Shelter of Ice

Chapter 2. Ayaana: 'Whispers'

I wake up with dark. It is still an early morning, but no one is asleep. In the burrow I hear mother and father whispering. Irritably. But the sound of me moving startles them. I turn to the left to look around, but they are just staring at me. Of course, my anxiety kicks in, and the worst scenarios come to mind. Another attack? No, they would have woken me up. But maybe some of them are nearby?

"What's wrong?" I ask.

Silence. Nothing. No answer. This is even worse that the answer. After this staring battle between us three, father just shakes his head letting me understand, that nothing is wrong. Yeah, right. But I do not intend to play their games of secrets. Therefore, I hurry to get outside.

First thing I see outside is my sisters back.

"Morning. Ready to head out?"

"Hi. I'm not coming. They told me to skip it this time."

"What?" This is interesting. Why did they decide to let her skip the hunting if they are the ones who wanted for us to gain these skills? To rest? No. There is something else.

"Yes." Her jaw tightened as she spit out this word. "You and Cupun will be going today."

I am intrigued. Their whispers in hideout and now two least favorable people of the group send out to the woods. What are they planning? To leave us? I do believe that on the moment of weakness this thought could appear to mother. But does she fear that I would kill Vikor? That is just crazy. Either way, if they were to leave, their survival would be at risk too. Father is a good hunter and knows so far all plants we came across. Mother has exceptionally trained eye to see strategically great places for hideouts. Sister... well Mirain is learning. She has retentive memory and seems to have pull for medicine. Only her physical activities need to be worked on a bit. But with brother on their head. How would our group look with me and Cupun?... Mother will not leave her son's side, someone must always be on the watch out, and sending one member for a hunt is too risky. So, the idea of them leaving is not it. There must be something else.

I look around expecting to see Cupun nearby. Usually these two are inseparable. To my surprise he was not to be found. And I know he was not in the burrow.

"Where is he?" I ask. But with the release of these words, I notice that Mirain's gaze was set on one spot. Ahead of us, where the forest kind of narrowed and seemed to form some path, a figure was clenched near the bushes. It was far away from us, but the movements of the figure suggested it was a human. Not some freak. "I see... Again, with the traps?" This is the only good thing about that guy, to be honest, his traps are gaining us some food suplies...

"Yes. He started early" she turned to me "Why do you think they want me to stay?"

"I do not know" I said, while trying to remember when was the last time I saw a bigger mammal than a fox on our way.

"Did they tell you to leave him in the forest?!" Mirain whispered but in a loud whisper. "To kill him?!"

It took me a second to understand what in the hell she was talking about. Her face was so tense, but you could see the panic in her colorless eyes. She looked at me only for a moment, and then proceeded to watch her boy.

"Ayaana, please..." she said in a now calm voice.

"You are exaggerating" I interrupted her. "They did not tell me anything." While gathering knives, tiny axe and other gear I noticed her relax. But just a bit. "They were whispering when I woke up. I do not know what about. But seemed to be about something important."

"How do you know?" this got her attention and now her eyes were on me.

"Feeling." I shrugged.

In the meantime, Cupun was done with his traps and now was lingering in the distance. Waiting for me to join for a hunt. My muscles were still sore from the moving, but it will be so relieving to escape this burrow. With that thought I took a bag of water and strapped it on the belt near my ribs and started to move to Cupun.

"Wait... Did you really think that I could kill a him?" I turned to my sister as only know this came to me. She did not answer, just gave a little nervous smirk. Wow, you suggest that we should kill Vidak out of his misery and now they think of you as a killer. People...