few thousand steps. They always halted and made camp after a few thousand excruciating steps. There was shelter of furs and bodies, then, and meagre rations of food and water, and such light that they brought with them in the form of stone-lamps.

But the ice always pursued them, growling and snapping. It never rested.

It took some of their number, sometimes, when they rested. No care of distinction. No care of age.

But it nearly took the last children and their parents, when they were walking, so near to the end of the journey.

They rested no more.