Nikodem had arisen when it was requested of him, he’d accepted the comforting bit of tea and the bland bit of solid food and consumed them without any hesitation. He’d dressed without pause and accepted the fur that Malta offered him with a softly uttered thanks. In his time lying awake beside the man he’d decided that even if he wasn’t necessarily a friend, he was indeed an ally. He needed to have Malta on his side, perhaps even get the man to grow fond of him if he were to survive in this unforgiving environment. He could already tell from the soldier’s shocking first impressions that the man seemed to prize efficiency, and if that was something he held dear than that was something that Niko would offer him. The pair were just finishing getting ready to trek out into the winter storm, likely to go and visit Vahit once again when a man strode into the tent to inform Malta of something. He didn’t quite catch what they were muttering about, but then he supposed it didn’t matter. In his current state he’d be going anywhere Malta went anyways, it didn’t quite matter to him where that happened to be.<br/><br/>The young elf stepped forwards without protest when Malta grabbed a hold of the layered furs and he followed along behind him quietly. He hung his head low, clutching the heavy cloak about his frail body as he moved along through the thick snow that had coated the ground of the camp overnight. He kept his head low and remained as close to Malta as he could manage without beginning to trip over the larger male. Despite trying his best to ignore the sensation, he could feel eyes boring into them from all sides. Even all bundled up and tucked away against his captor’s side he was visibly different from the rest of those that inhabited camp, if only because he was a good foot shorter than a majority of them. He pressed just a bit closer to Malta’s side as they strode across the camp, wishing he could just tuck himself away inside of the pelt that the man wore across his back and hide away from the hungry gazes of the soldiers around them. He doubted Malta was going to have much of a desire to protect him, however, Nikodem hadn’t even begun to draw the man over to his side.<br/><br/>As they walked into the tent Niko was pondering these things, wondering what precisely he could do to make himself more or less Malta’s property, something that the man would think of as worth his time and energy to protect. He bit down on his lower lip as he contemplated this, but all of those thoughts were washed away at the stench that hit him as they stepped into the massive tent. It was achingly familiar, the smell, and the sights that greeted him as well, and his lips parted as he continued to follow Malta along through the rows of ill soldiers. They were stopped briefly by an agitated medic, who glared at him with a foul expression on his face, but Malta was quick to justify his presence there and then they moved on. They came to the bedside of a man who was clearly on the last leg of his life, just barely clinging to his soul in the weakened vessel that was his body. Despite these men being the enemy, Niko didn’t like seeing any living being like this. Being a healer himself he liked to believe it was against his very nature to see others suffer and feel anything but pain for them. The boy glanced over at Malta as the man spoke up, his words addressing him this time. He nodded slowly, stepping just a bit closer to examine the dying man though he wasn’t so bold as to touch or thoroughly explore his frail body.<br/><br/>“I have seen something similar, though only a handful of times,” he admitted quietly, glancing over at Malta. “There are sporadic bursts of cold in the south, as I’m sure there are everywhere, and the disease seems to travel with the short freezing spells. I’ve never seen it in proportions like this though, I will admit.” Nikodem looked back to the wheezing gentleman on the bed and his lips pulled into a frown. “I’ve had men and women brought to me in states like this, but usually by the time I get to them it’s too late. I can ease their pain but I’ve not been able to find any way to help the illness as of now,” he paused, biting down on his lower lip firmly before adding, “though I’m sure with time, subjects, and supplies I could formulate something. It’s not as though these things can be developed overnight.”