Everlast

Tveir

It was late spring when Sigyn spoke with the crow again.
Or, at least, as far as 'speaking' extended to a lonely girl talking at a bird.
The evening sun glowed upon her bare arms and back as she flitted through the trees, a wicker basket tucked into the crook of her elbow. The morning had been well-spent upon the shady bank of a small lake with a water skin on her hip and a fishing rod in her hand. During the hottest part of noon, Sigyn remained inside and salted the fish so that it would survive the heat. Now that - much to her relief - the forest had cooled to a pleasant, humming warmth, Sigyn set about the task of gathering berries and nuts. She knew that there was a copse just south of a stunted cliff where elderberries grew in abundance, and that just west of that was a place where hazelnuts tended to spring forth at this time of year.
It was in the former that Sigyn found herself last, plucking bunches of elderberries from bushes and placing them atop the hazelnuts that rolled around the bottom of the basket. The smell in the air was sweet, fresh and comforting in its familiarity. The air around her was dancing with golden pollen and seemed to twirl in ethereal synchronicity with the song that now tumbled freely from Sigyn's lips. The way that the sounds seemed to drift through the honey-scented air brought a sense of calm to her as her arm repeated the same smooth motion without thought; plucking, placing, plucking, placing.
A soft sound above her drew her attention upwards, and there sat the crow with its head tilted and feathers ruffling in the light breeze.
Ever since that winter's day, the crow had appeared every so often. Watching, observing. Sigyn knew that it was the same one. Sometimes she wouldn't see it for weeks on end, but when it appeared once more, she recognised it at once. It hadn't ever stayed for long since that frigid evening, however - only flitting around her line of sight before disappearing.
It wasn't flying away now. There was an expectant air about the crow - as if it wanted something, which doubtless it did.
"Hello"
Crrawk.
Sigyn smiled and wrinkled her nose, already reaching for a small sprig of berries.
"To what do I owe this pleasure?"
Before she could so much as blink, the crow swooped down and plucked the small wicker basket from the curve of her arm. A cry of indignation left Sigyn's lips;
"Well that was just unnecessary!" She called after the fleeing crow before she leapt into a sprint. The sound of its beak cackling led her through the forest and towards the cliff. Sigyn kept her eyes on it, catching glimpses of its black form through the branches of the entwined trees as she ran. The crow occasionally turned its head to gaze down at her, at which times she made sure to shoot it her most scornful expression. Sigyn's footing was sure and her gaze was steady - a skill learned from years of hunting beasts far more volatile from this one. The bird arrived at the cliff and swooped sharply upwards, leaving Sigyn at the base of it - barely out of breath and craning her neck with a stormy expression that could blight crops. The crow settled atop the cliff and stared down smugly - yes, smugly - at the poor woman.
"Why you little-..." Sigyn realised that the sprig of elderberries that she had originally intended to give to the crow was still held between her index and middle fingers. She threw it to the grass with no small amount of contempt and strode up to the cliff face. When she stared up at the golden shine that spilled from the cliff like a halo, the crow observed her, a black spot on the brilliance.
"If you're going to be difficult, I'm coming up."
With that, she gripped the uneven surface of the cliff and began to climb. At first Sigyn climbed quickly and nimbly, scurrying against the grainy stone like a creature of the woodland itself. The rock was still hot beneath her fingertips, warmed by the sun, but she did not mind. The callouses on her hands scratched against the cliff as she tugged herself ever upwards, quickly approaching the spot where the crow watched her with lazy curiosity. Sigyn's movements were methodical - first she would find a place to rest her hands, then she would pull herself up and tuck her feet into the side of the cliff. Repeated over and over again, Sigyn started to realise that this cliff was not quite as stunted as it appeared from the ground. Grunts started to leave her lips as she progressed, a burning fatigue starting to prick at her shoulders and arms. But she was almost at the top; if she could just keep going a little longer-
An alarmed cry left her lips as her boot slipped. Sigyn's body jerked violently downwards - her vice-like grip tightened on the stone. Instinctively she pressed herself against the cliff. Sigyn's breath came in short, ragged gasps as her heart thudded painfully in her chest. Above her, the crow exclaimed in its rough way, but Sigyn could not persuade her trembling lips to respond. Instead, her eyes were fixed upon the tiny forest below her dangling foot. Sigyn though for a brief moment that it was spinning.
The crow called out again. Sigyn tore her eyes from the fall that awaited her and instead pressed her forehead into the stone. She focused on the sound of her breathing, the way that the breeze danced upon her skin, the way that the scent of warm rock filled her nose with every shuddering gasp.
"Gods..." Sigyn whispered hoarsely. There was a buzzing in her limbs that made them feel as if they were made of nothing but water and pig fat. The crow cried a third time, and this time Sigyn was able to force out a weak; "Yes, I am coming."
Slowly, she brought her foot back to the cliff face and tucked it neatly into a ledge. Once she was certain that it would not move again, Sigyn pulled herself up once more with shaking arms and bulging muscle. She flung one hand onto the top of the cliff, and then another, and then she was scrambling with her feet and pulling herself over. As soon as her stomach hit solid ground, she scurried away from the edge with flailing limbs and wide eyes.
The crow laughed. Sigyn glared.
"I don't see what's so funny. I could have-..."
She trailed off. The crow tilted its head, squawked, but her attention was now fixed on the horizon.
Mountains jutted into the blazing peach sky. The few clouds that hung there burned bright pink above the setting sun, which in turn radiated flame-coloured light over the valley that stretched out before her. The mountains themselves appeared as black silhouettes on the colour. In the valley a vast lake shimmered and glinted. The trees that climbed upon the mountains and encroached upon the lake swayed in the light summer breeze.
Still watching the horizon, Sigyn sat herself on a boulder and stared in rapture. Her golden skin appeared almost red in the light. The flyaway strands of her hair appeared as threads of fire surrounding her scarred but sincere countenance.
Sigyn did not notice that the crow had fallen asleep next to her ankle.