Gifts for the others had been difficult. For Curnen, especially so. For Snow, there had never been any question what he would give her, only what he would make it from. The ideas for all the others had stemmed from it.

While her head was tucked, he pulled a small sack from his pocket made from the burlap of the grain bags in the stables. It still (and was intended to) smelled like grain it had held. He'd braided the cord from three thing strips of leather and threaded them through holes he'd made with his knife. Inside it was a bear, made from a big chunk of blue agate and polished down with sand until it gleamed and felt like silk to the touch. It wasn't huge or detailed but instead a good weight and feel for having in her hand.

He didn't say anything to her. Just held out the bag.