Finally get the fire started

A few minutes pass before you climb of off her. Now that the two of you are not rutting like animals, the cool mountain air is more noticeable and you turn your attention once more to getting the fire started. It doesn't go well. The old tinder in your firebox refuses to take the spark in this damp weather, after months of living in the comfort of a tower apartment starting a fire in the wilds is proving more difficult than you had expected. Relia peeks from under the blanket watching your efforts with a mixture of amusement and concern.

"I wanted to get a fire going, but I can't find any damn kindling dry enough for the spark to set." You explain needlessly as once again your attempts a foiled by the damp conditions.

"Use some of this paper." Relia suggests handing you the heavy envelope with the message to Crown Prince Anochises. After only a heartbeat of hesitation you nod in agreement pleased at her resourcefulness. Taking the outer envelope you slice a strip the width a two fingers from the folded paper and with your knife shave about half the paper into wispy strips until you had a nest the size of an egg resting on the rest of the strip. Carefully refolding the message into the envelope you hand it back to Relia and in just a minute or two an ember from the flint settles on the shredded paper and you blow it into life.

You transfer the nest of burning paper into the kindling and in less than a minute the shallow cavern is lit and warmed by the light and heat of a small fire. It is only as you put away your fire starting kit that you notice that the scrap of paper that you had held the nest of embers on was now covered with faint writing.

"Relia," You cannot hide the urgency in your tone and Relia looks up at you alarmed. "Get me the letter again." She is wide-eyed as you hold the outer envelope to the flames and words gradually appear on the plain white paper.