Dawn's Rising

Chapter 12; A Painful Lesson

November twenty third arrived with a thick covering of steal gray clouds and gently falling snow. But in spite of the weather the inhabitants of Fredensdal assembled outside in the field behind their dwellings. The women of the valley busied themselves with making sure that their men were well insulated against the cold, tucking in scarves and adjusting hats for maximum protection. The men bore with the loving ministrations as best they could even though they were all eager to be off on the big hunt. All held securely onto their weapons, ready to take off into the awaiting forest to search out the elusive wild turkeys that roamed there.

"Silje, that is enough now," Karl said with a laugh of exasperation as his wife attempted to remove his thin gloves to place on a thicker pair of wool insulated mittens. "I will take the mittens with me in case I need them later. But I will keep the gloves on for now because I can't shoot with those pillows on."

"Alright, but you must promise to put the mittens on as soon as your hands get cold," Silje said with a frown and then went behind her husband to place the mittens in his back pack.

"I promise, beloved." Karl said with a patient loving smile meant only for his wife. "Don't fret so, Silje. You would think we were leaving for a month the way you women are carrying on. We will be back by night fall." Julianna followed her parents' conversation with an entertained smile.

"You think this is funny, my girl," Karl said turning to his amused older daughter. "Just you wait until you have a husband to care for, then you will understand your mother's worry more." Karl gave his daughter a playful pinch to her cheek which only caused her to laugh outright.

"I am a little worried too, but mamma fusses enough for the both of us. Besides I am confident that the Lord has heard all the prayers we have all said between when it was planned to leave on this hunt a week ago and now. I don't think we left anything out of our prayer list which covered everything from bear attacks to protection from Indians. So, go in the grace of God, pappa." Julianna said, standing on tiptoes to give him a kiss on the cheek in farewell. After he sent Julianna a smile and a wink Karl then bent down and gave his youngest daughter Kristina a bear hug and a kiss on the cheek. After giving her father a quick peck on the cheek in return, Kristina continued rubbing her Uncle Jarle's playful husky Bart on his upturned stomach. Not wanting to be left out of the farewell kisses, Bart gave Karl's lowered face a wet slurp of his own. All those gathered near enough to have witnessed Bart's doggie kiss broke out in laughter as Karl quickly stood upright again, wiping his moistened face with the back of his hand. Karl gave the thick fur of the husky's gray and white back a pat to show that there were no hard feelings. With his tail wagging lazily from side to side, Bart gave Karl's hand one last slurp before he headed back to his master's side.

"Don't forget me, little sister," Petter said from behind Julianna.

"You too of course, my beloved big brother," Julianna said with a giggle, and planted a kiss on the cheek he leaned towards her. To do so, he had to hold back a corner of the scarf his which mother had wrapped securely around his entire head.

"What about me, your beloved faithful friend," Jens said from beside Petter. "Won't you give me a kiss for luck?"

"Nice try, Jens," Julianna said with a chuckle. "But maybe Bart will grant you one." At Jens' laughing refusal, she held out her hand. "What if we shake hands instead?"

With an exaggerated sigh of resignation, Jens took a firm hold of Julianna's little hand and shook it a few times. With a wide smile Julianna said to her persistent friend, "Good luck, Jens. I hope it is you that wins this year's pocket knife. I know that you need one, since your little brother Olav lost yours." Olav had "borrowed" his big brother's pocket knife a few weeks before to cut off some reeds growing beside the river and had accidentally dropped it into the rushing water. But Jens was determined to remedy that now. Every year the man who shot the largest turkey was rewarded with a brand new pocket knife at the Thanksgiving dinner as well as the honor of carving up the winning turkey for all to taste. This year would be Jens' turn. It was Jens' fifth year to be included in the Thanksgiving turkey hunt and he was determined to bag the biggest bird this year. Not only did he wish to secure himself the prize but also he longed to impress his new friend whom he still secretly hoped would one day become more than just a friend.