Odin's Prize

Mark Left

Dragonflies hover low over the rippling water of the lake. The morning dew still clings to the cattails that sway gently in the warming wind of the day. A tangerine sun is starting its climb in the cloudless sky.

Odin was up earlier than my eyes could think of opening. The only thing that was heard is the flap to the tent opening, a shuffle of light against my closed eyes then darkness again.

A silence stretched out between the two of us last night. After I said,"My Half," Odin had a hard time speaking - he tried, but it got stuck in his throat, so he feasted his lips on mine. Showing me his appreciation for two little words.

His Half

Odin is on the other side of the lake edge watching Warson stalking in the reeds. The young male is full of mud, not a clean place on his body. His head turns towards me, our sight locks together.

Ancient forest greens are surrounded in blood before he gives me his Odin smile. It's a slow movement of his hand up, he waves. Clenched in his grip are fat frogs, Warson makes a leap as if he's a frog himself. When he rises, he's holding another frog in his grasp. Odin's attention back on his nephew, while mine smells the roasting meat from the outside fire near Elska's tent.

She's sitting on a cut log, with a mug between her hands. Making my way over to her, she smiles towards my sound.

"Charlie, sit with me." Her hand extending out, until I clasp it in my own. Taking a spot on a log that has been cut just for this purpose to hold bottoms up off the ground.

"Would you like some tea?" She doesn't wait for my answer already leaning down, taking a mug from a container by her feet. There is castiron teapot that's set off to the side as if just waiting to pour out its contents to visitors.

"I would love some, thank you, Elska." She drops a metal ball into my cup, before pouring the steaming water over it. A blushing pink starts to swirl out of the steel ball that holds the dried leaves of what the tea is made from.

When she holds out the cup, taking it by the handle, the vapor tells me it holds, rosehip, mint, and raspberry. Letting the tea infuse for a few minutes before drinking it. Looking around, wood racks have been set up, a single rabbit hide is stretching out on it in the heating sun. It seems wet like oil has been applied to the side that has no fur.

A female comes to stand near Elska's fire, Elska lifts her nose up, "Milda," Elska says under her breath with a cringe to her face she doesn't hide. With Elska you understand exactly what she has to say without the use of words.

Disgust, that's what she's saying about this female who is standing there looking at Elska. Her face reads the same thing back, disgust. My teeth flash to the female whose face now becomes neutral.

"Elska, I thought about your trade, and I agree to the terms." The female looks slightly defeated.

"I thought you might agree, payment to be made at my home once we arrive back in the winter grounds."

"Agreed." The female walks away from the fire muttering to herself.

"What did you agree on, Elska?"

"She can't sew, poor skill level on that one. She leaves to many gaps in the seems in her mate's winter boots. His feet almost froze solid the first year they mated when his mother stopped making him his boots. I will sew the boots, but she has to bring me a winter supply of blueberries and raspberries. That way I don't have to carry it all back, and I don't have to sweat in the bug-infested bush picking berry after berry all day long." Elska sips her tea with a smile.