The Green Company

     When I awoke, it was still dark, but the cold was nearly unbearable. It was perhaps the coldest I have ever felt, certainly the coldest night of my journey thus far.

     I awoke this morning to a crisp chill in the air. It wasn’t quite as cold as yesterday, and I decided to go hunting, as my food supply had begun to dwindle. As I moved throughout the vale, I found tracks of elk, moose, wolverines, wolves, and even some wargs. I trapped two wolverines in traps I had set, and shot a thirty-point buck, as well as an unexpected encounter with a wolf.

The light had changed from autumn to winter since her acceptance into the wide spread company of those that have not uttered their true name openly for many generations. Instead of feeling welcome to be bound by blood through her father to a people living Tuilin had grown more apart from everything than ever; she fled to the wilderness, sought refuge among those she knew would not judge. Soon it was she began to travel to contain the coldness spreading maliciously inside her.