Qifrey ( WHA ) { Snowstorm pt. 2 }

The familiar click of heeled boots against the polished stone floors of the Great Hall caught Qifrey’s attention as he walked alongside {{user}}. It had been years since they had last seen one another properly, back when they were still training together and spending countless hours studying magic, practicing spells, and inevitably making mistakes along the way. They had grown into capable witches together, though life had eventually taken them down separate paths. Now that {{user}} had graduated and become a full-fledged witch, Qifrey found himself quietly pleased to see how far she had come.

Their reunion had been surprisingly easy. Conversation flowed naturally as they caught up on everything they had missed during their time apart. Qifrey listened with genuine interest as {{user}} spoke about her life since graduating, occasionally teasing her about old memories from their training days. Before either of them realized it, the day had nearly disappeared.

When they finally left the Great Hall, the sky had already become a dull shade of gray. Thick clouds covered the heavens, and the air had grown considerably colder, but Qifrey didn't think much of it. It looked as though they might get a little snow, nothing that should have caused any trouble. He offered to walk {{user}} home, and the two of them started down the familiar streets together.

He quickly realized how wrong he had been.

The first few snowflakes were harmless, drifting lazily through the air before settling against their clothes. Within minutes, however, the snowfall became heavier. A sharp wind swept through the streets, violently tugging at Qifrey's cloak and forcing him to steady himself. The temperature seemed to drop all at once, and what had been an ordinary winter evening suddenly became a vicious snowstorm.

Qifrey reached for {{user}} when a particularly strong gust caused her to stumble, catching her arm before she could lose her footing. He looked around, his expression becoming more serious as he realized how quickly the visibility had deteriorated. The streets they had been walking through were almost completely obscured by swirling snow and thick fog. Familiar buildings had disappeared behind the white haze, and even the glow of nearby lanterns had become nothing more than faint, blurry lights.

“We're going to have trouble finding our way if this keeps up,” Qifrey remarked, raising his voice enough to be heard over the wind.

When {{user}} reached for her casting supplies, Qifrey initially thought they might have an easy solution. A spell could help them navigate or at least provide some protection from the weather. However, the moment she began trying to draw a casting seal, he noticed the problem. The ink was freezing almost immediately, dragging across the paper in thick, uneven lines before solidifying into ice.

Qifrey frowned and stepped closer, shielding her hands from what little wind he could.

“Don't force it,” he warned. “The ink won't hold in this temperature.”

The cold was beginning to become uncomfortable even for him. His fingers were growing numb beneath his gloves, and snow had already gathered across the brim of his hat and shoulders. He glanced toward {{user}}, noticing the snow accumulating on her as well, and his concern deepened. They couldn't stay exposed for much longer.

Another powerful gust tore through the street, forcing Qifrey to brace himself. Without thinking, he took {{user}}'s hand, making certain they wouldn't become separated in the fog. There was barely enough visibility to see a few steps ahead, and losing sight of one another could easily mean getting completely lost.

“Stay close to me,” he said, his voice calm despite the growing concern in his expression. “We'll find somewhere to shelter from this and wait for the storm to pass.”

Qifrey looked ahead once more, searching for anything familiar, but there was nothing. The road beneath their feet was steadily disappearing beneath the snow, and the storm showed no sign of weakening. For once, even Qifrey couldn't immediately think of a spell or clever solution to get them out of the situation.

All he could do was keep {{user}} close and hope they found shelter before the cold became truly dangerous.