”I can’t stress this enough... don’t wander off.” he said aloud as he flicked the landing gear causing the wheels to lower under them as the sound of the jet engines started to die off till there was a small thud and small jerking of the X-jet. They just landed.

”Other than bears and wolves there also happens to be an ongoing investigation steer clear of the area I pointed out on the map when we first left. I know some of you weren’t paying attention so we are going to make this easy. If you can’t see one or both of us or a buddy” he gestured to Liz who was his co-pilot for the weekend. ”Stay in one spot and call out for help.”

Flicking another switch the ramp lowered, ”This will be a fun weekend if you like the outdoors, if you don’t then you should have not skipped class and paid attention and next time you won’t need any extra credit.” he stood and cracked his neck looking to the students behind them.

”Sundance anything to add?”

Liz held tightly to the arms of her seat. It wasn’t out of fear - Sam was a very good pilot after all - but out of prudence. Large leather gloves covered her hands and wrists and upon those gloves perched two proud and beautiful ravens. They had done very well throughout the flight, barely requiring any psychic settling, although Liz did swaddle them with calmness as they touched down.

The ravens were there for multiple reasons. Liz was still working on them not only as a training challenge for herself, but also to train them to work with Sam, as payment for him training her in martial arts and self defense. Besides, Liz didn’t think it would hurt to have a couple extra pairs of eyes available in case any of the students got lost in the woods.

She followed Sam’s example and rose while he started off the warnings and welcomes. The ravens shifted their footing on her gloves but otherwise remained calm and curious. She addressed the students as she made her way to the back of the cabin for her suitcase. “We’ve got quite a few activities planned, based on a lot of things covered in our classes. Just listen to what we say,” she said, letting her gaze fall on a few students in particular, “respect the rules and each other and this weekend should pass swiftly. It’s more than just extra credit, it can be an adventure!”

Liz sent a desire through the ravens and they exploded off her hands and out through the ramp into the snow-covered world. “Alright kids, get your stuff and hop to it. We’re off to the cabin!”

Hiyori had been on flights before, so being many many miles up in the air wasn't a new thing. Her mother used private jets exclusively to get from one meeting to another, and her trip from Japan to America had been on a plane of a more commercial variety. Honestly, she loved seeing everything so small from up high. It made her feel less tiny, oddly enough.

She could have done without some of the companions on the trip with her but was currently too excited to care... Xavier was fine, obviously. The wee cat had her furry face pressed into a window, nose fogging up the thick glass, while her large eyes tracked the bits of land she could see moving below.

It didn't take long to land and she was one of the first to fall in line, waiting patiently with sparkling, exciting yellow eyes for the human giants to give them directions. She had brought her backpack and a small specially made sleeveless jacket with a furry brown collar as an extra layer of warmth. A very small bento and a small thermos of tea were packed away in the backpack, which was easy to open for her with a little furry mouse toy hanging from the zipper. Food and a drink were all she had brought with her.

Cold steel Sensei and Sundance Sensei laid out their very first directions.

"Haaai!" She dogged their heels closely as they exited the plane, already scoping out the new environment with her ears swiveling around erratically and her nose going a million miles an hour.

She didn't even need the extra credit. Her grades were impeccable! She just wanted to go on an adventure with the teachers.

When Sam, ahem, THE Cold Steel, looked back, up front and center would be the grinning mug of Xavier. Did he need extra credit? Nope! Not even close! Straight A student, right here~ Did he sincerely want to go camping with his teachers and fellow students? ABOSOLUTELY!

"I really think the ravens are cool! What are their names?" He had a tendency to talk a fair amount when he was excited, but nerves had taken over for much of the flight. Now that they were landing, he couldn't help but ask about the birds.

The 6'5 blonde was practically bouncing in his seat as he nodded enthusiastically at CS's instructions. "Oh, Neat! I can't wait Mrs. S!" Knowing it was safe to get up, now, he hurried over to the baggage compartment to help hand out people's bags to them.

Being tall and strong made that a little easier. While he did this, he attempted to say hi to every other student. If he didn't know them by name, he would absolutely ask them and introduce himself.

Taking a deep breath of wilderness air, he exhaled, and jumped in place a bit. "Oh, man! This is going to be so cool! I can't wait!"

Rowan was sitting low in his seat, basically sinking into the chair. He looked a little tense, and rather pale.

This was only Rowan's second time in an aircraft but he could say, with one hundred percent certainty, that flying was not his preferred method of travel. Sam was correct to assume some of them hadn't been paying attention. Rowan hadn't been. His entire trip had been spent trying not to lose his breakfast.

He took a glance around the jet. He had, secretly, been hoping Aoi or Kalos was coming along on this little field trip, but neither of them seemed to be the type to skip class. And sure, Rowan knew the two adults, but knowing the chaperones wasn't exactly exciting.

The moment the jet landed Rowan was fumbling with his seatbelt, just thankful to be on solid ground again. He gave his head a shake, trying to adjust to the lower altitude. After a moment he followed Liz's lead. Rowan was about to fetch his backpack, but it was fetched for him by a fellow student.

Oh boy this guy was...friendly...

Rowan exited the aircraft, sneakers sinking into the snow. It was...colder than he expected. The young shifter stood awkwardly off to the side, holding his bag to his chest. Maybe he should have just opted for an extra written assignment.

Sam waited until Liz was done adding any more information. He gave a slight nod, she was definitely better with her words than him. Sam was more to the point. ”and if you don’t well... long walk back.” he said waiting till all the kids excited the jet and grabbed their things before closing it back up. Last time there were mercenaries here and they got access to the jet. It wasn’t going to happen again. He locked the jet with the locking sound of a car and put the keys in his pocket. It was also a key codebut he didn’t point it out. Half the kids couldn’t drive.

”Easy Xavier.” he said looking to the Ravens’s that Liz was carrying hoping to one day use them at some point in the field. ”You’ll scare off the wildlife.” he said sending a wave of cold out trying to get a thermal read on anything out there.

” Hiyori, keep it close. You’re a third of everything else out here.” he said as he felt some foxes resting nearby. ”I have a spotless record on camping weekends and I’d like to keep it that way.” his eye shifted over to a few of the other students.

”Keep up and stick to the path. This is the main path between the jet and the cabin. A few forks in it but if you stick to it you won’t be lost.” he said looking to some poison ivy that started growing since his last time here with Liz and Cora. Ice formed and killed it instantly making the path all the more visible. ”Sundance take lead, you should know the path by now.” he said looking out into the woods. Making sure this time it was just them out here.

”Glad to see fluffy can handle the Jet.” Sam said to Rowan as he passed.

“Thank you, Xavier,” Liz said in response to the boy’s exuberance in dolling out her luggage, along with everyone else’s. It was going to prove to be a very interesting weekend, based on student demographics alone. Only six students were with them, the maximum Liz and Sam had decided was a good idea, and while Liz knew them all from class (or in Rowan’s case having introduced him to the mansion and continually checking up on him), she wasn’t sure how they were going to get along.

Such were the joys of teaching.

She snapped a lazy salute at Sam and then smiled at the assembled kids. “Alright then. Make way, people! Teacher coming through!” Liz shivered dramatically through her coat and gloves, as the temperature seemed to decrease a bit more, even though she could only feel it on her face. “Perhaps you could cool it with the temperatures-lowering, Mr. Johnson?” Liz said over her shoulder. “Remember, not all of us have a preternatural resistance to the cold.”

Liz made her way through the gangly pack of students and had her own list of warnings for students. “Careful not to get too worked up, Lillian,” Liz said as she passed the typically withdrawn, lavender-haired girl. Lillian’s ability to secrete acids and bases sometimes cause clothing malfunctions if she worked up a sweat and wasn’t paying attention. “That goes for you too,” she said in a low whisper as she brushed past Damien. His ability to incite emotions in others still wasn’t fully under control and his moods and mood swings had a tendency to be rather infectious.

“Now’s not the time to look for new rocks, Jasper,” she called back without looking. Muninn had done the seeing for her and his eyes had been attracted to a small glittery that the mischievous rock dancer had stuffed into his pocket. “We’ll have plenty of time to explore after we reach the cabin.” First thing you did when camping - set up base.

As Elizabeth took the lead and guided the students along the path, she kept tabs on her raven friends. They were mostly staying within psychic range, but their innate curiosity drove them to take side stops. It didn’t matter much though - they still gave her a much better sense of what was around them then she could have otherwise.

The path was fairly straightforward, if even less enchanting than when Liz had first encountered it. Since it was much deeper in winter, there were fewer signs of life, although the evergreens were still going strong and the path was littered with pine needles.

But finally they made it to the cabin. Well, hunting lodge, basically. It didn’t scream of wealth or riches, but still felt rustic and roomy - just enough space for six kids and two adults. Passing the fire pit they’d dug and the logs they’d set up as crude benches, Liz made her way to the door. And then waited because she realized Sam still had the keys to the place.

Hiyori had a.... rocky relationship with snow. She liked it in short bursts and she had very fond memories of helping her sister make various snow creatures when she had been a toddler. She trailed out after their teachers first, hopping into the larger footprints of those before her to keep her paws mostly dry.

While everyone else filed out she focused on popping her front paws out in order to leave little toe bean prints in the untouched snow. A loud content purr was interrupted by Sam's warning. It was a valid warning, yes... but she didn't exactly appreciate how it had been phrased.

Her ears flipped back in a show of attitude, pupils slit as her small black face snapped around to face her teacher. Hiyori's tails flicked and flopped in a silent grump, and she slowly removed her paws from the snow.

Hmph! A third the size? How rude!

Her nose went straight up in the air, before a swirl of thickening purple energy obscured her from view. When it dissipated the cat was gone and crouched in her place was a girl, with long teal hair up in a ponytail, and a larger version of the same coat the cat had been wearing on. She stood, tucking her hands in her coat, and kicked some snow off of her newly formed boots.

"Hai, Sensei."

She absolutely marched herself to the front of the group with Lillian, who she had at least spoken to one some level like she had with Xavier. Damien and Jasper, she hadn't yet conversed with outside of the classroom, and...ugh.... Rowan. The sheer smell of dog on them had been enough to keep her from investigating them so far.

The walk there wasn't far, and Hiyori spent much of it looking around and excitedly sniffing everything she could. She had never been to a western cabin before! Would it be very different from the kind she was used to back home? The internet led her to believe so, but the School seemed to be run differently than other places in New York... so maybe the cabin would be too?

As soon as they were at the wooden structure, Hiyori dispelled her human body in a puff of purple and went bounding for the door. Not to try and get in, but to sniff it. A lot.

She sniffed the wall beside it as well, the ground a few steps away, and then got distracted with a small bendy branch with pine needles still on it that had gotten lodged in the wooden exterior.

"Sundance Sensei, are there raccoons here? I smell something... musky."

"No problem, Ms.S!"

Xavier knew when he saw someone who wasn't feeling included. He was like a people who don't feel included seeking missile, and he had honed in on his target. While passing out the bags, he made a mental note to seek out the younger looking boy and find a way to lift his spirits!

For now, though, he was busy being shamed by Sam. "oh, oops! Sorry Mr.Cold Steel, sir!" He wondered for a moment why they were here exactly. He'd never been on an extra credit field trip before, and the details had been fairly foggy, in hindsight. Still, they were surrounded by nature! He smiled to Hiyori as he walked past, having made sure the last of the people got their bags.

He giggled a bit as the jet was locked. A car alarm? That was hilarious! He would have to tell the guys at the comic shop about it. They started to make their way to the cabins, with CS seemingly acting the cautious defender while Liz seemed a little more relaxed. He looked back to Hiyori as she manifested a body. "Woah, nice skin, Hiyori! I haven't seen that one before."

He gave an assuring nod to Damien as he passed as well, catching the comment from the teacher. He talked to these people often at and between classes. Damien sometimes got into trouble, but it wasn't always his fault... Mutations were tough for some people.

Finding his pace, he settled in the marching order beside Rowan. "Hey, I don't think we've met before. I'm Xavier!" He held out a hand as they walked, smiling kindly, but widely. "You seemed a little nervous on the flight, so I didn't say hi..."

Oh! They'd arrived at the cabins! "Looks cosy!" It was worth pointing out that Xavier had come prepared. He had a giant rucksack on his back that seemed to have everything and everything one could need under the sun. Elke had helped him pack! She'd told him 'you're an idiot, so you'll need this... and this...' until the bag was full! He liked to thing that, while she called him an idiot, all of the things in this bag were just her little way of showing she cared.

He let out a contented sigh, fogging the air in front of his face, as he stepped up and took a look around as they waited for the cabin to be opened. Hiyori mentioned smelling something, so he took an experimental sniff. Nope, nothing. Then again, she was a cat. Their sense of smell was no joke!

Rowan exhaled slowly, taking a moment to look around the area they had landed in. There was something about being outside, and not cooped up in his dorm, that filled Rowan with energy. He felt as if he could sprint into the woods and not come out for days. Of course, this idea was quickly put aside as Liz began reminding students to keep on the trail. Her vision, no doubt, aided by her bird friends.

But he really wanted to climb a tree.

Rowan huffed and rolled his eyes at Sam. He stuffed his freezing hands into his pockets. Rowan was hoping Sam would have cooled it (ugh cold pun) with the 'Fluffy' thing. Fluffy handled the trip just fine thank you! He probably had motion sickness too.

The rest of the students on this trip seemed...nice. He probably had a class with one of two of them, or walked by them in the hall. Socializing wasn't Rowan's strong suit, he didn't even speak to fellow students during class. And then the cat, who Rowan had assumed was one of Liz's animal friends, turned into a girl. Rowan blinked. Was the...cat a mutant who turned into a girl? Or was the girl a mutant who turned into a cat?

Rowan's musings were cut short as Xavier suddenly buddied up aside him. Rowan reflectively flinched as Xavier held out a hand. It quickly became clear that the other student, who basically towered over Rowan, wasn't trying to push him into a snowbank. Rowan returned the handshake with hesitation.

"I'm...uh, Rowan. Nice to...meet you?" He puffed up a bit at the nervous comment, furrowing his eyebrows. "And I wasn't nervous! I was...uh..." He couldn't think of an excuse fast enough. Luckily he didn't have to, as Xavier quickly had his attention grabbed by the cabin.

As the group approached Rowan perked up again, despite how cold he was. The worn out, hand-me-down, jacket his previous school gave him wasn't doing much to shield him from the wind. At least they were nearly inside.

Instead of following the trail with Liz and the students he slowed his pace when something caught his eye. There was some snapped twigs and some heavy imprints off the trail The ground was still fresh where the boot was maybe a few hours before they got here. If this was more mercenaries trying to get Sam the trip was gonna have to be postponed.

Sighing and following the prints started noticing other signs of life or lack of. More twigs were broken which lead to an area of ferns that was bedding at some point for a deer or something a little bigger. There was also a lot of dried blood. Someone was poaching on his property.

It took a few minutes for Sam to find the corpse of the small caribou he studied it for a few minutes seeing the arrow that pierced it’s spine. It was a crossbow bolt, it also had something on it. First look had Sam thinking it was a quick death. The shooter paralyzed the thing with a spine shot and it looked like the bolt was poisoned. Sam sighed and hefted the corpse over his shoulder and proceeded to walk back to the cabin. He’d have to talk to Liz about this.

Sam couldn’t have been gone longer than an hour but knew Liz would have had all the kids settled at that point. That was the reason they came once before to make sure everything was set up properly so they could focus on teaching. This was a lesson Sam didn’t want to teach them.

Walking through the campsite Sam dropped the small caribou near the pit for the fire. ”Getting all settled?” he asked everyone before looking at Liz and giving her a nod to the lifeless corpse. ”Might need you to send some birds out. Got poachers on my land.” it was clear on his expression what Sam was thinking when he got his hands on said poachers.

Liz shrugged. “Quite possibly, Hiyori,” she said. “We’re still well within their general range and they’re just as home in the cold woods as they are in warm cities. Keep on the lookout for more signs of one, okay? We might be able to lure it out and experience a safe first-hand encounter.” This far from civilization, there were a number of potential animals that the students were unlikely to have practical experience with and as long as she was around, they wouldn’t need to worry about any danger from them.

As the other students made their way to the cabin, Liz made her thirtieth or so headcount. She’d been doing it every minute or so since stepping off the plane and fortunately all were still there. The only person missing was Sam, but Huginn had seen the ice elemental head off the trail awhile back. From what Liz had glimpsed before Sam had passed beneath some intense foliage and out of Huginn’s sight, he’d looked intense about something. The empath wasn’t worried though - Sam was more than able to take care of himself and he probably just went to check something real quick.

Ten minutes later, she realized Sam was not going to be quick and that it was still very cold and she did not want to just stand around forever until that man came back.

“Alright, students!” she clapped. “While we wait for Mr. Johnson and the key, we’re going to go ahead and get a jump start on our activities. Something that is pivotal in both outdoor survival and the classic camping experience: building a fire,” she said in her best ‘all part of the plan’ voice. She swept a hand toward the fire pit. “I need three teams. Sort it out yourselves. First team - scour the fire pit, make sure there’s nothing anywhere near it that can burn. Also, there’s a pile of rocks beside the cabin. Use them to make a ring for the fireplace.”

She waved at the woods. “Team two - firewood! I want some nice, stout branches and mini logs. Remember, deadwood only and as dry as possible. Team three - kindling and tinder. No, not the dating apps. Find us grass, twigs, small sticks, pine needles, things like that so actually get the fire going. Use the buddy and make sure the other person is in sight at all times. Don’t go beyond earshot. If I yell and you don’t immediately respond, you will regret it. If I have to hunt you down, someone had better be dying.”

Liz stared at them all for a solid, serious moment. Then she smiled and clapped her hands again. “Okay everyone! Let’s get to it! Let’s get this fire started and get some heat! I’m here if you have questions! I also have flint and steel, so come and get it when everything is ready.”

----------------

Liz had a moment's warning from Muninn before Sam emerged from the forest. In between keeping the kids occupied and interjecting as many teachable moments as possible, Liz has also been periodically peeking through the ravens’ eyes. They’d been hanging around the cabin for the last half hour or so, attracted by the activity and having temporarily settled their curiosity of the surrounding area.

The science teacher gave up her vague plan of trying to lure an animal into the lodge (last time they’d been there, there were mice) and to possess it and try to unlock the building from the inside. It wasn’t very practical but her other options all involved some kind of property damage and she wasn’t willing to go that far. Unless Sam had made them wait another hour that is.

God, I hope that isn’t what he’s planning on us having for dinner! Reindeer had not been on the menu when they’d prepped food supplies.

She approached the man and then bit her tongue as she listened. She nodded sharply. “Got it. I’ll do a quick scout at dinner. Think you’ll be able to handle them all while I’m gone?” The woman smiled teasingly at the man, although a bit of concern was there as well. She knew Sam was a teacher and an X-Men, and while she would certainly follow his lead in any danger situation or field event, she wasn’t entirely sure he was aware that kids tended to be….wild.

“Also, please tell me that’s not our dinner,” she said while pointing at the dead reindeer. There was no way Sam had just killed it with an arrow which meant it had to have been somebody else, so the kill probably wasn’t fresh. But who would just leave it lying around?

Liz whirled back to the cabin (after sending a soft channel of alarm and curiosity toward the ravens) and marched to the doors. “Alright kids, we’re going in! Once Mr. Johnson unlocks the place, feel free to explore. There are two bedrooms and a loft for sleeping arrangements. Hiyori, Lillian, grab for us. Boys get whatever’s left.”

The small cat perked up immediately. Tanuki hunt! "Hai!" She went back to sniffing, but a bit more determinedly.

By the time Sundance Sensei started to draw all of the student's attention back to her, before Johnson Sensei had even shown up, Hiyori had found her way up on to the rood. Her little back head poked up over the pointed top of the roof, one ear twitching a clinging clump of snow off. In a few leaps and bounds, she hopped her way there through the fresh, crisp snow. She sat there, listening from above where she could get a clear view of all the surroundings.

"Teams?" She muttered to herself. So it would be like breaking into teams in the class then, only with fire building. She waited for her teacher to finish speaking, before priming herself to jump down. One butt wiggle for calibration later she hopped down on the nearest person's shoulder and to care not to use her claws.

"I will be team one!" From her mount's shoulder she jumped to the ground and made her way back to the mostly dry deck of the cabin. "Not to... toot my own horn?... but I am able to take care of that task efficiently from here, which will leave another body to join one of the other teams."

Over by the fire purple energy started to form in billowing swirls. It condensed into the forms of seven zombies (thankfully a lot less... decomposed... than normal). She set them to the task of shuffling around sweeping the area clean with their hands and feet. In dainty pink aprons, no less!

She zoned out, thoroughly focused on her task of piloting all of the zombies around, while the rest of the students figured themselves out.

It didn't take long for seven bodies to clear the pit of debris, or to move all of the stones. She was done before she knew it and had a bunch of groaning, staggering zombies loitering around with nothing to do.

"Done!" She dispelled them, seven poofs of purple swirls, and skittered over herself to sniff at all of her hard work. Er... easy work.

When Johnson Sensei finally came back, hauling a HUGE animal with him, naturally, her curiosity led her to slinking on over. As low to the ground as she could get, with her ears back and tails in a sleek line, she edged in. Hiyori had never smelled something wild that big up close before. Her hair stood on end in various places as she edged past Sundance Sensei's legs for a sniff.

...Maybe a bite.

The woman whirled around just as the cat leaned in to tentatively take a bite, spooked Hiyori, and she zoomed away like a shadow back over to the Cabin.

"...H-hai, Sensei!" She sat and waited very patiently for Lillian to open the door and let them both in.

"Which room do you think we should pick, Lillian-chan? The one with the biggest beds?" She purred, clearly excited, as the two girls entered and scoped the place out.

They absolutely picked the one with the most lavish looking beds, even if Hiyori didn't intend on using one. The small cat was on one immediately, pawing and kneading to test the quality of the blankets. Lillian chose a smaller bed, but it was tucked up nicely in a corner with a window in between. Plenty of light.

They all arrived at the cabin just fine! Yay! They were waiting for Sam! Yay! They'd been waiting for ten minutes with no sign of him... Um... Uh... After watching Hiyori hop about and climb with amusement for a few minutes, the cold started to set in a bit. Xavier was just about to open his mouth to say something when their teacher clapped. He turned and his constant smile grew as it dawned on him that they were being given a task.

He loved tasks!

As soon as she started talking, he began breaking down what she was saying in comparison to their group composition, and where he might fit in. Oh! No one liked slogging through snow to gather a bunch of heavy logs! What's more, not everyone was built to carry a whole lot! Hiyori jumped into the first task and Xavier watched in interest as the zombies appeared.

"Neat!" He'd seen it before, but it didn't make it any less nifty! "Ms.S, I can be team two!" He smiled, and bolted out into the woods without another word. Minutes later, he walked back empty handed, smiling broadly as he approached the pit.

Looking up in though a moment, he nodded, and held out his beefy arm. The sound of a shuffling came in the direction he pointed, and a decent sized log swooped in at a high speed, bouncing harmlessly off of his hand and onto the ground. He repeated this several times with all of the logs and sticks he'd poked while out there.

Rapidly, he stacked them in piles, heavy dry, heavy a little wet(to dry by the campfire's heat), Light dry, and light wet! Patting his hands together, he turned to see if he could help with group 3's work!

He'd been gifted a magnesium fire starter by Elke, as well, so he would get it running just as soon as the kindling arrived! I mean, she didn't call it a gift, but it counted as a gift, because she'd given it to him for a special occasion. Camping. Camping was a special occasion. For Elke, at least.

It was sort of a while before Sam made it back. He would totally spend his time trying to talk to Rowan and Damien. "Do you go camping a lot? I was in the scouts, and my girlfriend is sorta gung ho about it. Camping, not the scouts. She thinks the scouts are just another exclusionary imperialistic organization meant to promote a crooked status quo... or something."

When CS arrived and dropped the poor caribou, he jumped up and replied to his question. "Yes sir, Mr.ColdSteel sir!"

He didn't catch the implication that Sam's words carried, but he did furrow his brow. "That's not good..." Elke wasn't here, was she? He peeked a bit... Crossbow bolt. Not an arrow. Whew. "Well, if we catch them we can make sure they pay their fines, and serve their jail time!" No, that wasn't said with any tinge of irony or sarcasm.

There had been an awkward silence between Liz telling Sam to unlock the door and the realization that Sam had gone off the trail. Luckily Liz was able to keep the students occupied, although Rowan would have preferred just to break the door down.

Rowan had been hoping to clean the fire pit, it didn't sound too tough. But the cat spoke up and claimed the task. Before Rowan could question how a small house cat would gather stones an answer appeared. And that answer was spectral zombie maids? Huh...Rowan blinked. Maybe best not to ask.

And then Xavier excitedly sprinted into the woods, calling himself team two. Rowan looked around at the remaining students. Well...looked like team three would be a big team. The four students walked off the path and into the woods. At first it was difficult to find kindling, as the snow was rather deep. But it didn't take long for them to find dry ground, mostly under trees were the snow had piled on the branches above.

There wasn't much idle chatter among the group, mostly 'oh! Found some!' and 'do you think this is dry enough?' but their teamwork got the job done quickly. Soon the four students returned, each with a pretty big armful of pine needles, twigs and pine bark.

That hadn't been too bad...Rowan just wished he had brought gloves. He paused a moment blowing on his red, cold, hands. Something sticking partially out of the snow caught his attention, A small rock, it looked like it flecks of mica in it. He pocketed the stone before anyone else could snatch it.

Rowan had again tried to linger off to the side of the group, only to be spotted by Xavier again. He was able to answer Xavier's first question with a simple: "N-not really, this is my f-first time actually camping." Before the much taller boy began to excitedly ramble about...imperialistic organizations? Rowan didn't respond much aside from some nodding, but he really was listening. It was nice to be ranted at, made him feel included.

Just as the cold was really starting to bother Rowan, Sam returned to the group once again.

Rowan eyed the dead reindeer curiously. For a moment he salivated, thinking about how good it would feel to gnaw on its leg. This thought quickly turned from appetizing to disgust...he probably shouldn’t eat raw meat. Plus something about it smelled...off.

His attention was again on the cabin, now that the group had a chance to get inside. Liz had singled out Hiyori and Lillian, why did those two get a room together. Oh right...girls. He glanced around at the gathered students, the boys room was sure to be crowded. He briefly wondered if there would be bunk beds, how could a camp claim to be a camp without bunk beds?