Nasya's POV
"Matilda! Toss me the rope!"
Matilda clamped the thick hemp cord between her jaws, giving an impatient shake of her head that sent silver fur rippling before launching the rope through the frosty air with a practiced flick. I caught it mid-arc, the coarse fibers biting into my already chapped palms as I immediately began lashing together the freshly chopped branches we'd gathered.
The subzero air stabbed at my nasal passages with each breath, and my exposed fingers had taken on an alarming shade of crimson, their stiffness making every knot a clumsy struggle because of staying outside too long. A visible plume of condensation erupted from my lips as I exhaled sharply, deliberately quickening my movements despite the numbness creeping through my extremities.
We needed to hurry - Orion would be getting hungry soon.
