Thunderjaw Heart - Horizon Zero Dawn Fanfiction

Aloy, no. Aloy, yes !

"Any freezing fingers or toes to amputate yet ?", Kïma asked, looking at the small group behind her. 

Saavi was the one having problems with the low temperature and the snow constantly falling around them. She finally seemed to be out of her bubble, only to scan her surroundings over and over, looking genuinely frightened. 
Damarko and Bast were doing okay, as some of the Nora lands also covered a cold area, even if it was obviously not as extreme as the Cut.

"It looks okay for now, apparently.", Aloy replied, tucking her hair back in her hood. 

"Hey, Saavi ! Remember to keep moving your fingers and toes, it will help them to warm up. You can also put them around your neck if they're really cold.", Bast told the priestess.

She nodded and appeared to smile for a second. 
The Reaper had stopped running because of the wind it created and was now walking, following an impressive wall of ice to shield its riders from the incoming wind. It had arranged some of its spikes to create a sort of protection but the cold had still managed to find a way through. 

"So, do you know where to go exactly ?"

Kïma turned to Damarko and explained :

"Not exactly, but I know some people who could tell me where is the man we're looking for. He is part of a werak based in the east of Song's Edge. But some people of his werak go at least once a day in the settlement to buy things -don't know exactly what and don't care, to be fully honest. The thing is, we just have to find them and ask politely where to find the prick."

"Who are we looking for ?"

"I know three people who could give us the info : Mala, Tumach and the irritating Ivah. He'll probably ask you to run against him in some kind of trail, like the moment in the Proving when you have to run up to the end line. But a lot more dangerous, as everything is frozen. If he asks so, say you already know your value and refuse his offer. He's an idiot with time to lose."

"The Sun's been hiding since we reached the Banuk border..."

Everybody glanced at Saavi, sighing and staring at the clouds with squinted eyes to protect them from the aggressive snowflakes. She had been whispering things about the absence of her god for some time and kept linking it to death being on its way. 

"Yeah, that's because of the snow storm.", Kïma stated casually.

"No, this isn't only that... It has to be a sign. There is something...", was saying the other woman.

Aloy could see Kïma's jaw clenching. Surprisingly, she didn't seem to like Saavi too much. She could not understand the collector's behavior but did not say anything and just went along with it, mesmerized by Lancehorns eating the frozen ground in the distance.

"The day is dark. It forecasts death."

"Alright, listen. I know your beliefs and I totally respect them, the Sun knows that. But you have to understand that I've met people worshiping the Moon, people who would celebrate days with no Sun, who would see such days as benedictions. Don't ask me why. I just really wanted to tell you that there is just not one interpretation possible. Death has nothing to do here, with us, for now.", Kïma finally let out, with a flat voice.

She didn't mean for her comment to come out as hurtful, she just intended on telling Saavi how she felt about her constant reminding of death apparently being omnipresent. The priestess was staring at her, just like basically anyone sitting on the Reaper's back. Bast noticed his fist had started to hit his leg again and he crossed his arms to stop the motion, unseated by Kïma's words. Aloy sneaked a look at Damarko who was now pretending to be extra interested in the dance of the snow above his head.