Frost and Darkness

Chapter one; Flashback

"No..!" I look over the city I was raised in. I just got back from hunting in the woods across from it. I managed to get three nice, strong rabbits and a young deer. All are strapped tightly to Shadow's saddle. I run my hand through my long black hair and look around in despair. Are there any survivors? I steer the black horse towards the city's entrance, but he refuses to go near the fire. "Alright. Stay here then. But don't let the wolves get the meat." I say, adding a soft murmur. "We might need it..." I used to take the game I caught to the palace's kitchen, so they could cook it and serve it to the King, but seeing this... I might not need to anymore. "Hey!" I place my hands around my mouth as I yell. "Anyone still here?!" I look around but the smoke cuts my view. "Any survivors?! Come on! Say something!" A few steps to my left I hear a soft voice. I turn and walk towards it. "Hey. You okay?" I ask. A young girl looks at me with teary eyes, she then looks at her legs. A boulder had fallen onto one of them. I ruffle her hair and look her into the eyes. "You think you can crawl away if I can manage to lift that up?" The girl nods slowly in return. I get up and get to the boulder. Crouching I set my hands under it and try to lift it. Not a chance. I turn and set my back against it, trying to roll it over. It moves a bit, so I press against it with all my weight. I hear the girl make a sound of relief and I know she has crawled away from under the boulder. "Are you free?" I manage to ask between a cough and a huff. The smoke is getting on my airways. "Yes..." the girl answers. Her voice is sweet. I drop the boulder and crouch back to her. "Where are your parents?" I ask. She coughs and points to the gateway. Outside. "Let's go." I say as I take the girl in my arms. From her weight and voice I would guess her to be not older than seven years old. "What's your name?" I ask and the girl groans in pain before answering. "Sheila." I look over my shoulder and curse under my breath. The fire is closing in. "Sheila, I'm gonna need you to hang on tight." I say as I get up. I break out in a crouching run as I feel Sheila's small arms wrap tight around my neck. I head for the gates while the fire rapidly closes in around us. Sheila starts to cry.

My arms hold tighter onto her as I get closer to the gates. The smoke gets lighter, so I get up from my crouch. I pause when I get outside and look around. My eyes start to tear with the feeling of fresh air breathing into them. I hear Shadow objecting to something, so I decide to head that way. Sheila's cries stock as she realizes we are in the fresh air again. She buries her face in my collar and cries more relieved. Good. "Shadow!" I call and whistle. The horse answers with a neigh. That way. As I close in on my steed I see a small group of men pulling his laces and trying to get the game off of his saddle. "He won't listen to that." I say, setting Sheila down on the ground while I let her lean on my arm so she won't need to use her leg. Shadow breathes and walks towards me. "Good boy." I brush his nose and pet his cheek gently. "Do me a favor and let this girl ride on your back for a moment." I say and lift Sheila onto the saddle. I take the lace and ask the people to lead us to their refuge.

The men lead us to an open place in the woods. All kinds of people are there. Men, women, children. They seem to be here only for a while. Some are crying because of a loss, others are crying of relief. A good amount of people have decided to offer their skills in healing, peace keeping or cooking. The men trying to take Shadow apparently were scouts and hunters. I take Shadow and Sheila to the tents used as a hospital and take the girl off the horse. She won't let anyone but me tend her, so I ask the medics to lend me some bandages and oils. Sheila cries when I touch her leg. "Figures..." I mumble. Then I ask a medic to find me a good, solid stick before explaining to Sheila. "Your leg is broken." I say to her. "I'm going to bind a stick to your leg, to keep it straight. You cannot take it off, okay?" The girl nods slowly. The medic comes back with several sticks of various lengths and I choose one that is a bit shorter than Sheila's leg. While I tend and bandage her I explain what I'm doing and why. She seems to understand most of it, but keeps looking at the groups passing by, hoping to find her parents.