Chapter Two

Chapter Two

T he freezing cold made my fingers tremble more than normal and the arrow flying from my bow veered too far to the right. It startled the rabbit and the skittish animal darted away, only leaving little footprints in the snow as proof that I hadn't imagined its presence.

So close.

I retrieved the missed arrow, only to find the tip broken off. It seemed like it was just one of those days where everything went wrong. My stomach tightened painfully, as if I needed another reminder why I couldn't keep missing my shots.

Determined, I followed the trail of little bunny prints. One of the benefits of snow. I tracked it through the forest, making notches in the trees so I wouldn't get lost. It didn't take long before I spotted the quick-footed animal again, sitting near a bush where it was nibbling on some of the lowest branches.

I reached for another arrow and slowly raised my bow. With practised ease, I slipped the arrow in its place and took aim. There was almost no breeze and I had a clear shot. Instead of letting go, I breathed hot air on my fingers until they felt less stiff.

With a sharp breath in, I let go of the arrow. There wasn't enough time for a prayer but I didn't need it. I could feel it the moment the arrow left, I could tell from the sound of my bow string.

The arrow sank into the rabbit's eye and killed the small animal in one clean shot. This time, I did whisper a prayer to the Great Wolf to thank him for blessing me. This rabbit would be a very welcome dinner.

As much as I wanted to keep hunting, mostly out of pride instead of hunger, I knew venturing too far away from Konomi and our camp was not a good idea. If we got separated from each other, that would be a real reason to panic.

I retraced my steps by following the notches in the trees, relieved when I spotted the fire in the cave. I had my father to thank for teaching me how to hunt and move through a forest even though I was a girl. Not wanting to get caught up in thoughts of my family, I pushed the fond memories away before they could turn bitter. As much as I was sure that my parents and younger brother would love to know I was missing them, out here, getting distracted could be the death of me.

Konomi looked up from her spot in the cave, a smile rising to her red lips. She looked so beautiful even in the poor state we were in. There was just a twinkle in her eyes, a lift to her lips that shone through regardless of the grime, dirt, and hollowness of her face.

She lowered the coat she was mending, careful not to lose the needle. "Welcome home."

She had no idea how much I wanted her to say that for real but there was no way we would ever share a home. Not a real one anyway.

"The rabbits were elusive but not elusive enough," I said, keeping a safe distance as I held up my prey. "I also found some mushrooms so we won't starve tonight." I handed her the rabbit and the satchel with my finds.

"We won't starve but we might die," Konomi said, holding up one of the mushrooms with a tethered cap. "These are poisonous."

"Are they?" I frowned. "I thought they were common brown mushrooms."

"See the gills?" She showed me the underside. "Common brown mushrooms don't have these white spores on them."

With a sigh, I sank down by the fire. "What would I do without you?"

Konomi gave me a good-natured smile. "Knowing you, you wouldn't have even made it to the Flower Village. This is probably why the Elders allow family to join in on the sacred quest."

Family. I loved the word as much as I hated it. Even though we were in the middle of nowhere, she would always be my sister-in-law. Worse. My older brother's widow. The guilt encompassed me and I prayed that my brother couldn't watch us from beyond the grave. If he knew how I was looking at his wife...

"So what are our plans?" Konomi asked, snapping me from my thoughts.

"I think we should stay here one more night and then continue on. I'm sick of this forest. I want a real bed, a roof over our head, a hot meal that's actually filling. And a bath." I sighed just thinking of the hot water. I couldn't remember the last time I had a relaxing soak but it must have been over two months ago, from before we left home for this foolish quest to find the Winter Stone.

Konomi finished mending the jacket and put it aside. "I feel quite rested. I'll see if I can catch some fish."

I nodded. "That's a good idea. I'll keep the fire going so you can warm up when you're back. I need to make some more arrows, I broke two of them earlier today."

A grave look appeared on Konomi's beautiful face. "We're not in the best shape, are we?"

"No, but I would say we've done remarkably well considering we're only nineteen and twenty-two. We're on the biggest journey of our life without much experience or help. Before all this, I thought the forest near our village was as far as the wide world went and you were teaching children how to count. Not exactly seasoned travellers, are we?"

Konomi smiled. "You're right. And look at us now. I bet the village will be astounded when they hear our stories."

"If we ever make it back," I said darkly. When the village briefed me, it wasn't lost on me that we weren't allowed to return empty handed.

" When we make it back. When we return with the Winter Stone, we'll surely be given a hero's welcome. Better, a Guardian's welcome. I can't wait to see everyone again, especially your parents. They were always so kind to me, even after..." Konomi didn't manage to finish her sentence, but she didn't have to.

I knew what she meant, I was there to witness it all. My parents falling to pieces, Konomi losing her husband, my younger brother's first experience with death. My own grief. And how I was tainting those memories by harbouring misguided feelings for his widow. Even if nothing would ever happen, could happen, I definitely didn't deserve a hero's welcome.

The weight in my stomach grew even heavier as Konomi got up from the fire and took my hand in hers. It was warm from the fire and fitted mine perfectly.

"I'm so glad I have you," she said, sounding so painfully genuine, it was heartbreaking.

"And I you," I replied earnestly. No matter how inappropriate my feelings were, I would not have made it this far without her. Her warmth, her companionship, her ability to identify poisonous mushrooms, they were all invaluable to me. Without her, I would've long lost the strength and motivation to keep going on this seemingly endless journey.

She let go of my hand and flashed me her toothy grin. "Now let's hope the fish are biting."

"Good luck. I'll be here when you get back." Because no matter my feelings, we were in this together. This quest for the sacred Winter Stone that somehow had fallen on my shoulders. All because I had the soul of a wolf.