25.5 Extra: Tit for Tat

Idan paces about the enclosure, brow furrowed as he scowls down at the ice staining his boots.
"You seem quite irritated," rumbles the deep baritone of Caedon. From his perch on the opposing end of the cave, he glances up from a book to train his gaze on the younger elf.
"I certainly am!" Idan huffs. "I've decided that I don't like snow. Not. At. All. It's cold and wet! And irritating! And it can kill you, too! Just awful!"
"Then perhaps you should reconsider getting married."

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"Doesn't the cold bother you at all, Caedon?"
"Well, now that you ask, I do feel a bit of a chill in my bones—"
"Is that not just because you're old?"

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"I look forward to seeing the Evergreens again."
"I would be lying if I said I did not share the sentiment," Caedon replies with just a tinge of softness in his voice.
"Mhmm." Idan sighs and plops down against one side of the cave. "But, there is one thing that I think I'd miss..."
"And what would that be, Ida—" Caedon ducks to the side as a snowball smashes against the wall behind him. He jerks his head in the blond elf's direction with a fiery glower.
"Aww. I missed."
"I would hope after the first five times."

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"This is a fun group, isn't it, Caedon?"
Caedon glances up from his book. "If you wish to think of it like that."
"You know, I think I caught Tycus looking at one of them earlier. Isn't that so cute?"
"Is that so..." the older elf drawled, returning his gaze to the text. "Did you mean the red-haired one."
"Yea." Idan taps at his chin. "Funny, though. I didn't think he was one for men."
Caedon flips to the next page.

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As the first rays of dawn peek through the crevice of the ice wall, Idan comes to attention and springs to his feet. "Aha!"
Caedon sighs as he puts away the text.
"Another day! Another adventure to be had! Excited to kill a dragon, Caedon?"
"Hardly."
"Such a long face. What's the worse that can happen? Aside from maybe all of us getting frozen solid by its breath, that is."