Spirit Fire - Amos

Chapter 1 - A Warm Memory

Mountains near Dareth, Meridia

I woke up to the cold, damp air blowing through the flaps of the tent. The moon was still out in the grey morning of late winter, peeking through the treetops before it disappears beyond the horizon. Even a clear sky of dim and distant stars hung up above.

     I sat up, took off my covers and sat for a moment, yawning. I dressed myself and put on my leather jacket and fur vest. When I finished, I grabbed my gray cloth pack, slung it over my shoulder and crawled out of the tent.

     As I stepped out into the forest, snow crunching under my boots, the cold, brisk air met my face and a small breeze tousled my brown, mid-long hair.

     The air smelt like wild berries and pine. The forest was quiet, only a few birds chirped lightly, and the squirrels jumped from tree to tree, chattering here and there. A small stream trickled through the forest floor, bubbling and gurgling quietly.

     I walked over to a puddle near the stream that had frozen over and stared into my reflection. The pale lighting gave my face a subtle tone of gray with shadowing under my cheekbones. My crystal blue eyes sparkled back at the silver moonlight.

     I knelt at the stream and splashed water on my face. The cold water numbed my cheeks and woke me up.

     I took a drink and a few drops fell onto my clothes, which consisted mostly of cotton and leather. I wiped it off before it could soak in and continued.

     After I refilled my waterskin in the stream, I walked back to the tent to pack it up, along with everything else. I grabbed my bow, a re-curve, unstrung in its leather sleeve and strapped it on my quiver.

     The hunt continues.

     Away from home, I was hunting for meat for my family. I live with my mother, my brother Alan, and my Aunt and I was the only one able to get large game.We store food for the winter at the farm, as we cannot afford to buy it in town, but our silos were running low.

The sun started to peak over through the canopy as I walked through the forest. I saw a clearing not too far ahead. Here, the sun beamed down with warm golden rays and melted the snow. As I entered the clearing, the sun felt warm against my face and the air was warm and very still.

     A memory came to me of when I was younger, about five years old. I was sitting with my mother in her lap as we made a blanket together. The warm sunlight shone through the window  onto my face, where it is hitting now. The same warm feeling, in a warm memory.