The Adventures of Olund and Sidon

Chapter 7, Blood and Steel

Olund stood on that hill for what seemed like hours. His brother lay at the bottom next to the dead bear, the fox slowly rose to her feet.

"Olund?" asked Trin. The wolf gently shook Olund's shoulder, but it didn't help. It was all too surreal. Sidon slowly started up the hill towards his brother. With every step Olund felt more and grounded. This was real, it must be. Olund had experienced some deceptive dreams and nightmares but this wasn't like them. He could see and feel in perfect detail, and unlike his dreams, this Sidon wore bandages. Something to be expected of someone who had as much exposure to the cold as he had.

"Olund? Is that you? I'm so glad you're here!" Said Sidon as he ran up the last leg of the hill.

Olund let go of himself and scooped his little brother up in his arms. Sidon released a strangled "eep" before Olund pulled him off of his feet. He spun around with Sidon for a minute before just squeezing his younger brother.

The bigger cat cried joyfully on Sidon's shoulder. Sidon, who hadn't yet realized that he was presumed dead, was confused by his brother's actions.

"I wasn't gone that long, was I?" asked Sidon.

Trin laughed. 

"I thought you were dead. It felt like an eternity." Replied Olund.

Sidon closed his eyes. He would never know the pain his older brother felt over the few days they were apart. Sidon winced quietly when his brother shifted his grip to one of his burns. Olund released his brother as soon as he realized what he did.

"It's alright. Grum had the healer treat them, they look much worse than they really are." Said Sidon. 

"Grum? The beaver?" asked Trin. "A beaver saved your life?"

Sidon nodded. "He found me with the two wolves on a hill. The empire killed them but left me. They must have thought me dead already. Grum brought me into his house, fed me his food. I would be dead right now if it wasn't for him."

Trin raised an eyebrow at the small beaver at the bottom of the hill. Grum stood timidly at a distance, ready to run if the wolves proved untrustworthy. Olund walked slowly towards the beaver and fell crying at his feet.

"Thank you." It was all Olund could say between sobs of gratitude.

The old beaver was surprised and embarrassed by the snow leopard's actions.

"I thought all predators were savages. That any of them would kill and eat me without a second thought. I thought that it was just natural. Your brother taught me otherwise. He helped me more than I helped him." Said Grum.

Olund didn't look up through Grum's little speech. His eyes were glued to his feet. He was a mess of emotions and didn't bother to try and conceal them anymore. Sidon waited quietly to the side for a few minutes before going to his brother. 

Grum was uncomfortable about this whole thing. There were too many predators for his tastes. While everyone was soaking in the reunion, he took his daughter and he took the fox, and he crept back toward his house. Once there, entered the cellar and replaced the covering.

"I missed you so much, Olund." Said Sidon gently. "But we are together again. We don't have to do that again. We can pick up where we left off like nothing changed." 

"But so much has changed." Replied Olund. "Outside of the village, the war has only gotten worse. We passed thousands of dead soldiers. The winter is only making things more difficult. And besides that, I buried you. We held your funeral in Garret's back yard. We said our final words about you but I never found closure. I felt like everything was grey. Like the joy in the world died with you. I was empty." Said Olund.