It was getting warmer.

The ground was getting softer, the patches of moss and grass more frequent, the air less frigid. The point of permafrost was already a few miles behind him, so the snowbelle and other cold-thriving plants were rapidly being outcompeted by the more common plants from natural fauna. Footsteps of creatures began to be present in the snow, showing that there were beings that could actually live in these regions. The world was slowly becoming a more hospital place around him as Girshu continued to travel north.

Girshu hated it.

It was getting warm, like summer on the polar caps warm. Like nearing the temperature at which ice began to melt warm. Just… warm.

Girshu took out the jute bag that contained all of his earthly possessions and pulled out his cloak. It was getting warm enough to start wearing it, he guessed. Keep the cold inside.

As he dons the cloak, Girshu looks around him. He was surrounded by forest, by some kind of conifer that thrived in tundra like these. The long trunks shot up into the air, widening to create a roof of dark green above him every once in a while. There was no canopy yet, the trees are too thin-spread for that, but the density was increasing. It was quite likely that the forest would soon become dense enough to be called an actual forest. As the air would become, yuck, even warmer.

A sound suddenly draws his attention as something moves just outside of Girshu's peripheral. The falling of snow came from behind him, as if someone just touched a snow-covered plant and caused it to shed it's layer of snow onto the ground below. Girshu immediately looks around, his reactions kicking in too quick for him to pretend he didn't hear it. Too quick to peek more inconspicuously at the source of the sound. He didn't see anything, though.

Girshu lowers his head just a bit, careful, cautious. He tried to hear every sound around him, every little hint that could tell him if he was in danger or not. It could've been a simple snow rabbit or fox, or it could've been something bigger. Not something like a polar bear, those wouldn't sneak up on him. Something smarter, like an ice elf or a human hunter. Something that wanted him dead simply because of what he was.

Something dangerous.

Girshu waited a few more minutes, not hearing anything, and then continued walking. It must've been the wind, or some small forest critter.