The Family - part 4

Around her, tiny orbs swim randomly in the light; dancing and drifting like a river teaming with life. She turns towards me, but does not see my gaze upon her. And then, she does. A brief smile spreads across her face and pulses towards me, then she glances around and walks away.

The moment lingers; warmly seared into my eyes, as I feel her presence remain for a few more seconds after leaving.

The men eat together, filling themselves with the fruits of their people’s daytime labour. Our stores are getting low of late - the winter is relentless in dwindling them - but we have enough to be sated for now, at least.

Once I take my fill, my head is put down, and darkness quickly envelops me.

The Family - part 3

Resting behind shelter, we watch the morning emerge slowly from behind the tree line. As the light pours through, men who spent the night hurling spear and arrow towards our shrouded foes, now weave through branches to collect their weapons. The murmur of voices from our camp greets the sunrise, calling us to return to our families.

The women had risen by the time we made our way back to the main camp. They round up children for the morning meal, greeting us over their shoulders as we pass. We drag our feet, weary from the night behind us and looking forward to resting our heads.

I stop for a moment to watch one woman emerge from a doorway. She blinks at the sunlight, smiling and stretching her arms above her head. She seems to glow, and when most would stumble from their sleep, she floats and seems somewhat blessed by the morning. My gaze lingers on her, my mind completely still while I watch. Her being captivates me; be it her natural beauty, the glossy morning light or exhaustion playing with my mind. I stand and watch her bathed in the sunlight.

The Family - part 2

Piercing the thick mist from a window, I watch a stream of hunters drift by with no care for the ice on their shoulders or wolves at their heels. These stalkers of man wander daily through our homes in search for blood; in fear of little out there, though they are sought for death themselves.

We lay in hiding for many days at a time, knowing the skill of those that walk the fields in our precious nights. Yet for all this time our families have survived the desolate plains of the land, finding refuge where we can and defying the wishes of those that would see us fall.

Brushing against me, the thick bush lines my coat in a carpet of icicles. As I peer into the storm and witness the endless waves of crystalline rain pulsing towards the earth, my family rests for the day, packing food and blankets for the night ahead. The rustle of leaves and snow in the night haunts my children through their dreams and keeps our guards wide awake, if the howling wolves are not enough.

I am among the guards for tonight. We desperately await nothing, hoping for a threat to emerge so that we may prove our worth... though we pray for endless peace tonight and for all nights to come.

I step with hesitation towards the pitch black, where the forest conceals it's guests and our sight is taken from us. A flaming torch dissolves only the closest shadows, providing a narrow gap for our guards to watch the night. We shiver as the leaves flicker with the flame, casting an army of dark figures upon us...