Without a Trace [update #2]

[Amaranth]

Her shivering had long since stopped, replaced by a terrible numbness. She was distantly aware of her feet slipping on cold ice, but it was detached as though she was watching someone else. She stumbled, and a small bottle, glowing gold, slipped from her satchel and rolled away. She bent over wearily to pick it up, and the ice cracked.
She crashed through, shards catching her skin and slicing as she sunk deeper in the freezing water. With a strange calm, she watched the light from the surface drift further and further away. Automatically, with no thought from her, her arms snapped up and stroked upward. Vaguely she decided that this was a good thing and allowed it to continue.
She was distantly startled when her hands met unyielding ice/ The hole she had made falling was nowhere to be found. Seeming to snap out of a dream, she pushed weakly against the barrier, but to no avail.
"'fraid of a little water?"
No... no I am not. Not afraid. Let me go...
Questing fingers found an edge.
Let me go.
She had found the hole, light was shining through it onto her face.
Let me go!
With a sudden burst of despearate strength, she heaved herself out of the water and fell hard on her side, legs dangling over the edge.
Eventually, she got up and kept going, golden bottle back in place.
She had to make it there.

((Same rules))

[Jeni]

It was still cold, now more so than ever. Zeth's teeth chattered slightly, the cold was really getting to him. He had used some fire magic earlier to keep himself warm, but discarded the idea for it was a waste of energy, the wind and cold was to much for it anyway and he didn't want to use a lot of magic trying to make it bigger. So he continued to walk on in the freezing cold, now almost completely numb. He vaguely wondered how close he was to the barrier Serephin was talking about, he knew he had to be getting there.
After another hour or so it hit him. A sudden and intense pain seized control of his chest. Collapsing to his knees, he knew he had reached it. There was absolutely no going back now, not that that had even been considered as an option. He slowly got back up to his feet, the wind whipping at his face, throwing his hair around wildly. Something caught his eye. It stood so much against the snowy blanket on the ground. Gently picking it up he found that it was a piece of black lace. He immediately recognized it too. Amaranth. He thought, a bit of hope drifting through his thoughts. Then he saw the foot prints. He knew he was getting closer, he could just feel it. Not to mention the clues from the lace and bloody footprints. With an almost renewed snese of spirit and hope, he continued on, following the trail she had left in her wake.