Harsh Beauty

Weekly Hunt

The brisk winter wind caresses my thin cheeks, and sharply goes into my lungs as I walk into it. My hunting equipment is a ways away. I turn around to make sure he's right behind me, and Erin is strolling a little ways away, his steps way louder than mine as he steps on the frost covered twigs and leaves. I smile at him.
*
"Could you try to keep it down. You're going to scare lunch off," I ask jokingly. He's always sluggish in the morning. Smiling, he runs to my side, and grabs my hand.
*
"Well, maybe you shouldn't be so stuck up."
*
"I was just kidding."
*
"I know. How are you? You seem tense."
*
"I'm not tense, why would I be tense?" I turn toward him, and he looks worried.
"By life." I quickly turned away. That was one topic I would like to keep where it is. The past.
*
"Oh, I'm sorry Rachel." His arm is now creeping around my waist, but I push it off and walk ahead trying to hide my expression. My equipment is hidden in the bark of a random tree that only I remember as the first place Erin kissed me, and my sister's eternal hate formed. Touching it reminds me of who I am, what I did, and how wrong it was of me to do what I did, that it's my fault my sister is heartless, and I created the beast.
*
I pulled out a bow from the bark. My mother said there have once been these things called guns, but that everyone decided to return to the old way of life so that we could stop killing the earth. My arrows were in the bark too, and I pulled them out and put them in my sling one by one.
*
"Do you want to talk about..."
*
"I DONT WANT TO TALK ABOUT ANYTHING!" I ran off. I have a village to feed, and can't waste time, even though ten other people are at the other sides of the village hunting too. I have till the sun is at it's highest to find something.
*
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*
I looked up to see the light right above my head, and took my rounds back to the traps and make sure they were empty. In the time I got two rabbits, and a squirrel that found my traps. Hopefully the others did better than me, so we can have enough to feed the seventy two of us for a week, and not hunt for a while. I walked over to the tree, where Erin was standing. ignoring him, I wiped my bloody arrows off in the snow, then placed everything back where it goes. Slinging the sack of dead animal over my shoulder, I walked off.
*
"Did you do good?" I asked.
*
"I got a deer and crow. What about you?"
*
"Not my best, but I got two rabbits, and a squirrel." We walked a while in silence.
"You're really beautiful then the snow falls around you softly. You look even prettier when I can see your entire face." He stopped right in front of me but I just walked around him. I wasn't in the mood, him trying to make me forget him bringing up the unthinkable.
*
"Please forgive me for being curious after three years thinking it died down inside you. I thought you might have wanted to bring it up sometime, and release your emotions." He was following close behind, so I turned around in one step, his face inches from mine.
*
Speaking calmly," I never want to bring up the horrid things I have done in my past, so don't try. I have spent three years building a new life, not just to tear it down to visit the old ruins." Spinning back around, I continue walking.
*
"Okay. I won't try anything funny again, but I wish that you wouldn't shut me out, and just let me see your face." He tries it a second time, like the adorable idiot he is. He steps in front of me again, and this time, I stop, for him.
*
"God, you're gorgeous," he whispers, pushing the hair out of my face. He pulls my hood down, and my Snow White blonde hair falls down my shoulders, to my waist. I stare into his beautiful blue eyes, like a soft layer of ice, as he stares into my Green eyes. Here as the snow falls around us, all the warmth I've ever wanted in the world is right here.
*
He grabs my waist, and pulls me closer, and the warmth grows all around. He leans in, and our lips meet as we exchange breath.
*
"OKAY! SHOW'S OVER YOU TWO LOVE BIRDS!" Says a familiar voice. I look past Erin, where Tristan is walking toward us.
*
"Your an ass," I comment, trying to hide my embarrassment, even though red cheeks are already normal in the freezing weather.
*
He laughs," Yep, that's what I live for!"
*
"Oh no, are we late?" Asks Erin.
*
"Nah. I just got back early, had a good hunt. I thought I'd come screw with you guys, but I see you were doing a good job of that yourselves." We all laughed, even though it was to offend us, it was pretty funny.
*
"Well, how did it go for you? The hunt," I asked.
*
"Amazing. I have never seen so many rabbits in my life. Caught about thirteen, let four go to repopulate for future food. But I also caught a bunch of birds, so we're set."
*
"Nice, so we're set for everyone for a while?" Asked Erin. A snap of a twig caught our ears, and we looked around the snowy forest for any signs of life.
*
"Who's there?" I called out.
*
"Probably just a rabbit," replied Tristan. I heard a loud thump, and turned around fast enough to see two people rolling across the ground. When they slowed down enough to see their faces, it was Tristan and Annie. Tristan was pinned down by his arms, and his waist.
*
"Ha! I caught you!" Shouted Annie. She was really pale, with short, black, silky hair now all over the place. She's wearing completely white. No wonder we couldn't see her. She let go of Tristan's wrists, and kissed him.
*
"Now look who's screwing around with each other," mocked Erin. We both laughed, and started back towards shelter. Out of the corner of my eye, I see a white flying silhouette heading towards me. I turn to see Pac, my snow owl only feet away from me, claws out for something to land on. Instinctively I stick my arm out, where he perches.
*
"Did you get what I need?" Is my first question. He nods yes.
*
"Can you deliver it?" He shakes his head.
*
"Oh, you're tired, right?" He drowsily nods again. We continue walking, and we eventually get to our small village of around forty buildings, and a few insulated tents for people that live alone, and don't have families, or find this place, and call it home. It's nice, and warm inside.
*
I walk toward one of the bigger buildings, and go inside. They have a few candles, and torches around the room. Theres always a lot of people in here. This is where they cook for our people. I go to the place where the rest of the kill is put, and dump my bag on the top of the pile. It's a lot, but not enough to last us through the week. I hope more people are still out there than I think.
*
Walking out of the building, I head toward my tiny cottage that Erin and I share. When I get in there, I set Pac on a branch sticking out of the wall, and let him take his requested nap in the warmth. When he wakes up, what will he tell me? He's been gone for about a year now, and finally knows what I need to. Is it what I want to hear, or is it. . . A threat to me.