Snow & Hail: Chapter One - Tangled Webs
SNOW & HAIL Long ago, in a time that has long since been forgotten. A time when all beings were of equal intellect and walked on two legs. A child was born of the moon. The child was a wolf who would grow up to change the world. ... The air was still and damp, the sun barely breaking the morning sky. A deer was sipping from a near by stream, unaware of the eyes that gazed upon him. The dear crouched still by the stream and gazed about him cautiously. His ears still and erect, it was far too calm for this hour.
After a moment of peace had passed, the dear continued to drink but before the water could grace his lips he heard a snap and rustling of the bushes close by. He had no interest in discovering what made the noise. All his body told him was "run".
The dear leapt to his feet like lightening to the earth. The still air was broken by the sound of his hooves as they beat the ground.
Quickly from the brush emerged a haze of white. It moved with such speed that it seemed to glide across the ground.
The dear didn't stop, he didn't look back, he didn't think, he just ran. He hurdled over fallen trees and dogged other obstacles with easy. His will to live fueling the fire in his soul.
The ordeal felt so long but in an instant he made it to the tree line of the forest and was out of sight before the blur of white could catch him.
The haze stopped before the field met the tall trees that over looked it. "He got away" he said. He looked across the field in search for his pray, all that could be seen was a small farm house with smoke coming from its chimney. "May the earth bless you humans." he said as he walked back into the shroud of trees. ... The door to the tattered and worn house creaked open in time for a set of young eyes to watch the white haze fade off into the forest. "There it goes again."
"Mother, I'm going to see Maresh this morning. He says that he has something planed that requires my assistance." He said as the door slipped closed.
He stepped out onto the porch as he dressed a coat upon himself and took in the morning air. He could hear his mother speaking from inside as she was cooking as she did every morning. "don't you want to stay for breakfast, its almost ready."
He stood there as he buttoned up his jacket, which was in fine condition for its age. He searched the tree line in vain for the white haze, waiting for it to reappear. "who are you?" He said, focusing his eyes as he moved off to the side of the porch.
Hasty foot steppes were heard as the door swung open. Out came a troubled woman in her early, later half of life. Dressed in a faded gowned a few shades off from the gloomy blue-gray of the sky. "Jacky!" She yelled.
He turned to see the woman gazing off into the distance. "Mother you know that I don't like it when you call me by my kid name." He walked towards her as he finished dressing himself.
"I know Jack but you'll always be a kid to me" she said as she gave her son a quick kiss on the check. "Now I insist that you eat before you spend the day with your teacher again. You know he sees you more than your father and I do." She said
Jack grinned "Okay, since you insisted." He said as he kissed his mother back. "I'll stay for breakfast." The two walked back into the house and were greeted with the smells that were burned forever into their noses.
They walked down the shallow hall till they met the kitchen. Where the sounds of sizzling meat and eggs had echoed many times before. A man in tattered over-all jeans and a plain shirt with rolled up sleeves stood tending to the stove.
"Good morning father." Jack said. "Up early as usual?" He walked to the cupboard on the far side of the room and pulled out of it an assortment of dishes.
The man mixed the contents of a pan on the stove which caused it to pop and crackle. "Who needs a clock when they have a son that can run on four hours of sleep and still manage to wake at the same hour every morning" he said as he laughed.
Jack smiled as he set the dishes on the table, which had been recently cleaned with lemon peals, the sent was evidence of that. "The wolf was here again." He said as he sat the plates in their places in front of the three chairs. "He must have been after Ur again."
The room fell silent for a moment as the man lifted the pan off of the stove and brought it to the table. "That wolf is nothing more than a nuisance. You know that he would kill any one of us if he had the chance." he said. His tone clearly expressed the disgusts of the subject.
"Why does he dislike the wolves so much? Their no worse than any other predatory race." Jack retrieved cups from the cupboard before closing it. "They don't seem that bad... from what I've learned about their culture they are very peaceful and care about every living thi..." Jack was interrupted.
"They are selfish and deceitful creatures that work to their own ends. Loyal to no one. They would stab you in the back for the smallest piece of gold." His father's rage spilled through his words, so harsh.
"But Maresh has met them many times before and..." His father pulled a chair to the ground, breaking its back. "Maresh is an old fool that has filled your head with lies!"
His mother tried to calm the man down as she pulled the guest's chair in place of the now lame one. "And you wonder why I spend my time at school. Its because I can't stand his ignorance, Mother." The truth struck his father still.
"I hate the fact that I cannot have my own opinion. You would think that a man my age would have such a right." His father and mother might as well have been made of stone.
The moment would forever live in his memories. "If you think that you're old enough to have your own opinion, and it matter, than you must certainly be old enough to live by yourself." He said. His expression imperial.
Jack moved as thou a fire had been lit under his feet. He had no time to react with composer. "You're right" he said as he began to climb the case of stairs. "I am old enough to be on my own."
His parents came to life at his words and wiped after him. "jack what are you doing?" His mother asked. "I'm taking a word of the wise mother. I'm leaving." the indifference in his voice was evident. "After all I am nearly twenty, I think its about time I go and make something of myself." He said as he marched into a bedroom and jerked a dusty and half decrepit case from underneath the mattress.
The gloom was obvious but he tried his best not to let it show as he slung his meager possessions into the case. "Jack..." he didn't want to listen to her reason, not this time. "You know that your father doesn't mean half of the things he ever says. He's just stuck in his old ways."
He paused as he looked at the contents of the case: A few pairs of miss matched socks, undergarments, a dark gray tie, two pairs of worn black pants, an off-white shirt and two stocks of gold. Barely enough for a room and a hot meal at the inn.
"I don't know where I'm going to go mother. What am I supposed to do now?" hopelessness smothered him. He sat on the mattress, lamenting the moment. "I don't want to stay here anymore."
His mother, concern in her eyes, moved the case to the side and sat next to her son. "Your father will be over the matter before long. You don't have to leave." she said as she took him into an embrace.
"That's not the reason I want to leave mother." he said as he hugged her back. "I want to see for myself what is out there. I want to know what is beyond all that I can see." Jack released his hold "Maresh was invited to a meeting in the tribe that lives in the forest." His mother's worry was carved into her face but she remained still and listened. "He knows that I would like to accompany him and he has asked me if I would. He leaves this afternoon."
His mother grabbed his hand to calm his nerves. "I want to tell you a story... a true one about the time when you were born." she said as she held his hand. "many seasons ago, when you were about to be conceived, your father and I were overjoyed. We had been ready to have a child for a wile and The Holy One had seen fit to bless us with you." Her eyes illuminated with her love for him. "Then, the greatest day of my life had arrived. The day when you were born. Your father was so anxious. He put his blouse on inside out and forgot his shoes as he brought me to the doctor." The thought of her husband made her smile as she reminisced of the past. "He was so busy preparing, making everything nice and neat." Her smile started to fade from her face. "But after you were born you got sick" Her grip on his hand tightened. "We didn't know what to do.... We summoned the doctor many times. He told us that it was only a cold and you would get better... but you only seemed to get worse." she paused.
Jack was captivated by her tail. "I got better, right?" He asked. The mere thought of his question began to fleet his interests. "Of course I got better or else I wouldn't be here. What is the point of the story?"
She loosened her grip on his hand "Yes, you did get better but... not by natural ends." she said.
"That's absurd. How else would I have been cured?" He asked. "she must be making this up... but why?" He thought to himself.
The room's dreary faces were all the more apparent in the moment. "after a week of sleepless nights, we begged for a miracle to ease our worries... and we were answered." she said as her gaze dropped to her clasping hand. The air was thick with his rekindled interest. "By who?" He asked, hanging on her every word.
Her eyes stood still on their holding hands. "... Your father had gone out to collect wood but he didn't return till the late evening. When he returned without wood... I asked him what he had been doing... He told me that he had found a way to save our son." she paused.
"How...Who?" He asked.
"A she-wolf..." she said. "he had brought a she-wolf to our home...it clamed to be able to heal you... your father didn't tell me this thou. Only after he had taken you to her did I discover what he had planed... I didn't care... you were better and that was all that mattered to me." she said as her smile returned and she rubbed her son's hand in hers. "But your father has never looked at them the same... he wont tell me about the night that it healed you... only that it was a she-wolf that did it."
He took in the moment, his thoughts askew. "why... would you tell me this?" he said searching for the meaning of the story.
"I told you this because... you want to go and I want you to be happy" she said. She reached into her apron and placed a small leather pouch into his hand. "The wolf lives in the tribe in the forest... if you find her. tell her... I said thank you... for saving my son." she said as she hugged him tightly. She smiled as tears cascaded from her eyes knowing what this meant. "You are always welcome here... no matter what happens." she whispered.
"I'll miss you mother." he said. "I'll see you again... I promise." He fought back his tears.
She broke their hug, grabbed her apron, dabbed it onto her tongue and began cleaning his face. "Now... I want you to have fun on your trip... make friends and try and stay out of trouble... okay." she said, tears still escaping her eyes.
"Yes ma'am, I will." he said as he let wipe his face. She pressed harder than necessary as usual.
She finished cleaning him and stood up slowly. She stood there for a moment before kissing him on his forehead. "Good-bye" she said. She turned and walked out of the room, slowly closing the door behind her.
"Good-bye... mother" he said before the door had shut. He waited a moment before coming to life. He looked at the pouch she gave him. He opened it to find gold in it, he didn't count it. He closed the pouch and placed it in his pocket. "Its more than enough" he pulled the case back next to him, closed it and took one final look at his room before opening the door. The house seemed abandoned he walked down the stairs towards the front door. Each step creaked worse than the last. He opened the door, stepped outside and slowly closed the door behind him. "At least the weather has improved" the light now shown through and reflected the golden ocean of grain in the field. He stepped off of the porch to began his walk down the dirt road to meet his mentor. ... The scared ground clearly marked the chase that had taken place. "Why... why does Whisper tell me to catch the deer?" The wolf followed the path back to the stream where he began his pursuit.
The water sparkled clear and cool. The wolf knelt at its edge and splashed the water into his fur before lapping at the fluid. "The deer is too fast... It's not his time."
He poured the water onto his head and shook off the excess. "Whisper knows the deer is healthy... Whisper knows the deer is careful. Still Whisper tells me to catch the deer...alone." he said, slapping the reflection of himself in the water.
He stood and shook off the water and swept the dirt off of his legs. He walked behind the decrepit tree next to the bush he bounded out from. Next to the tree lay the wolf's garments and belongings. He dressed himself with his dark leather loincloth and leather bands and tied a knife to his thigh. "Whisper needs to tell...why?" He said. The wolf ran through the forest at a brisk pace, it would be long before he made it home. ... The sun hung high in the afternoon sky as Jack walked down the calm dirt road. The meadow was filled with wild flowers of every possible hue. "hopefully he hasn't left yet." He was coming closer to the home of his mentor. His arm was sore from lugging the case, which was full of empty space.
He came up to a dingy cottage and knocked on the door. Just then the door swung open and out came an old man with his arms full of luggage. "ah, Mister Underwood nice to see you could make it." he said as he stumbled out the door and placed his things onto the ground. "I take it that your family was fine with you accompanying me on the trip?"
"Good afternoon professor" He said, trying to avoid his question. "They both were... okay with my leave." His words half-hearted. "But we should be leaving soon. It's already midday." he said trying to change the subject.
"Mister Underwood...you were never good at lying and I fear that wont be changing anytime soon." he said with a smile. "I'm glad that you have decided to come against the wishes of your parents. You will not be disappointed." he patted him on the shoulder. "But you are right, if we would like to make the best time we can, we must leave right away." the professor swung a bag onto his back and carried the other in his hands and started walking the opposite direction jack had just came from.
"Professor Maresh, would it not be easier if we took a carriage?" he asked as he caught up to his mentor. "You did say that it was a days travel to the settlement after all."
"Yes I did but there are no roads that lead to Littlepine from here." he said as he began walking through the field, leaving the road behind. "If we're lucky we might make it there before midday tomorrow." His words were like nails writing on a chalkboard in jack's head.
"Why did I choose to miss my mother's food to walk an entire day on an empty stomach." The sun beat down onto his body, not a cloud to be found. They slowly approached the tree line. The trees blacked out the sun but its radiated heat still lingered.
"Don't worry Jack. Walking is the easy part." He said as he chuckled. "The hard part is trying to avoid being eaten" "I don't know what I have gotten myself into." The vivid abyss that awaited him reflected his own uncertainty of the time to come. ... The forest appeared void of any life. The tall evergreen pines were still, appearing to laugh at the efforts of the white wolf. He could swear that he had been through here several times now. His breathing was heavy from running. He slowed to a trot as he was struck with a sent that he knew better than any other. He stopped, gasping for air to fill his lungs to slow his heart's attempt to escape his chest. "I... beat the sun" he said between gasps. The sky was a gradient of blue-purple to warm hues of red and orange.
"A new record... for me." he said. His haunches burned as thou they had been hit with stones the entire way. He took his time walking to his home knowing that it wasn't far.
Moments of his past attempts to catch the deer that the humans had named Ur arose in his thoughts. "Thirty... hmm... seven?... yes, thirty-seven time I have tried. All times the deer runs to the meadow where the man lives." He placed his hand onto his left upper-arm. He rubbed a strip of scared flesh, void of hair and a deeper shade of black than the rest of his skin. "The man doesn't like me in the meadow... the man shot his gun at me."
He remembered the feeling of his flesh slicing open without warning. He wanted to forget the day when he was young and alone. He released his arm as he came to a clearing and the sound of civilization came to his ears. He sighed as he let the thought slip out of his mind. "Whisper must know that I'll fail... Whisper should know before I try... Whisper should." He could see the town in the distance, nestled at the base of the mountains that stood behind it. The buildings were spread thin across the horizon excluding a single palace and a few forts that lay at the towns border.
The green grass, washed dark blue, became bare earth under the pads of the wolf's feet. He began to drift off of his path towards the town, now heading for a small path carved into the woods not far off.
The woods were odd compared to the rest of the forest. The trees were dead with but a few wilted leaves on their branches and the grass was withered as thou it had died of thirst.
He continued towards the pathway. "Whisper made the Earth Mother mad again..." He said looking at the deathly woods. "Maybe Mother wants to talk to me." the thought excited him.
As he walked the path he could hear the woods creek and crawl. The grass along the path was lively and struck with color. He paused in mid stride to watch a tree as it's branches budded and bloomed before his eyes. Before he could think of what had happened the path was lush and the grass illuminated the path. "Wow" He attempted to deny what he saw and continued to walk the path.
The path behind him had fallen dark as the now-night sky. He could see a cottage glowing at the end of the path. "What has Whisper done." He said as he came to the door of the home. He cracked the door and the foliage was doused in replay. He glanced about. "Strange" He said as he cautiously opened the door and stepped inside. "Whisper" The inside was a blanket of shade and vague figures "Whisper?" he called into the darkness. He closed the door behind him. As it latched closed the room exploded in a flash of candlelight
His eyes found a lone figure sitting on the floor in the middle of the room. It was still as stone, it didn't move or say a word. He felt anxiety crawling up his back as he walked towards the form. "Whisper... I've returned." he said, the still wolf unmoved by his statement.
"Can whisper hear me... hello..." He knelt next to the wolf. She seemed calm, almost asleep, sitting on her legs with her hands on her knees, eyes closed.
He watched her, checking to see if she was okay. "What is Whisper doing?" He began to lose his patients. He placed his hand onto her shoulder. "Whisper" he said as he gently pushed her. "Whisper."
Her eyes shot open and she jumped to her feet, knocking him to the ground. She took a quick glance at him before jolting towards the door. "Their coming... they'll be here soon" She said in tongues. She was rambunctious and unsettled as she fumbled to lock the door and dismiss the candles.
"Eid sal rellench t'is se ...Hail nies uz tiereb tchin. Hail nenrel zu egnid eleiv'chon. Reseid O dlush eid sella t'is es. Nam egnuj'red raw O se. Eid sal rellench t'is se." She said as she blew out the candles one-by-one.
(its too soon. Hail isn't ready. Hail still has much to learn. Its that man's fault. He drove the boy away. Its too soon.)
He struggled to keep track of her words. "Too soon for what Whisper? Who is coming?" He said as he climbed to his feet. "Which man? Whisper... what boy?"
She stopped dead. "What does she mean "It's the man's fault." Whisper is strange... stranger than usual." He watched her closely, waiting for her to speak.
"Hail must be ready. Ready or not, they will be here." She said as she blew out another candle, many still lit the dim room. "Hail must bring them here. The boy... is important to Hail."
He couldn't understand what she meant. "Why is he important?" He said wile he came closer to her, excited by her outburst. "Whisper must know something important."
"Hail will know... wait and see. They come tomorrow. Hail will find them at the tallest pine to the west." She said. She spoke anxiously of the coming day. "Hail must be calm..." she blew out another candle and the room was shrouded again in darkness. "Rest Hail, Tomorrow is important."