<div class="floatleft">(http://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/x359/Briar_Rose_Thorne/Marlie.jpg)</div><br/>It had been a long winter, and the chill of it had bit deeper into Marlie's bones than ever before.  Though she had not been idle, her muscles were stiffer than she would have liked as the patrol set off from Lockhaven, and she shivered even though her fur was still winter thick.   It was good to be out, and doing something truly useful again, and she enjoyed keeping an eye on on George and Lucretzia as they too began to accustom themselves to traveling.<br/><br/>She had eaten well but sparingly before setting out.  It was never good to have a full stomach when one needed to move quickly, and you could never guarantee that the trail would allow a leisurely pace, and as they moved she scented the air deeply and frequently, and it was not long before her muscles loosened and the shivering was but a memory.  It felt good to be back on patrol, and Marlie could concentrate upon the important things over which she could exert some control - getting the patrol safely to the scent border with the scientists' brew that would serve to keep them safe during the coming Spring and beyond.<br/><br/>As they proceeded, Marlie looked for a good spot to pause for a moment and scope out the weather, after they had left the rock outcropping of Lockhaven behind.  She could still scent Spring in the air, but Winter had not yet fully loosened its grip -- the chill in the air spoke to that, and the sunshine felt weaker than it ought.  Perhaps that too was just a sign of the passage of time.  Marlie was far from a young mouse anymore, and she doubted whether she would survive another winter.  This realization did not dismay her, for death was a natural part of life that she did not fear; living to be a burden on the guard and those she had protected was a fate to be dreaded, not death.<br/><br/>When they found a rise that offered a good clear view, and good scenting not tainted by too many influences, Martie called a brief halt.<br/><br/><em>"Wait here for just a moment, rest your paws and check that the scent is secure.  I want to get a good bearing on the weather again before we get too far away, now that we've left Lockhaven behind."</em><br/><br/>A high rock offered a good vantage point, its weathered and cracked surface offering enough purchase that it did not present much of a challenge to climb, though she did not scurry up it like she might once have.  From there, she stood and breathed deep, letting the air fill her nostrils and bring its chill into her lungs, and its taste into her mouth as she looked at the clouds, gauged the wind as it blew upon her face and ruffled her whiskers.  She also used the higher vantage point to see more of the path they would follow, and to see what obstacles might await them that were visible.<br/><br/>Once she had done that, she climbed down to Lucretzia.<em> "Lassie, you're one for studying things, are you not?  What does your learnings tell you about the weather for our journey?" </em>She wanted to see first what the young scientist had to say before she offered her own observations, both to encourage the younger mouse to speak up when she had something to say and so that she wouldn't be tempted -- if she would -- to hedge her opinion to an older mouse who was experienced in weather watching.