For the first time since first getting on the train, Claire found herself completely alone. Alek had gone to overlook the preparations, and Draz had found a captive audience in the children who all crowded around to watch his magic tricks. Claire had decided to go to the hut, savoring the silence. She shrugged out of the heavy coat and draped it over the chair that Draz had been sleeping in.

She found the clothing Tanaraq had mentioned folded in a neat pile on the bed. The fabric was soft to the touch and had been dyed in varying shades of blue, green and yellow. Each piece was hand made, the colors bright and vivid. In the pile was a woolen shirt and a pair of brown leather breeches, a long tunic of some sort, and a wide woolen belt to keep it all snug. Also on the bed were some thick socks, gloves, and a scarf for warding off the chill.

Underneath it all was a comb and some thin leather straps Claire presumed were to be used if she wished to tie her hair back. Rolling the strap between her fingers she couldn't help but smile. They had no modern amenities, but Tanaraq still understood what it was like being a woman.

Claire peeled off her shirt, the material thin and flimsy in her fingers compared to the hand woven wool. She set it aside and was reaching for the one Tanaraq had provided when she heard the latch on the door slide and the soft protesting creak of the hinges as the door swung inward. Before she could say anything to the effect of "please wait, I'm not decent!" Alek came strolling in.

He paused, his eyes met hers, then lowered, then snapped back to her face almost instantly. She saw the beginnings of a blush creeping up his neck and turned her back to him.

"I-I'm so sorry," Alek stammered. He turned as well, his gaze locking on his feet.

"It's okay," Claire gasped, heat rising to her cheeks. Why was he just standing there, why wasn't he leaving? "Just.. please... give me a minute."

"OH! Yes, right, of course," Alek declared, tripping over his own two feet in his haste. He couldn't get out fast enough. In fact, had the circumstances been different, had it not been Claire he had seen half naked, she would have thought the entire thing to be quite funny.

As it stood now, Claire was mortified.

She didn't look back until she heard the door close again. Once the latch settled into place, she let out the breath she'd been holding and quickly pulled the shirt over her head. The pants followed and then the tunic. When she was satisfied she looked presentable, she went over to the door and eased it open.

Alek was sitting just outside, his head buried beneath his arms. Claire felt a smile tugging at her lips. He looked rather cute when he was despondent.

"You can come in now," she said.

Alek hesitated, then lifted his eyes to meet hers.

"I'm so sorry," he said again. "Truly. I had no idea. I swear, I didn't see anything."

Claire wasn't entirely certain she believed that, but they were both embarrassed enough by the situation that she had no intention of making a bigger deal about it.

"It's alright, accidents happen," she replied. "I think Tanaraq left some clothes in here for you and Draz. Did you want to change? I'll wait out here."

"Huh? Uh, yeah, I should probably do that," Alek said clearing his throat. "I'll be out in just a few minutes."

Claire nodded and took up the seat he recently vacated.

While she waited she pulled the small bone comb through her hair. The tangle of golden curls grew smooth with each stroke and once she was satisfied she began to loop the long strands into two thick braids. She was just tying the last strap in place when the door to the hut opened and Alek stepped out.

"Well don't you look handsome," Claire mused. His attire wasn't all that dissimilar to her own: pants, the woolen shirt, the tunic and boots.

"A little more rustic than I'm used to," Alek replied, tugging absently at the cuffs of the sleeves. "You look lovely. I mean, the braids, they're nice."

"Oh, yeah, thanks," she said wondering why such a simple compliment made her heart flutter.

An awkward silence filled the space between them prompting Claire to hop to her feet.

"Come on, let's go see what the others are up to," she declared, looping her arm through Alek's and giving it a tug. Claire felt him stiffen briefly before relaxing and allowing her to guide him down the path towards the village proper.

They were nearly there when Alek stopped unexpectedly. This caused Claire, who was still tugging him along behind her, to stumble. Fortunately, Alek was quick enough to catch hold of her shoulder and kept her upright.

"Is everything alright?" Claire asked breathlessly.

"Yes, I mean, no, I mean..." Alek glanced away from her and rubbed absently at the back of his neck. Claire frowned, wishing she could see what was going on in that head of his. He was a strange man for sure. She had come to think of him as cool and collected, always knowing what to do and what to say in any given situation. Then he'd surprise her by looking uncertain and nervous.

"What is it? Are you still upset about seeing-"

"No!" Alek said sharply. Claire saw she saw a pink flush creeping up his neck again "No, Claire. It's just-"

A loud explosion caused Alek to stop short. They looked up in time to see greenish blue smoke drifting upwards into the sky followed by the sound of laughter and cheers.

"What in the world?" Claire questioned and before Alek could say or do anything to stop her, she was off to investigate the source of the commotion.

She not surprised to see Draz in the midst of it all. The crowd which had begun as a small group of children, now harbored adults as well. All eyes were turned upward where two small dragon-like creatures made of smoke and flickering lights were engaged in a heated aerial battle. There were more pops and explosions as fire erupted from their gaping, smokey mouths.

"Is he doing that?" Claire asked, watching the display in wide eyed awe.

"Parlor tricks," Alek scoffed. "Watch this."

Alek cracked his knuckles and spread his feet about shoulders width apart. He held his hand parallel to the ground, palm facing downward and his fingers curled into a loose fist. Two fingers extend outward and sparks began to erupt from the tips. As the sparks drifted towards the ground they began to gather, coalescing into a single entity that shimmered and glowed like the dying embers of a fire. The sparks fell faster, the creature grew larger and more defined, and soon Claire recognized what it was.

"A lion?" she questioned, reaching out to touch it.

"Don't," Alek warned and her hand stopped.

Seconds later the beast sprang forward, leaving a trail of crimson sparks in its wake. It charged towards the unsuspecting crowd and just before it reached them, it leaped into the air, spinning and twirling in a marvelous display of acrobatics. With loud roar, the lion's mouth opened wide and swallowed the smoke dragons whole. The crowd gasped, falling silent for a moment, and then promptly erupted into loud, excited cheers.

Draz looked towards them in surprise and Claire saw a flicker of annoyance flash through is eyes.

As the lion continued to prance and leap through the air overhead, Claire watched Draz from the corner of her eye. He pulled his hand sharply from left to right, fingers contorting quickly through various combinations. Very slowly the air around him began to shimmer and shift, and from the distortion a thin tendril of smoke spilled out, pooling on the ground at his feet. After a minute the smoke extended outward, forming a thin, sweeping line about the thickness of her arm. As she watched, it began to swing back and forth in a slow, lazy zigzag pattern that reminded Claire of a slithering snake.

Alek, who was fully engaged with the crowd now, didn't seem to notice as the magicked snake drew closer. It wasn't until the lion began to prance and tumble across the ground that Draz chose to strike. The snake, which now bore eyes that burned like hot coals, shot like lightning towards the lion, ensnaring it in a tight hold as it began to coil its lengthening body around the ethereal beast's legs and torso. The lion reared and managed to get a grip on the snake's body between it's massive paws.

The crowd once again let out a startled gasp as the two creatures grappled and writhed on the ground. Both Alek and Draz no longer seemed to care about the onlookers, both were too enthralled by the opportunity to best one another that it didn't seem to matter of anyone was watching.

"A snake. How appropriate," Alek called, a smirk stealing across his face.

"I'd say the same, but you know how I feel about lying," Draz snapped back. "I'll give you a chance to back out now, Claire is watching after all."

"How generous of you," Alek smirked, hands sweeping through the air in an arch in front of him, "but if I were you, I wouldn't be so confident."

As if on cue, the ground beneath their feet began to tremble slightly and Draz scowled. From the middle of the open circle where the two magicked animals seemed engaged in an eternal struggle, the snow exploded upwards in a flurry that momentarily blocked everything from view. Before the snow could settle, it began to swirl towards the center of the circle, forming a ball several feet off the ground. The ball began to sprout legs, and then arms, and then a head which bore a snarling, almost sinister expression.

"A golem? I'm impressed," Draz declared.

Unlike the smoke creatures, which had been ethereal in their formation, the creature made of snow was very real. As it lumbered towards Draz, Claire could hear the heavy thuds of its feet against the ground. Glancing around, Claire saw that much of the crowd had dissipated, only a few brave souls lingering to watch the encounter play out.

Claire wasn't even sure she wanted to see how this ended but she couldn't tear her eyes away as the creature drew closer, raising its arms as though to strike Draz.

Draz didn't seem concerned, even as the shadow the creature cast fell over him. He waited until what seemed like the last possible moment and jumped back just as the creature lunged forward, arms reaching outwards in a motion no doubt meant to grapple.

"That the best you got, Drosselmeyer?" Draz shouted, a smirk blossoming across his features.

"I'm just getting started, Haval," Alek shot back.

Draz dashed to the side, circling the golem who was attempting to track his movements. Draz proved too fast for the magically created creature which made another attempt to lunge at him only to miss when Draz ducked beneath its outstretched arms and skidded between the wide gap made by its long legs. As he rose from the crouch, Claire saw a flicker of bright yellow flare to life within Draz's cupped hands.

Her heart leaped into her throat.

"Alek, you have to stop!" Claire said.

"It's fine, Claire," he replied without bothering to look at her. "I'm going to teach this upstart a lesson long overdue."

Claire turned back towards Draz who had raised his hands, fire dancing between his fingers as he lined up his shot. A second later a ball of fire about the size of a softball was sent hurtling towards the golem. The golem tried to move, but the fireball struck its shoulder, easily burrowing through the snow and ice that made up the creature. There was no cry of outrage or pain, only a heavy thump as the arm that had been attached to the shoulder fell to the ground.

"Like I said, I hope that's not the best you've--"

Before he could finish goading Alek, the golem swung around suddenly, its good arm slicing through the air before coming into contact with Draz. He was sent sprawling across the ground, arms and legs splayed as he struggled to catch the breath that had been knocked from him.

Alek smirked, arms crossing over his chest, "I always told you that you talk too much."

The golem took two more steps before exploding outwards in a flurry of snow and ice.

"Looks like we scared off our audience," Alek continued, strolling casually over to where Draz still lay prone on the snowy ground. "Let's call a truce." He extended his hand to Draz. "What do you say?"

Draz lay there in silence for several more seconds, chest rising and falling rapidly as he attempted to catch his breath. After a moment he took Alek's hand. Alek couldn't help but smirk, "you just need some more practice. I told you, it's not always about brute strength, it's about--"

Alek never finished because Draz had reached up with his other hand to grab a fistful of Alek's shirt before yanking him down to the ground beside him.

In the span of a heartbeat, Draz had Alek pinned beneath him, one fisted hand still tangled in the fabric of his shirt, the other raised to land the first of what would likely be many blows to the surprise magician's face.

"Draz, stop!" Claire shouted.

"Mind your own business, Claire," Draz snapped, "this is a long time coming, Drosselmeyer."

What happened next did so in a blur. Not thinking about her own safety, Claire darted forward in a vain attempt to stop Draz before he did something he'd later regret. Reaching out she grabbed hold of Draz's wrist to prevent him from swinging downward. No sooner had she wrapped her hands around his arm then she felt herself getting shoved backwards.

She hit the ground hard, landing on her injured shoulder. A cry escaped her, more surprise than pain, but it was enough to bring the fight to an abrupt stop. As she struggled to sit up, she saw Alek shoving Draz aside in order to reach her, while Draz stared down at his hands as though he were looking at something alien.

"Claire, are you okay?" Alek asked, grasping her shoulders as he searched for any obvious injuries.

"I'm okay, just surprised," Claire said. "Are you okay? Draz?"

"I'm fine," Alek replied, his hands rising to cup her face as he turned her head one way then the other, "don't waste your time worrying about him."

"I don't know what is going on between you," Claire said softly, her hand rising to cover his before pulling it away, "but I will not be forced to choose sides. Draz is my friend."

"Even though he hurt you?"

"Friends make mistakes," Claire replied.

"Claire..." Alek began, but she wasn't listening. She rose to her feet, wobbling slightly before regaining her balance. She started towards Draz who was still sitting on the ground. He was still staring down at his hands and didn't look up when she drew close.

She reached out and touched his shoulder which caused him to flinch and draw back.

"Alek is right," Draz mumbled, "don't waste your time on me, Claire."

"Is that how its going to be then?" Claire asked making no effort to mask her annoyance. "Alek gets to decide where I do and don't go, and you get to just decide how I am allowed to feel?"

Draz didn't look at her, he didn't say anything.

"Well, too bad," she continued, "you don't get to do that. I'm going to be your friend, Draz, and you can't stop me. I'm going to care about how you feel, I'm going to be worried when you're hurt, I'm going to feel sad when you're sad."

"I hurt you," he said, finally looking at her.

"Yes, you did," Claire said, regarding him carefully, "no one is arguing otherwise, but you also saved my life and that has to account for something, right?"

He curled his hands into tight fists before relaxing them again. "I'm sorry, Claire, I'm so sorry."

"I know," Claire said, reaching out to squeeze his shoulder. This time he did not flinch or pull away. "Don't let it happen again, alright? I'd hate to have to punch you in the nose or something. I'd really hate to make you cry."

Draz laughed lightly and Claire felt the tension ease from her shoulders. She glanced towards Alek who was standing off to the side pretending not to listen.

"We should probably go see if the supplies are ready," Claire called out, trying her best to mask her amusement when Alek pretended he hadn't heard her. She cleared her throat and called out a bit louder, "Do you think the supplies are ready?"

"Huh?" Alek replied, before shrugging, "I'm not sure, but it's best if we go check."

"Right," Claire said, her smile growing, "why don't you go back to the hut and change, Draz? Tanaraq left some clothes for you."

Draz shuffled to his feet and nodded. "Yeah, that sounds like a good idea," he said.

"Meet us at the village center," Claire added, she turned to go back to Alek only to find herself pulled back into a tight hug.

"Thank you, Claire," Draz whispered, releasing her a moment later. Claire turned, but Draz was already halfway across the clearing and it felt awkward to chase after him.

"No problem," she said softly.

"Coming, Claire?" Alek called out to her.

"Yeah," Claire called back. She waited until Draz was out of sight before making her way back over to Alek.

"I take it he's still coming with us?" Alek asked.

"Yes," Claire replied, jabbing him lightly in the ribs, "and you two are going to get along better or I'm going to punch you both in the nose."

"Someone is overly confident," Alek smirked, patting her lightly on the head, "I'll do my best not to let that prat get under my skin, but if he makes the first move... all bets are off."