Zi'da 30 701, Evening
Location: Barnell Residence, Dust Quarter
"Patrick, make sure the fire is kindled a little more would ya?" Dominek asked as he stacked their dishes from the table, their dinner had just now been ate and their bellies filled. What more could a growing boy ask for?
"Sure Dom, it'll only be a Bit." He answered as he handed over the cleaned off plate as he stood from his chair, it may not had been the most filling of dinners but at least they weren't hungry now. Least not for another long while. Their mother Elinora hadn't ate much though and really it surprised Patrick, usually she would eat her fill once the boys had enough but tonight was a different case apparently. When he moved from the rugged dining room they shared to the sitting area, where they mostly slept to stay warm during winter, he found their mother sitting close to the hearth with a blanket wrapped around her body. "You cold mum?"
"Just a wee lil' bit m' love, must be the Zi'da weather gettin' under me skin." She remarked with a soft chuckle and warm smile, though her hands appeared to quiver underneath her arms. Patrick couldn't really blame her quite honestly, Zi'da was always cold and Cylus would only get slightly colder.
"I'll be kindling the flame in just a moment, we should sleep rather warm tonight." He assured her with a soft grin as he took one of his hands in both her own. Her skin felt cold over his and for a moment he watched, the corner of his lip turned upward when she kissed his hand dearly. Patrick moved over to the door as his hand gently slid out of her grasp, and as quickly as he could the boy opened the door just a crack to slip out into the cold. On the street next to their doorstep was a small stockpile of wood... or was but apparently another decided to steal the vast majority of it. Cursed assholes. Dominek and Patrick would have to go out later to either butcher more from a tree, since they really couldn't afford to buy some on their own. Maybe they could... if they did a few light jobs within the Quarter.
Disappointed however he picked up what remained of the wood and held it underneath one arm, they'd have to make what little they had left last the night in order to keep warm. With the door pushed opened once more Patrick moved in as quickly as he could, a shudder made after he closed it behind him with his back. Now that he'd made it inside he moved back over to the hearth and sat down next to his mother, Dominek now on the other side of her as the three huddled close to the fire.
"Where's the rest of it?" Dom asked a little puzzled... Patrick didn't answer at first.
"Patrick." Elinora murmured with concern in her eyes.
"Gone." He finally told them as he worked hard to snap a smaller branch in two. "Someone took what they wanted and this was all that's left." Both mother and older brother sighed, clearly baffled that someone would have the audacity to do such a thing. Don't know why though, this was Dust Town after all.
"We'll go out and get more tomorrow." Dominek reassured Elinora with a glance over to Patrick.
"Gonna have to," the younger brother remarked, "or else we'll freeze before the new Arc."
"Oh boys..." Elinora sighed as she drew the both of them close to her, she tried her best to hide it but Pat already knew good and well.
She was crying.
