Snow White

Chapter 23

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'Where are you going?' Peter grabbed her arm, without her even knowing he was near her and back from talking with Jack, his fingernails digging into her skin and almost oozing blood from beneath her flesh. Snow winced, but don't snap back.

'Shooting.' Snow replied honestly and briefly, tugging her hand away and walking confidently towards her bow and quiver from a hollow log, mostly to demonstrate what she was about to do. In truth, her encountered with the mountain lion had left her a little shaken and she just wanted to take a walk, but now she felt like she had to shoot at least something.

'Ok, but don't get lost-' Peter called after her sternly, his eyes not meeting her's as he turned back towards camp.

'And stay close to camp.' Snow finished for him, rolling her eyes at how annoyingly protective and controlling Peter could be, even with her best interests at heart. Inside of the forest, all of the animals roam freely.

'You must know that I'll just come back empty handed if I really "stay close to camp", Peter.' Snow muttered angrily to herself, because deep down all she wanted was some freedom just to be dangerous and have regrets, but have stories and thrills too.

It is the ardent hope of such a civilised nation that the secrets and imperfections of those in possession of wealthy fortunes are hidden and hushed from society. However sinful or proud a wealthy person may be, while elated by their rank, all of the unfortunate poorer citizens posses merely humble gratitude and hopeful desires. This had played in Snow White's mind as she so proudly refused beyond compare to become an egotistical woman.

Snow thought long and hard about her future as she strolled through the foliage of the forest path. It wasn't the quickest route back to camp from hunting that day, admittedly, but she adored walking through the humble forest and feeling the dirt beneath her feet. She felt so calm and at peace there. The trees were always so humble and gracious.

Snow sung softly to herself and dappling the dirt of the ground her feet pressed under her weight. It was a song that her Father had adored and had taught her when she was young.

Her walking halted when she caught sight of the most magnificent thing that she had ever encountered. It was a simple blackberry bush that had burst into bloom a little later than usual. Snow White immediately dropped her bag onto a weathered rock, not noticing two apples she had collected tumbling out as she did so and rummaged through its contents to find the sketchbook she held so closely to her heart.

Those closest to her would know that she had rarely been seen without this book and poured her heart's desires into that sketchbook. Only a very select few had ever seen it, and these are just the pictures Snow had permitted them to see.

Everyone particularly love the sketches she drew of nature. Like when Snow would find a random blank page and draw anything from the changing seasons of a particular plant or a squirrel she'd seen collecting nuts. Things to her which she saw to be great beauty, but to the others they are simply unobserved. They loved the single leaf falling from a tree in the autumn; the robin collecting a deep red berry from a tree covered in a thick coating of snow and sunlight glinting off the stream's frozen water.

She flicked through the leather book until she found a blank page and began to sketch the vague outlines of the blackberry bush as her hand swept across the paper in soft movements. It was such a beautifully simple specimen.

Snow sat there for a total of around three hours, mesmerised by this page. Sketching brought her back down to Earth, cooling her senses and relaxing her swirling thoughts the nightmares.