The early morning sun crested the eastern ridge in a flood of crisp, white light, illuminating the gentle veil of mist that hung over the southern riverbed. A noticeable warmth had crept into the valley air over the past forty-eight hours, turning the dense snowpack into a soft, porous slush that glistened under the pale sky. Small, clear streams of meltwater trickled steadily through the gravel channels along the perimeter of our clearing, carrying the last icy remnants of winter away toward the main river channel.
Inside the main hall, the interior was bright, airy, and dry. The central hearth burned with a modest, controlled fire of seasoned applewood, radiating a gentle warmth that kept the ambient temperature perfectly balanced against the cool morning breeze drifting through the sli
