Chapter 3 - Winterkrieg
Submitted September 22, 2007 Updated September 22, 2007 Status Incomplete | Follow Levi and his friend Kaz as they Quest to find the Ravens that were rumoured to have died long ago.
Category:
Fantasy |
Chapter 3 - Winterkrieg
Chapter 3 - Winterkrieg
The Chronicles of Aralyth
Book 1
Quest For Unity
Chapter 3: Winterkrieg
The blistering winds picked up the powdered snow upon the ground and whipped it around, creating a blizzard from the leftovers of the real one. Snow flew about in a frenzy, and the cold bit at any warmth like a snake to its prey. Four figures plodded on, and a smaller figure was huddled against another for warmth. The blonde haired boy had his goggles on, so he could see clearly, though there wasnt much else to see but white. Wrapped in the hem of his cloak upon his lap was the freezing tabby cat Niko. Her heart was slow, and she had seemingly passed into hibernation. Jester, the horse he sat upon, was trotting tiredly, forcing strongly through the gale.
Alongside the three of them were two others, a brown haired boy with his black cloak hood pulled up, and a black bandana to veil his nose and lower face from the wind. He sat upon a black draft horse named Stag, and the five of them were continuing on reluctantly. Levi coughed from the cold, and suddenly urged his horse on, nudging him gently. Jester picked up the pace to a canter, and startled, Stag and Kaz followed suit. The dapple-gray draft horse that led the way was starting to gallop, nervousness of the weather pushing him on. A spurt in his run caused him to trip, and the large horse crashed chest-first into the ground, skidding along his front before toppling fully over, and ending his riders into the ground as well.
Levi rolled into the snow in shock, tumbling, holding onto his cat and trying not to crush her. As he skidded on his back to a halt, the she-cat stood and took a step, before crumpling to the ground, freezing. The blonde boy was dazed, after hitting a rock on the back of his head at some point, and though he tried to remain conscious, his eyesight slowly darkened, and then there was no more.
A warm scent lifted into the air, and Levi breathed it in appreciatively. It was familiar, and had history with him. He first opened his left eye, for he lay upon his right side, and grunted in pain as the back of his head ached and pained. He moved his arm up and touched his head- a thin band was tied around his forehead, patching up the injury. He furrowed his brow, wincing, and then sitting up. The familiar smell he had breathed in earlier, that his head had been laying upon, was his horses neck. The dapple-gray was laying upon the ground, black eye watching the boy in some sort of love. It was obvious he was attached to the boy, for he remained with Levi though his rider was knocked out. The horse nickered softly to him, and Levi slowly moved his hand kindly along his horses neck. As he looked around, he saw Stag, the black draft horse, standing and munching on some unburied greens. Between himself and Jester was the little body of Niko, who seemed more comfortable and warm now, though she slept fitfully. Her breath was husky, as though she had a cold.
He pulled the blanket off of himself and draped it upon both his horses neck and the cat, to keep them warm. Levi stood, tottering for a moment, and groaned. He wondered where Kaz was. Probably off hunting. He thought.
Looking around for his haversack that had been on his saddle, he spotted it and quickly ran over and grabbed it. Heaving it back to the blanket he had slept upon, he set it down and seated himself, searching through the contents. There were about a weeks worth of small rationed meals in here, along with the goggles that Kaz probably took off of Levis face, and the gauze. They wouldnt do Jester any good, they were just for cut wounds. He didnt know the extent of Jesters damage, but all he could remember clearly was Jester had fallen forwards and hit the ground chest-first. He suddenly heard a crunching of snow from behind and he spun around, to see a figure in a hooded black cloak walk up with two jackrabbits in his one hand. Raising them by their ears, he pulled back his hood and said calmly, I got us some breakfast. Before Levi could ask Kaz about the horses food, he hefted up a small bag of grass he had ravaged from underneath the snow. Dont worry about it.
As Kaz came and sat beside Levi, the blonde boy swallowed nervously and asked the fifteen year-old, Kaz& How is Jester? There was no response for sometime, as Kaz was tossing grass to Stag and laying down one jackrabbit in front of Niko, who gladly accepted the large morsel. As soon as he was done, he looked down at the dapple-gray horse who lay there, so innocently, and murmured quietly, Levi, he may have broken his chest bones. I didnt even know it could happen, but it did. He can no longer stand, let alone run. The shock continued pulsing through Levi as Kaz hesitantly added, Hes dying peacefully- he probably cant feel any pain. He shattered his nervous system in the process. Hell be gone soon. Levi just coughed, trying to say something but choking on the words.
Kaz sorrowfully got up and walked away, mounting Stag, his black horse, and cantering away into the calm winter, allowing Levi some time with his poor horse. All Levi could do was talk to the six year old draft horse, conversing with him of the times they had run out and explored, how Levi was the first to befriend him as a colt, to tame him and make him listen only to him. As the last hour passed by, Levi saw Jesters black eye getting lazier and lazier, and his gasping becoming slow, relaxed breaths. Instead of his legs twitching from the broken nervous system, he lay quite still, peaceful. Niko, the tabby, suddenly seemed to realize what was going on and mewed a farewell to her friend, laying upon his round belly and purring, tucking herself into his thick fur. The horse finally let go of life, passing into the world of beyond, and leaving Levi and Niko to sit along and atop his body. Levi allowed a single tear to slip gently down his cheek, but wiped it away quickly and smiled. He could only remember the good things, and that was that. One thing that tugged at his heart was the fact that he could not possibly bury his proud stallion here, in the frozen lands, but could not possibly carry him or drag him out. His body would be left to the cruel winds. But maybe that would make him happy- running free on the wind.
Levi was concerned with Niko now, her warmth still barely remaining, despite her easy movement, and he wrapped her in his cloak, picking up the haversack and walking away. He left the blankets upon Jester, and his saddle beside him. The reins he hung over his other shoulder, because they were lighter and needed more to ride anything than a saddle. He walked on, following the deep grooves of hoof marks in the snow the led the way to Kaz and Stags destination.
Book 1
Quest For Unity
Chapter 3: Winterkrieg
The blistering winds picked up the powdered snow upon the ground and whipped it around, creating a blizzard from the leftovers of the real one. Snow flew about in a frenzy, and the cold bit at any warmth like a snake to its prey. Four figures plodded on, and a smaller figure was huddled against another for warmth. The blonde haired boy had his goggles on, so he could see clearly, though there wasnt much else to see but white. Wrapped in the hem of his cloak upon his lap was the freezing tabby cat Niko. Her heart was slow, and she had seemingly passed into hibernation. Jester, the horse he sat upon, was trotting tiredly, forcing strongly through the gale.
Alongside the three of them were two others, a brown haired boy with his black cloak hood pulled up, and a black bandana to veil his nose and lower face from the wind. He sat upon a black draft horse named Stag, and the five of them were continuing on reluctantly. Levi coughed from the cold, and suddenly urged his horse on, nudging him gently. Jester picked up the pace to a canter, and startled, Stag and Kaz followed suit. The dapple-gray draft horse that led the way was starting to gallop, nervousness of the weather pushing him on. A spurt in his run caused him to trip, and the large horse crashed chest-first into the ground, skidding along his front before toppling fully over, and ending his riders into the ground as well.
Levi rolled into the snow in shock, tumbling, holding onto his cat and trying not to crush her. As he skidded on his back to a halt, the she-cat stood and took a step, before crumpling to the ground, freezing. The blonde boy was dazed, after hitting a rock on the back of his head at some point, and though he tried to remain conscious, his eyesight slowly darkened, and then there was no more.
A warm scent lifted into the air, and Levi breathed it in appreciatively. It was familiar, and had history with him. He first opened his left eye, for he lay upon his right side, and grunted in pain as the back of his head ached and pained. He moved his arm up and touched his head- a thin band was tied around his forehead, patching up the injury. He furrowed his brow, wincing, and then sitting up. The familiar smell he had breathed in earlier, that his head had been laying upon, was his horses neck. The dapple-gray was laying upon the ground, black eye watching the boy in some sort of love. It was obvious he was attached to the boy, for he remained with Levi though his rider was knocked out. The horse nickered softly to him, and Levi slowly moved his hand kindly along his horses neck. As he looked around, he saw Stag, the black draft horse, standing and munching on some unburied greens. Between himself and Jester was the little body of Niko, who seemed more comfortable and warm now, though she slept fitfully. Her breath was husky, as though she had a cold.
He pulled the blanket off of himself and draped it upon both his horses neck and the cat, to keep them warm. Levi stood, tottering for a moment, and groaned. He wondered where Kaz was. Probably off hunting. He thought.
Looking around for his haversack that had been on his saddle, he spotted it and quickly ran over and grabbed it. Heaving it back to the blanket he had slept upon, he set it down and seated himself, searching through the contents. There were about a weeks worth of small rationed meals in here, along with the goggles that Kaz probably took off of Levis face, and the gauze. They wouldnt do Jester any good, they were just for cut wounds. He didnt know the extent of Jesters damage, but all he could remember clearly was Jester had fallen forwards and hit the ground chest-first. He suddenly heard a crunching of snow from behind and he spun around, to see a figure in a hooded black cloak walk up with two jackrabbits in his one hand. Raising them by their ears, he pulled back his hood and said calmly, I got us some breakfast. Before Levi could ask Kaz about the horses food, he hefted up a small bag of grass he had ravaged from underneath the snow. Dont worry about it.
As Kaz came and sat beside Levi, the blonde boy swallowed nervously and asked the fifteen year-old, Kaz& How is Jester? There was no response for sometime, as Kaz was tossing grass to Stag and laying down one jackrabbit in front of Niko, who gladly accepted the large morsel. As soon as he was done, he looked down at the dapple-gray horse who lay there, so innocently, and murmured quietly, Levi, he may have broken his chest bones. I didnt even know it could happen, but it did. He can no longer stand, let alone run. The shock continued pulsing through Levi as Kaz hesitantly added, Hes dying peacefully- he probably cant feel any pain. He shattered his nervous system in the process. Hell be gone soon. Levi just coughed, trying to say something but choking on the words.
Kaz sorrowfully got up and walked away, mounting Stag, his black horse, and cantering away into the calm winter, allowing Levi some time with his poor horse. All Levi could do was talk to the six year old draft horse, conversing with him of the times they had run out and explored, how Levi was the first to befriend him as a colt, to tame him and make him listen only to him. As the last hour passed by, Levi saw Jesters black eye getting lazier and lazier, and his gasping becoming slow, relaxed breaths. Instead of his legs twitching from the broken nervous system, he lay quite still, peaceful. Niko, the tabby, suddenly seemed to realize what was going on and mewed a farewell to her friend, laying upon his round belly and purring, tucking herself into his thick fur. The horse finally let go of life, passing into the world of beyond, and leaving Levi and Niko to sit along and atop his body. Levi allowed a single tear to slip gently down his cheek, but wiped it away quickly and smiled. He could only remember the good things, and that was that. One thing that tugged at his heart was the fact that he could not possibly bury his proud stallion here, in the frozen lands, but could not possibly carry him or drag him out. His body would be left to the cruel winds. But maybe that would make him happy- running free on the wind.
Levi was concerned with Niko now, her warmth still barely remaining, despite her easy movement, and he wrapped her in his cloak, picking up the haversack and walking away. He left the blankets upon Jester, and his saddle beside him. The reins he hung over his other shoulder, because they were lighter and needed more to ride anything than a saddle. He walked on, following the deep grooves of hoof marks in the snow the led the way to Kaz and Stags destination.
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