Embers of Fall

Crimson Snow

[Small trigger warning]

January came and the snow was determined to stay.

For the final act of winter, strong, icy winds and snowstorms that threatened to rip into the cabins tore through the ranch, ultimately sealing them within them.

The days that dragged on, were long and grueling, and snow had to be shoveled away from the doors every morning and night. It exhausted everyone and somehow a flu spread, keeping them soon bed ridden.

Navati, however, had been the first to slowly recover and helped tend to the children and Pata, while Lena cared for Ete and Gaken. The only one who remained perfectly healthy and unbothered was Ackins and he took pleasure in seeing the rest of them suffer.

He would taunt her as she tried to keep up with the chores and manage the hunting so they wouldn't starve, but they often had nothing to fill their bellies except for hot milk that didn't sit well and stale bread. If they were in luck, she'd bring back a rabbit and they'd stuff down its meat.

But with the storms, it was hard to even step foot out of the cabins, let alone find anything to eat.

There was no sign of Kotve and the others return, so she'd pace worriedly, looking at the path outside of the gate. It had been two long weeks without him. All she could do was wait again and search for the parts of him that stained her soul.

Pata reassured her that he would be coming back. He would not abandon them and he was too clever for his own good to get into any danger. But Navati wasn't so sure.

She tried to believe her words and struggled to sleep that night as the wind howled and rattled the wooden walls.

Just when her eyes were finally closing, she distinctly heard a loud noise that sounded similar to a gun shot. It echoed but was drowned quickly out by the wind. Faint screams followed. They were, however, muffled and distant. She didn't know whether she had been imagining it or not.

In an instant, she tore out of bed to go and check for herself.

Pata, Lena, and the kids didn't seem to wake when she walked past their room and headed for the door to find snow had shut them in again. Aggravated and concerned, her instincts drove her to one of the windows. She forced it open and shut it after squeezing herself out and unsheathed her dagger.

Without her boots, her bare feet felt instantly frozen against the cold and deep snow as she trudged her way towards the other cabins.

She could see the dying light of a fire through one frosted window of the tribes cabin and used her hands to shove the snow away from the bottom of the door. As she freed it from the weight of the heavy snow, it fell open and she quietly stepped inside.

Her eyes quickly roamed over the kitchen and the dim entrance of the hall. It was then that her heart began to pick up pace when she smelled blood. Fresh blood.

She started to quietly enter the hall when loud screams and sobs rang from the end of it, haunting and sinister. They spoke of unforeseen terror.  

Her body gave a shake, riddling her skin in goosebumps. Her senses were sent into a frenzy, knowing something horrible awaited her.

Navati drew in a breath and followed the noise only to see a body crumpled at the very end of the hall. Crimson pooled around the lifeless form of a man. She willed herself to stay calm and slowly approached, seeing upon closer inspection that the body belonged to Ete. Her brows furrowed in confusion.

Who had done this?

He was one of their own. A brother.

Tears began to burn her eyes before she could stop them and she heard a groan in the room to the right of him.