Frozen 3

Chapter 4

Ryder

I opened my eyes. It was early. The sun had not yet risen. Yet I had to get out of this bed. I breathed a light sigh at the thought of having to leave my duvet and sink myself into the icy cold outside. After a few more minutes of warmth, I made up my mind. I gently pushed back my sheets, finding myself shirtless in my room. I put on a thick wool sweater, fur pants and a reindeer skin coat. It was just enough to cope with the polar temperatures that were waiting for me. I then made my way to the kitchen. Mechanically, I boiled water in a pot above the fire, which was still crackling weakly. If Honeymaren had been there, she would have lectured me, blaming me for not turning it off overnight. I knew how she felt. I watched the orange flames dance under the pan. It had taken me a long time to be able to repeat this exercise, to be able to contemplate them again without blinking, without feeling brutally oppressed by an inner force that I relentlessly rejected. When some bubbles appeared on the surface of the water, I gently removed the container from the fire and poured its burning contents into a large cup. I took some dried tea leaves and put them there. A small brown cloud formed and spread slowly in the liquid as the small leaves infused into it. I cautiously took a first sip, lest I burn myself. Honeymaren had not lived with me since she was with Erik. She spent most of her time with him. From time to time, she would come and help me with my reindeer herd. These were the rare occasions when we could see each other, so I lived alone in a large cabin – one of the few in the Northuldra village. I missed my sister. We had always been together. Her absence was a great void that I could not fill despite all my efforts.I sighed, having finished my cup of tea. I had to find the motivation to go out every day to work, to get my herd out every day, whatever the weather, and to take them where there was a little bit of lichen or some moss-covered bark. But my sister was not behind me to support me, to encourage me to continue my efforts. I was alone.

***

I opened the fence of the enclosure in which I had locked my flock for the night. While each of the animals went out one by one, I counted them carefully, always fearing to have lost an animal, dead of cold. When they were all finally out, I frowned. Fifty-six. The count was not good, I was one short. I looked into the enclosure. Nothing. Where could he have gone? It was rare for a reindeer to escape on its own. Being domesticated for years, he could not survive alone. He could not be far away. I looked carefully at the ground, looking for a clue, something that would allow me to find it. Suddenly I saw several small half-moon-shaped traces. There he was, I thought. I ran towards a reindeer, quickly climbed on his back and heeled him, telling him to follow the trail left in the snow. As we went forward, I noticed more footprints on the ground. The footprints of the missing animal but also others by their side. I stopped my mount and went down. I crouched down carefully observing each of the tracks, gently passing a finger over it. These were boots, footprints that seemed to be heading in exactly the same direction as the animal. The reindeer had not disappeared. It had been stolen. By whom? I didn't know it yet. I felt anger rise in me. Whoever it was, I had to get back what was mine. My animals were the most precious thing I had – except for my sister. They allowed me to live and earn a living. Without them, I was nothing. I clenched my fists. I had no choice. Again grasping the neckline of my reindeer, I climbed swiftly on his back and immediately galloped, heading north. 

***

As we moved forward, the weather seemed to deteriorate. A few snowflakes began to fall. It was getting colder and colder.

"No, no, no!" I grumbled when I saw that the snow was gradually covering the footprints on the ground.