Joseph let out a quiet groan of irritation as he shivered and folded his arms. The moonlight reflected off of the snow outside the cabin, causing it to glow like silver. Every breath turned into a tiny, puffy cloud that disappeared the next moment.

"Don't be such a baby," chided Naya, who also stood out in the snow. "I'm cold too. Now, do you want to learn or not?"

Joseph glared at her. "We couldn't have talked from inside?"

"Not unless you want someone else to wake up and hear us," she said flatly. "We won't be out for too long, so try to tough it out. If you catch a cold, so be it. We can always work around that.

"Now then," she continued, "let's get to business. First off, we need to talk about this mountain range. You already know about the 'critters,' at least as much as we know. Actually, no. There are two other things about them that you need to be aware of. First, we think that they move in packs. Their tracks can be found in the snow, and there are usually lots at once. Second, we think that they're either poisonous, or that they carry infections of some sort. We think that because sometimes the people who've been inspecting their tracks come down with high fevers."

"Kind-of like what I had?" Joseph interrupted.

"Yes, exactly," Naya responded. "We couldn't say for sure, but it's probable. You were probably near a 'critter' or its tracks and inhaled some sort of infection. Nothing else explains how high your fever was."
"What are the tracks like?" the boy asked.

"Long and serpentine. Like a giant snake was shoving its way through the snow. We don't think they're snakes though, since snakes only emerge in the warmer seasons. Moving on now. The nearest town is in a valley not far from here. The trip is about two days on foot. I can help you plan a route that's not likely to take you near the critters, but that may add a day or two to the journey. It is imperative that you avoid them at all costs, do you understand?"
Joseph nodded.

"Very good. The town is called Samatori Valley. The people there are farmers, and are very kind-hearted. If you ask for work, they will give you work. From there, I advise you to find lodging and earn money as quickly as possible. They will help you, but they do not take kindly to those who freeload. Earn enough money to seek out a doctor in that town. If the doctor cannot help you, then continue to earn money until you can buy transportation to Iridia city. If their doctors cannot help you, then continue to search each city."

"Couldn't that take a lifetime?" Joseph asked, concerned.

"It could," Naya replied. "Simply earning enough money for transportation could potentially take months. It may take years to find a doctor that can help you. And even then, bear in mind that what you are asking may be impossible to cure."

"So what of the spirits?"

"Learn all you can from the locals, but remember that the spirits may never appear to you. The people are superstitious, and may not help you if they feel you will upset the spirits or nature's balance. The spirits themselves roam all over, and rarely choose to appear to humans. That's why some regard them as being myths, after all. You may live a lifetime and never see one."

Joseph pursed his lips at this. "So everything I do might be for nothing."

"Possibly," Naya responded, "but if you want any chance of regaining them at all, then you'll have to gamble. As I'm sure you realize, this is why I don't want you to go down there. That and your appearance."

"What about my appearance?" the boy asked defensively. "What's wrong with it?"

Naya couldn't help but crack a smile, and giggled slightly at his outburst. "Nothing to me. But you don't look like an Endralian. My kind have brown hair and dark brown or green eyes. Your hair is far too bright, as are your skin and eyes. You look like you're from Shima."

"Shima?"

"It's a country to the north. Endralia and Shima are on very poor terms. Now, people in the farming towns don't much care what race you are, but if officials from the capital catch you, they'll think you're a Shiman spy. They'll either capture you or kill you on the spot."

Joseph's eyes widened a bit at this. "What do I do about that? It's not like I can just change what I look like!"

Naya put a finger to her lips, motioning for him to be quieter. "People are sleeping, Joseph. And no, you can't do much about that, but you can wear a disguise. A good cloak will cover your hair and shadow your eyes. Most people won't bother you about that, though it's still best to stay out of the way just in case."

"Where do I even get a cloak?" Joseph asked, beginning to doubt the plan.

"Many towns have shops and trade centers. You can find one there. Until then, you'll have to go without one. That being the case, try to hide from sight until you come across someone that you feel you can trust. From there, try to get their help in getting you a cloak."

"How do you know I'd find someone I can trust?"

"In every town, Joseph, there is someone you can trust. There is always someone who is willing to help, even if you look like a foreigner. You just have to find that person and earn their trust."

Joseph frowned. All of it seemed like a massive gamble to him. He was beginning to have second thoughts about leaving at all. Naya picked up on this, and seemed to relax a bit.

"You don't have to go," she reassured him. "All things considered, you'd be at a massive disadvantage in a treacherous world."

"Yeah, I know," Joseph said with a sigh, staring at the ground. He opened his mouth to tell her that she was right, then stopped. "I just... I don't know." The hole where his memories should have been screamed at him. It screamed, demanding that he fill the gap. It demanded that he take the risk to find answers. At the same time, his own mind screamed back, saying that it was folly and that he would certainly die. The risk was simply too great. He clutched his head in confusion, as nausea hit him and he began to collapse.

Naya rushed to catch him, and helped him to stand back up. "Let's go in," she said softly as she pulled his arm around her shoulder. "I think you've had enough for one night."

She helped him into the central room of the cabin, then set him down. She was about to turn and head for a spot to sleep herself when a hand suddenly grabbed hers. Looking back, she saw that it was Joseph's.

"Hey," he whispered. "Let's talk again tomorrow night. There's more to learn, right?"

Naya said nothing. She simply slid her hand out from his and walked off, finding a spot on the floor before curling up and falling asleep.

The days continued to pass, upholding the same pattern as before. Hunting, scavenging, cooking, and fire time. However, a new tradition began. Every night, when all others were asleep, Naya would take Joseph out into the snow and would teach him what she knew of Endralia. First, she taught him the mark of each spirit. She took a stick and drew six marks in the snow.

The first one, which resembled a wing, was Moree's mark: the mark of wind. The second, which looked like two jagged semi circles facing each other, was Buto's mark: the mark of earth. The third seemed to look like ripples of water, and was Selwa's mark: the crest of water. The fourth resembled a flame, and was Maltik's mark of fire. The fifth was a strange one, but to Joseph it seemed to resemble a flower. That was Zotu's emblem, the mark of life. Finally, the sixth mark looked something like a claw, and was Kagi's mark: the mark of shadow.

"Any creature that bears these markings," Naya explained, "is blessed by the spirits, and is their servant. That's what the stories all say, at least. Much like with the spirits, few claim to have seen a creature with such markings, and nobody can trust those who claim they have. Nevertheless, it is something to keep in mind. You will see these symbols a lot on charms and jewelry. People wear them as protection, believing that the markings will keep them safe."

In the nights that followed, she taught Joseph about where the spirits supposedly lived, though she was certain to emphasize that many had already searched those places and found nothing. She also taught him about various creatures that lived in Endralia, warning him about the dangerous ones and emphasizing which ones were easiest to kill and eat. Some were pranksters, some were territorial, and some were friendly. Many of them were like the creatures that Joseph was already familiar with, while others were far different.

She taught him the superstitions of each town, and how one could gain favor with the locals. She taught him Endralian etiquette, and that it was customary to formally greet people by touching one's right hand to their left shoulder and giving a slight bow. Shaking hands was a more casual greeting, and waving was common in passing. She also taught Joseph about the money system, which consisted of the crown, the ryng, and the kero. The crown was a golden-colored coin, and the most valuable. Next was the ryng, which was bronze with a silver-colored rim. Finally, there was the kero, a copper coin and the least valuable of the three.

Naya taught Joseph to stay away from certain areas, warning that dangerous creatures lived there. She told him the tricks she knew on how to avoid them, and what they would do to him if they caught him. Similarly, she taught him how to spot capital officials, and warned him to avoid them and the capital if he could. Officials wore military-style uniforms of a deep purple color, with copper, silver, or gold emblems on one or both shoulders depending on the rank. According to Naya, their word was law. Better not to run into one at all, if possible.

The only problem was that Naya did not have a map, nor did any of the other outcasts. Therefore, she had to describe routes based on landmarks and such. This caused some difficulty, but both she commented that he would likely be able to find a map of his own before too long. Though this concerned Joseph, he knew she was probably correct in that.

With every meeting, the hole in Joseph's memories began to overpower the voice in his brain that protested against the idea of leaving. After hearing all the things that Naya told him about, he became curious to see what lay beyond the mountains. And with every meeting, Naya seemed to grow more and more distant. She spoke less to Joseph during the day, and sometimes went out of her way to avoid contact. Joseph noticed, of course, but thought it better not to pry.

After a week of learning, Joseph had made up his mind. He was going to make the voyage with or without permission. He and Naya began spending the late nights making preparations for the trip, and planning the route he would take. They found an old sack in the storage room that looked like it hadn't been used for some time, and decided to pack his food and items in it. Naya mentioned that once it was empty, he could also use it as a hood until he could acquire a proper cloak. The plan was to fill the sack with as many edible plants as they could find in the snow before he left. The journey would be long and he would grow hungry, but he would make it to the valley below.

Once they both felt that Joseph was prepared, he steeled himself and decided to ask Taaz for permission to leave. He wasn't sure whether or not Taaz would chase after him, but thought he probably would. Therefore, the boy reasoned that it would be better to simply ask.

"Absolutely not!" Taaz exclaimed when Joseph first asked. "Boy, you don't have the slightest clue what's waitin' for ya down there! Ya can't even be sure if the critters won't eat ya on the way down! I'll be damned if I let ya try sometin' so foolhardy!"

"Please!" the boy pleaded. "I have to go, if I don't get my memories back, or at least try, I'm going to go insane!"

Taaz shook his head. "We all felt like that at first, Joe, but some things are just impossible. Look, I can't let ya go off an' kill yerself like that!"

"Yeah, I know, but I've been learning a lot about the world down there! I even planned a route down that'll help me avoid the monsters!"

"And just who the fresh hell helped you do that?" Taaz demanded, his eyes bearing a mixture of worry and anger.

"I can't say," Joseph said, looking away.

"It was Naya, wasn't it," the grown man huffed.

"How do you know that?" Joseph exclaimed.

"Joe, that girl is a dreamer, okay? Back when she first came, she tried to convince me to let 'er leave too. She finally decided to stay, but her mind is always elsewhere. I'll have to talk with 'er about puttin' these ridiculous ideas into yer head," he mumbled irritably.

Joseph's voice began to rise. "Don't be mad at her, okay? I made her tell me, it's not like she volunteered."
"Even so!" Taaz cried in frustration. "She knew she shouldn'ta taught ya, and she did it anyhow! Just 'er teachin' ya has put ya in danger, and I can't stand fer that!" His voice calmed, and sounded more like it was in pain than anything else. "Look, just stay here. Please. I say it for yer own good. Just forget about all this, 'kay? Yer safer 'ere, and I wouldn't forgive myself if anythin' happened to ya out there."

"Alright," Joseph said, the life seeming to drain from his eyes as he dejectedly turned and walked off, leaving Taaz by himself.

That night, Naya didn't speak to Joseph. Not long ago, he'd overheard Taaz lecturing her about how irresponsible it'd been of her to help him. She had responded with a simple apology, promised not to do it again, and hadn't pushed the topic since. Even when Joseph sat down beside her during meal time, she didn't say a word. The two of them ate in silence until the food was gone, then both stared into the fire for what seemed like hours.

"I'm sorry," Joseph whispered, finally breaking the silence. "It was a stupid idea. I shouldn't have dragged you in."

Naya gave him a hurt look. "How can you say that after everything we've been through to get here?" She whispered.

Joseph's jaw dropped slightly. "Wait, you still want me to go?"

"Of course not," she hissed, "but I know that you still want to go! I don't want you to leave any more than Taaz does, but I've already taken the time to teach you. You committed to this, right? Isn't this what you want?"

The boy didn't answer. He wasn't sure what to say.

"Prepare to leave tonight," she whispered.

"What?"

"Now that Taaz knows what we've been planning, he's going to keep a closer eye on you. You have to leave now. Earlier, the snow was picking up. If you leave tonight, the storm will cover your tracks. I can steal a coat and a flint for you. I can even accompany you and bring the supplies back afterward. In fact, that's probably the best option."

"I can't believe you're actually saying this," he breathed.

"I can't believe I am either, but I know that if you don't go now, you'll just keep pestering me."

Joseph frowned. That didn't sound like a very "Naya" thing to say. "What's that supposed to mean?" he asked.

She just shook her head. "Forget it, okay?" With that, she stepped up and moved to the other side of the room where she visited with some of the other outcasts.

That night, like every other night, Joseph waited until the outcasts were all asleep. He noticed Naya shifting about, quietly grabbing a pair of coats, an old sack, a knife, a pair of leather shoes for herself, and some flint. She slipped the items into the sack and carried them outside. Once she vanished into the night, Joseph followed her out into the snow, which was falling lightly.

"Are you ready?" she asked as she handed him the sack.

"I think so," he replied, though his heart was racing with nervousness. He reached into the sack and pulled out the jackets, slipping one on and handing the other to Naya. They smelled terrible, a result of being worn by hunters daily and rarely being washed. "So now we collect plants and stuff?"

"Actually," she replied, "I think it'd be better to search for plants as we go. We can't waste time going nowhere."

Joseph didn't question it. He nodded and gestured for her to lead the way. Together, they stepped out into the icy mountain range to begin the journey. As they did, the snow began to fall harder, slowly filling their tracks behind them. Come morning, it would be impossible for anyone to find them altogether.

The storm continued to thicken, and Joseph found that he could hardly see, and the gradual buildup of ice on his glasses only served to make matters worse. As the condition worsened, Naya led the boy by the hand, guiding him as though she knew exactly where she was going. The cold terrorized the two even despite their coats, but they forced their way through the storm nevertheless, determined to reach their goal.

When the storm finally subsided, it was dawn. The two found some wild herbs to eat and chewed on them to stave off their hunger. They continued to travel until the sun went down, eating wild plants and snow along the way. When the sun finally fell away and gave way to night, the two decided to start a fire and get some sleep, that way they could face the following day with more energy. They gathered kindling and retrieved the flint, and after many attempts, they finally got a small fire started.

"Hey, Naya?" Joseph asked as they sat side-by side.

"What is it?"

"Why did you decide to help me?"

"Because I know there's no stopping you, and because you'd only pester me otherwise. No matter how many times you tell me you won't try anything, I know you'd just run off anyway. So I decided that I had to help you so that you wouldn't die out there."

"But why teach me anything at all? You really could have told me enough terrible things to scare me out of it for good."

"Again, it's because I knew you'd pester me about it anyway. Don't think that I'm happy about you doing this."

"Fair enough."

Silence.

"Hey Naya?"
"Yes?"

"Have you ever wanted to run away too?"

"...let's get some sleep now. You need rest."

"You dodged the question, you know."

"..."

"Naya?"

"..."

Joseph glanced to his side to see Naya leaning on his shoulder, her shoulders sofly rising and falling. He realized that she was already asleep. He leaned his head against her and closed his eyes, slowly drifting off to sleep himself.