I’m Back Between Villages

The Maceio-Tainn teen had begun to slowly make her way back in the direction of her homeland, but it was taking a lot more nerve than she had thought. At first she had made many excuses to herself about the weather and traversing the mountain, but now the days were getting longer and slightly warmer. Spring was about to be upon them and then Marrah knew she wouldn’t be able to use winter as an excuse any longer and she would need to be back at the Chasm and confront what she had done.

Still, as of now it was still winter and that meant she could be slow in her travels because she didn’t feel comfortable crossing the mountain now. Shivers went down her spine at the thought of the aftermath of the avalanche she had seen as a child and imagining being caught in one of those alone. So she would go to the base of the mountain and hunker down for a while until it was safe to cross. She had been heading in that direction when she had stumbled across the smell of a nearby pack and wanted to give them a wide berth.

Marrah half recognized the smells from the exchange last year, those pups had been visiting the Cove at the same time as her aunt and herself. Still, she didn’t know them well enough just to drop in for a visit, and she wasn’t social enough to do so even if she did. So she followed the creek with a wide distance to give them space until their markers were far in the background. Then she hugged the banks much tighter to give her a sense of direction.

Marrah was surprised to see someone else out here, and was slightly horrified to see that someone out on the ice. Her mind raced with her cousin Leo yelling at them to get off the ice last winter and saying it wasn’t safe. Normally the teen didn’t talk to strangers, but this seemed to be the exception. Standing on the banks and watching the girl lay on her stomach and stare at…something, she called urgently, ”the ice isn’t that safe, you could fall through.” She reminded herself of her cousin, and it made her heart ache. She regretted leaving the Chasm but also was still convinced that her leaving had brought the end of the drought. She could only hope she had been punished for her bad choices enough that her returning wouldn’t bring some other natural disaster.

And Everything’s Still

I’m Back Between Villages

The pack wolf appeared genuinely panicked and the yearling couldn’t help but feel bad. She was in very real danger and needed to be warned, but the Maceio-Tainn didn't have any answers about what she should do. Hearing the whispered tone and seeing the whites in the strangers eyes brought a miserable whine from Marrah’s throat. She looked around for something, anything, to help them but she came up empty.

Looking back in time to see the white wolf get to her paws and then promptly fall down to a sickening noise in the ice, Marrah gasped. She lifted a paw instinctively as if she were about to rush out into help, but she hesitated. A knight in shining armor she was not. Instead she called, ”No! Don’t stand up!” That was clearly the wrong thing to do, but what was the right thing?

Whining again in panic she suggested, ”Maybe stay on your belly and try to like… squirm your way over here?” Like a pup trying to squeeze under a log or something. That had to be better than trying to stand up and falling down again. The yearling held her breath and watched carefully, not sure there was anything else she could do.

And Everything’s Still

I’m Back Between Villages

The plan seemed to be working and the yearling watched while holding her breath as the other girl propelled herself forward. Her head was swimming with possibilities but was hopeful that everything would turn out okay when the stranger froze. Wait, why stop? Keep moving! She wanted to yell at her, but felt heartbroken by the fear on the other teen’s face. Tears brimmed in the orange eyes to mirror the others.

Letting her breath out in a woosh she called shakily, ”That’s okay. It’s gonna be okay, um, just stay there. Don’t move.” The point seemed redundant now. Marrah’s legs shook beneath her as she tried to think clearly, ”I’m Marrah, I’m going to do….something. Hold on.” But what was she going to do? That seemed to be the problem.

Marrah turned away, looking for something to spark her creativity or inspire her to get the girl off the ice. The only thing she could come up with was to start pulling on a branch from a nearby tree, latching on and heaving. She pulled, once, twice, three times, it seemed like it was starting to budge, she pulled harder.

And Everything’s Still

I’m Back Between Villages

Marrah continued to heave on the branch, trying to ignore the way that the ice was moaning behind her. She pulled hard, standing on her back legs so she could utilize her whole body weight (which was less substantial than it had been when she abandoned the Chasm in the spring). It seemed like it was working, the bough bending down towards her further and further, ice and snow pelting her off of the tree as she struggled.

Then the tip she was holding broke off and the branch whipped Marrah across the face on its way back to where it started. Blinking back tears at the sudden smarting, the yearling gasped in surprise. That had been her only idea, she didn’t know what else to do. Looking back at Sage panic began to sweep through her veins, making her feel cold and her heartbeat rushing in her ears.

Trembling she mumbled, ”I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” And then she began to back away. Once again, Marrah was running as soon as things got hard.

And Everything’s Still

I’m Back Between Villages

The yearling could hear the desperation in Sage’s voice when she realized what was happening, but Marrah was too far gone into her own panic. She couldn’t rescue the girl, and she certainly couldn’t stand here and watch her fall through the ice and die. Her stomach churned as the memory of Rhae sprang fresh in her mind. Amber eyes never lifted up to meet Sage’s gaze, afraid of what she would find instead they stayed trained on the ground.

Marrah let out a low long whine, opening her mouth as if to say something else before closing it with a snap. She turned and ran away as quickly as she could, tears blurred her vision and more than once she slipped and tumbled into the snow before getting up and continuing on. She didn’t stop until she couldn’t breathe anymore and her legs ached with exertion and she was many, many miles away.

And Everything’s Still