195 The Edge of Victory

"Lady Snowcloud?" The young novice's eyes were wide with surprise as he looked at her. "You're alive? And you're here?"

"Clearly," Snowcloud replied.

They had met the Soaring Sun patrol only moments earlier, and the half dozen novices in the patrol all seemed shocked at having run into Snowcloud. The recruits among them, meanwhile, looked at the scene with discomfort. While they might not recognize Snowcloud themselves, their leaders' startled expressions were enough to cause them concern.

"Apologies, Lady Snowcloud," the novice said, visibly struggling to regain his composure. "It's just that… rumor has it that the Waning Moon is hunting you. Elder Naran even sent several dozens of search parties to find you, but nobody's seen any sign of you for months, and many thought you were dead. I hadn't expected you to turn up here, so close to our camp."

"How far is the Soaring Sun camp?" Snowcloud asked, ignoring the novice's other words.