BREAKING RULES, Combining two worlds (Part 3)

ARRIVAL AT THE NORTH CAPE

"What do you mean, you don't you know where my mother has gone?! You just said yourself that you were the one who saw her for the last time, Marit! She can't just have dissolved into thin air!!" The young woman in front of her was about to burst into tears at the angry words of the young woman in front of her.

"I really don't know, Ava! She wanted to take over the feeding of the animals... and... and when she hadn't come by after half an hour I went out to check on her, but she wasn't there anymore and her tracks were covered by the snowfall! I'm so sorry!!"

With a defeated gesture, Ava stroked her face and gave Marit a small smile. "Sorry Marit, this isn't your fault, I shouldn't have raged at you like that, but I don't understand where she went, it's not something my mother would do, just leave like that!"

With a swing, the door of the communal kitchen was flung open. "Have you found any clue's, Ava?!" Although she wasn't exactly old at sixty-two, Rane had deep lines graved into her face and a perpetual frown that seemed chiselled on her brow.

"No, it's like she dissolved in thin air, but even with or without that damn snowfall, I should have found something!" In the meantime, Ava had risen from her chair and was now pacing through the kitchen.

"Now what? We can't start searching until the storm has passed!"

The old woman crossed her arms and looked around the group. "If Wende has lost her way in some strange way, she will do everything she can to find shelter, that also applies in the case she's injured, conscious and able to move... in all other cases we'll just have to sit this storm out..." A dead silence fell in the kitchen. Ava and the five other women present knew their leader was right, but that didn't make it any easier to accept.

Two hours earlier at the Nordkap clan.

"Welcome men! It's good to see you!"

Reh'tec had walked to the landing site with Mohr'kad and the camp doctor to welcome Du'gan and Gunnar's group.

Du'gan stepped forward and greeted the Tároc the proper way.

"Thank you, Tároc Reh'tec, I'm sorry to inform you that three warriors withdrew at the very last moment. One because he was wounded in the face during a training exercise..." When he saw the frown on the face of the Tároc, Du'gan shrugged apologetically.

"He's missing an eye from now on..." Reh'tec hummed in understanding.

"The women of the other two warriors we wanted to bring along are only a month away from giving birth and Tároc Rhán did not want to risk their mates' lives, and all the other men are fine warriors, but not suited to this harsh climate."

Du'gan pointed to his brother standing next to him. "Both Gunnar and I have put together our own unit with men whom we have worked before."

"It sounds like you've put a lot of thought into it guys, good to hear!" Reh'tec nodded in satisfaction.

"Bahr'cat, will take your men to the infirmary to check them all again, then he will escort them to their quarters. You..." and he pointed to Gunnar.

"... go with Mohr'kad, he'll debrief you, and you go with me." And nodded to Du'gan.

"The rest of you... gather your stuff and follow Bahr'cat, and don't start talking shit, just do exactly what the doctor says, if not your punishment will be severe!"

"Good to see you again, boy! How's your old man?" Mohr'kad Looked out of the corner of his eye at the young warrior walking beside him.

Gunnar shrugged. "Ohh, Dad hasn't changed much, still has the same sunny mood as always." and gave the Ikat a wide smirk. "Honestly, I was glad Rhán gave us this assignment, I feel more at home here than anywhere else! The only thing I miss here are the ladies, but that's all!"