Marked by the Four Beast Lords After Transmigration

The corridor stayed colder after Kael and Shen left.

Nia noticed it most around her ankles where heat no longer drifted from the entrance side of the residence as steadily as before. Faint drafts moved through the outer tunnels beyond the curtain while the kettle simmered steadily above the hearth.

She sat for several breaths with the bowl resting against her knees before finally pushing herself upright so the stew would not cool entirely. The hearth still needed tending, the bowls needed cleaning, and the grain mash for tomorrow sat covered near the rear shelves waiting for more water.

Nia carried the empty bowls toward the washing basin beside the heated wall and poured fresh kettle water slowly across the pottery. Warm water fogged around her hands while cedar lingered faintly from the drying bundles hanging near the ceiling racks. Her curls kept sliding over one shoulder while she worked, loosened further by the warmth inside the residence until the thicker coils brushed the back of her neck whenever she leaned near the basin.

She scrubbed one bowl harder than necessary before stopping halfway through the motion. Kael’s comment about cedar lingering longer in the baths returned uninvited while she rinsed the bowl again beneath the heated water.

Kael had not sounded teasing when he said it, only observant, and that made remembering the comment much harder to ignore.

Nia rinsed the bowl again before stacking the cleaned pottery upside down beside the hearthstones. The woven cover over the grain mixture still held warmth from the nearby fire when she checked beneath it.

The mixture would still hold until morning, though it had thickened more than she wanted again.

Nia grabbed the water bucket before she could think too hard about why that conversation kept replaying.

The residence remained active around her even while emptier than before. Kael’s outer cloak still hung missing from its hook near the entrance while Shen’s sorting knife remained beside the herb table where he had apparently forgotten it during the shelf inspection.

Shen rarely forgot where he left anything.

Her fingers brushed the handle once before she carried the knife toward the storage shelf instead.

The outer curtain shifted.

Cold air slipped through the residence.

Nia looked toward the entrance as soon as the curtain moved.

Kael ducked through first carrying two frost-covered root baskets beneath one arm while Shen followed behind him with bundled cedar bark strapped against his back. Snow clung along the dark fur lining Kael’s shoulders while melted frost darkened sections of Shen’s outer sleeves near the wrists.

Shen shut the curtain behind them before another draft pushed inward.

“The outer shelves froze faster than expected,” he said while loosening the cedar bundle straps. “The western wall’s icing over.”

The bark bundles pulled her attention first.

“You found more?”

“The eastern traders left half their lower bundles before the storm worsened.”

Kael crossed toward the hearth without answering, setting the frost-covered baskets beside the firestones before crouching near the kettle. Melted snow darkened the outer layers of his clothing while heat from the hearth reached him again.

Damp strands of dark hair clung near the side of his neck beneath the edge of his collar.

Nia turned back toward the grain shelf.

“The grain mash thickened again,” she announced.

Behind her, Shen sounded entirely too calm.

“We survived this terrible hardship before. I believe we’ll manage.”

Nia narrowed her eyes toward the grain bowl.

“You were quieter outside.”

Kael continued crouching beside the kettle while snow softened slowly along the shoulders of his outer layers.

Nia refused to look toward him, which became more difficult once heavy footsteps crossed the heated floor behind her before stopping close enough for his body heat to press steadily along her back through the thinner layers of her indoor clothing.

Kael glanced toward the frost baskets near the hearth.

“The roots will freeze together if we leave them there.”

Nia adjusted the spoon through the grain mash.

“Yes. I can see that.”

Water cracked softly inside the frost baskets as melting ice loosened around the roots beside the hearth. Kael reached past her toward the upper shelf, his arm brushing lightly along hers while he pulled down a folded drying cloth before stepping back again with it in one hand.

Nia realized several seconds too late that she was still stirring the mash without actually checking the texture anymore.

Behind them, Shen carried the cedar bundles toward the storage hooks near the baths corridor.

“The lower bark strips stayed mostly dry,” he said while loosening the cord bindings. “The upper layers froze.”

“We’ll use those first,” Nia answered.

Kael resumed sorting roots beside the hearth after the answer came out faster than she intended.

Nia turned the grain mixture another slow circle while Kael leaned one shoulder lightly against the shelf beside her.

“The corridor stones are worse tonight.”

Nia nodded.

“The wind sounds stronger.”

Kael pulled one of the roots free from the frost basket.

“The cliff paths froze over completely.”

Nia looked up from the grain bowl.

“Already?”

Kael nodded once.

“No storage runs tomorrow.”

Some of the tension left her legs at that. The earlier hauling trips still lingered through her calves even if she refused to mention that aloud while Kael remained close enough for his shoulder to brush hers whenever either of them shifted.

Shen crossed back toward the hearth carrying the last cedar bundle.

“The lower bath chamber stayed warm,” he said while hanging the bark strips near the drying rack. “The stone retained most of the vent heat.”

Nia shifted slightly toward the drying rack.

“The lower chamber held heat that long?”

Shen paused briefly while adjusting one of the bindings.

“Warmer than yesterday.”

Kael shifted beside her again, close enough that his shoulder brushed hers before settling near the shelf.

Nia shifted the bowl higher against her palm.

“The bark won’t burn off as fast then.”

“It should.”

Cedar, damp wool, melted snow, and lingering stew filled the warmer air near the hearth while Shen moved back toward the storage shelves.

“We’ll need more water heated before morning.”

Nia started toward the kettle.

“I can refill it.”

“I already did.”

Nia turned toward him at the same moment Kael reached toward the loose curls falling across the side of her face. His fingers caught one damp coil lightly before tucking it back near her ear.

Then he stepped away toward the hearth again.

Nia stayed beside the grain shelf while Shen adjusted one of the drying hooks near the baths corridor without looking toward either of them.

“You’re stirring the spoon holder,” he said mildly.

Nia looked down at the spoon still clenched in her hand while the untouched grain bowl sat beside her elbow.

She lowered it slowly.

“I was fixing it.”

Kael continued sorting roots near the hearth while snowmelt dripped softly from the outer baskets onto the heated stone floor.

The residence settled back into its familiar winter rhythm afterward. Shen reorganized the cedar bundles beside the baths corridor while Kael separated frost-damaged roots before they could harden together overnight. Nia carried the cleaned bowls back across the storage shelves while trying very hard not to replay fingers brushing curls away from her face as casually as shifting a storage hook higher along the wall.

Kael reached for her constantly now in small practical ways that barely interrupted whatever else he happened to be doing, moving her aside from slick stone, adjusting heavy sacks before she lifted them, pulling blankets closer while half asleep, touching her hair without pausing conversation.

Nia slid the stacked bowls onto the upper shelf before reaching for the grain cover again while Kael continued separating roots behind her near the firestones.

The mash still needed thinning before morning.

“You separated the cracked ones again,” she said while adding another ladle of water into the grain mixture.

Kael did not look up from the basket.

“They’ll spoil first.”

“We can still use some of them for stew.”

“Hm.”

Nia stirred the mash slowly before glancing across the damaged pile anyway.

Barely any damaged roots remained in the basket.

Most of the ruined roots were already gone before Kael even carried the baskets inside.

Shen adjusted one of the upper drying hooks before stepping back to inspect the spacing between bark strips.

“The lower chamber should stay warmer tomorrow if the vents keep holding,” he said. “Ice sealed part of the western draft.”

“That’s good for the baths at least,” Nia answered.

“It’s good for sleeping too.”

Kael pulled another root apart near the hearthstones.

“The rear floor stayed warmer this morning.”

Nia added another careful turn through the grain mixture while Kael continued sorting roots beside the hearth.

The sleeping furs near the back wall trapped heat longer once all three of them settled there overnight. The layered bedding stayed warm well into morning after the hearth burned low through the night.

The outer curtain shifted again before her thoughts wandered any further.

Another corridor draft swept briefly through the residence.

“You people are impossible to visit during storms.”

Mari ducked inside carrying two bundled cloth sacks against her hip before the curtain dropped shut behind her again. Snow dusted the thick wool along her shoulders while damp braids clung near the curve of one dark horn. Smaller ridges wrapped close behind the larger pair sweeping backward from her temples, the polished surfaces dulled slightly from melted snow.

Mari crossed toward the storage wall with the steady balance mountain goat beastfolk carried naturally even on slick stone. She paused beside the hanging cedar bundles near the baths corridor while adjusting the cloth wrap around one wrist.

“You found more bark strips?”

“The eastern traders left part of their stock below the ridge path,” Shen answered as he tightened one of the drying cords.

“That explains why the entire lower corridor smells like cedar smoke.”

She pulled the smoked salt jar from the shelf before glancing across the grain bowl in Nia’s hands.

“The mash thickened again?”

Nia flattened her stare toward the grain mixture.

“It keeps thickening overnight.”

“The lower kitchens tried copying your grain mash again yesterday.”

Nia looked up immediately.

“Oh no.”

Mari laughed under her breath before leaning one shoulder against the storage wall.

“They burned the bottom layer black.”

Kael’s shoulders shifted once near the hearthstones.

“I warned them.”

“They still tried adding extra root starch.” Mari loosened the cloth around one wrist before continuing. “Now the entire lower level smells burnt.”

“They never stir it enough,” Nia muttered.

Shen lowered another cedar strip onto the drying rack.

“One of them asked if you used heated stones beneath the pot.”

“I told them not to do that.”

“They did it anyway.”

Nia covered her face briefly with one hand.

“That explains the smell downstairs.”

Mari laughed again while pulling one of the stools closer toward the hearth before sitting down beside the firestones without asking permission first. She held both hands toward the heat for a moment before reaching into one of the cloth sacks again.

During storms, people drifted through the residence carrying supplies, warming themselves near the hearth, complaining briefly beside the firestones before returning toward whatever work still needed finishing elsewhere in the mountain.

Mari untied one of the cloth bundles and pushed it across the table toward Nia.

“Take the softer pieces first. The smaller ones dry out faster.”

Inside sat wrinkled strips of preserved river fruit dusted lightly with winter sugar bark.

Nia rubbed one thumb against the sugared coating.

“You brought all this through the storm?”

“The lower kitchens over-prepared before the weather turned.” Mari leaned back slightly against the stool. “Now everybody’s fighting over storage space because nobody trusts the ice shelves.”

Nia grabbed one of the preserved fruit pieces before anyone could continue discussing burnt mash. Tart sweetness and winter spice bark spread across her tongue almost immediately.

Mari nodded once after watching her bite into the fruit strip.

“The younger workers downstairs keep trying to copy your seasoning mixes too.”

Nia grimaced.

“That sounds like a terrible idea.”

Shen continued adjusting the drying cords near the cedar racks.

“One of them nearly ruined an entire stew pot with bitterroot yesterday.”

Mari grinned.

“The whole lower corridor smelled poisonous for an hour.”

“I said a pinch,” Nia protested.

“They used a full handful.”

Kael’s shoulders shifted once near the hearthstones.

Nia narrowed her eyes toward him.

“None of you are helping.”

“Mm,” Kael answered.

Nia pointed the grain spoon accusingly toward him across the floor.

Kael caught it against the side of the root basket without looking up.

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