Ander - Part 5: Subchapter 1
Chapter 5
Blood in the Snow
1
Kiana awoke with a gasp, disoriented and shaking all over. It took her a few seconds to realize she was in her bedroom, lying in bed, staring up at the same old familiar ceiling with the same old familiar bands of early morning sunshine streaming across the walls. But not everything was the same, she thought, raising her hand and watching its shadow reach up and up, the fingers elongated into claws with the weird angle. Why was her heart beating so wildly in her chest? Why was there sweat on her brow? Why did it feel like there was a giant worm coiling around in her stomach? It was because of that horrid dream, the one she's been having on and off over the past two months, ever since what happened underneath that giant tree on the Wolves' side of the mountain. In this dream, she had to watch Ander die in her arms over and over and over again, whispering his final words so softly she couldn't hear them.
Kiana swung her legs over the side of the bed, just like always, washed her face in the water bowl on the nightstand, just like always, and stood up, rubbing her bleary eyes, just like always. It was the same routine, just like always, but some things were very different now, and would never be the same again.
"Different..." she whispered to herself as she slipped into her favourite green dress, the very same one she ran away in so long ago, all the rips and tears neatly mended. That word was at the top of a long list of things that would never have the same meaning for her. Before, it was just another word, like thousands of others, with no more power than 'house' or 'river' or 'hat'. But now, just hearing that word filled her with joy so intense and sorrow so forceful it bordered on actual, physical pain. It was the name of the Wolf she loved, both a blessing and a curse, something he's had to live with his whole life. It was because he was so different that they came to love each other, and it was because he was so different that his own people sought to destroy him.
As she descended the stairs, her thoughts drifted back to that dark, endless day in the mist. She and Layla and the twins had carried Ander's limp body to the foot of the mountain, and there they had waited for a miracle.
You're not gonna glare the mountain any lower, girl, Bart had told her time and time again, occasionally checking to see if his booze pouch was still empty. Devin is a right quick little blighter, but it'll be at least twenty more hours before help arrives.
I know that.
So then try and save your energy for when it's needed. Pacing up and down's not gonna do anything 'cept tire you out.
I know that, too.
Layla had knelt by Ander's side the entire time, constantly checking his bandages, tightening the makeshift tourniquets they had fashioned from Nick's shirt laces.
And she shooed away the flies. Dozens and dozens of flies, stubbornly intent on landing on the gashes in the side of his face. It made Kiana want to scream in horror and frustration.
And then Nicholas spoke up, out of the blue, and asked her something that had taken her such a long time to realize, but was now so deeply ingrained into her Soul, she couldn't understand why she had waited such a long time to let herself feel it, until it was far too late.
You love him, don't you?
She stopped, looked up at the crack in the mountain, far too steep and treacherous for them to tackle alone, and replied: I do love him.
You love him like one Fox would love another?
The sounds of the kitchen suddenly tore her away from her ruminations; a knife on a cutting board, a chair scraping against the floor, her father's pipe cough.
She stepped down from the final stair, and there it was, just on her left, right where it's always been: the door to their spare bedroom.
Ander's room.
She gripped the doorknob, still not sure why she insisted on going through this ritual each and every morning, but she felt compelled to do it. It just... she had to see it. She had to confirm it to herself.
She turned the knob and slowly pushed the door open on its creaky hinges, thinking about how she had answered Nicholas's question.
I love him like one Soul would love another. That's all that matters.
This room was empty, just as she knew it would be. The bed was neatly made and completely devoid of bloodstains. No tray with medical tools. No bandages.
No Ander. Of course not. He wasn't with them anymore.
Ander was gone.
She closed the door, wondering if she would do this again tomorrow morning, and went into the kitchen. Mother was cutting potatoes, Layla was re-reading one of her favourite romance stories, and Fa was just sitting around being Fa.
"Good morning, hun," he said, putting his pipe down on the table. "Are you all right? You look a little..."
"I had the dream again," Kiana said, sitting down next to her sister.
"Some blisterwort should take care of that," Mother said, still chopping away.
"No thanks, Mother. There's only one thing that can drive that dream away." She looked to the windowsill, a smile on her face, and regarded the little wooden carvings that had joined their family, one by one, over the past two months.
There was a little wooden Fa, leaning against the wall, re-filling his pipe. There was a little wooden Layla, sitting on the edge with her feet dangling over the side, completely engrossed in the book in her lap. Watching over those two with her hands planted on her hips and a stern expression on her face was a little wooden Ma.
And off to the side, staring out the giant window at the giant world beyond, was a little wooden Kiana, her hands folded over her heart.
She was smiling, too.
"I'm going to go visit Ander."
Hey guys, I'm afraid we've got a bit of a situation down here. Apparently this town only has enough water left to last a week. After that we'll all probably descend into anarchy and rip each other to shreds over the last few drops of alcohol. If I suddenly disappear in the coming days, you'll all know it's because I wasn't strong enough, and my body was harvested for its fluids by some Mad Max hobo. :(
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