Jumi Rubigen walked the plains of the Assol Outlands, a pack strapped to his back and wrapped in layers of wool to ward off the cold. He wasn’t sure if wool could get wet, and if it could, if he would be safe in it. Some material when wet loses its warming properties; he’d learned that the other day when workin’ with the workers.

And anyway the Autumn Storms had subsided. They usually fell short just before Winter Itself blew its icy breath on the land. The period of quieted Storms was one of waiting, as though nature itself were takin’ a quick breather before unleashing the Endless Shivers upon the countryside. All Outlanders knew the signs, and that included Jumi Rubigen.

Which didn’t mean he didn’t know what he was gettin’ hisself into by makin’ a trek like this in the midst of the Quiet Time. He had no choice in the matter and really his only hope was to make it to Hurgabatackis before the Endless Shivers started.

Moni had kicked him out on the road! Spread the rumors that he had been mixin’ in mixed company. The rumors were true o’ course so he found no quarter where he sought it in Gilba Gilba. Only option was to huck it off to the Outland village Hurgabatackis where some o’ his pals lived, as well as his sister, Moni Rubigen. Havin’ a sister with the same name as his wife did indeed complicate things and will make this even more complicated goin’ forward but we’re stuck with the choices we made and we make the best of ‘em. We might not even be comin’ back to ol’ Jumi anyway so mayhap this could be the end of it.

Jumi’s breath blew out in front of him like a loud whisper. If he kept movin’ he was fine o’ course but the trek into the Plains of the World offered little in the way of shelter. The trade routes were here for a reason: they had no obstacles and the roads were kept rather well. If he kept up his pace as he liked he had the reckoning that he would be landin’ in Hurgabatackis afore the sun fell below the horizon.

He wasn’t too sad Moni had ended things. It was for the best. Still stung but that’s the way of change.

The wind blew about and knocked Jumi’s things onto the ground, so he bent down and picked them up.