The snow crackled on every step taken. I could feel the tingle of frostbite. We wondered further but a swift hard breeze pushed us back. Julian yelled and fell, with that same action his scarf was ripped off by the wind like a lion hacking at its prey. The undergoing storm whipped the gelid blaze around us. We were forced to slow and crouch down many times because we simply lost the sensation of feeling. Hypothermia? The storm changed its mind temperamentally, swinging one way, then the other. Unpredictability became predictable.
The gale ‘s howling pulsated loudly. The song was sung, but the final cadence refused to conclude. Forage was scarce for many moons. The sunrise reminded me of the need to feed, as anyone. The simple thought was abruptly erased, as vague sounds suggested movement. But not the usual slaps on water that suggest food. My slim eyes widened and everything seemed to slow down. I crawled backwards but the forte noises advanced. Danger. Something moved again. I stood to intimidate the now close creature equipped with destructive means and unhealthy thoughts. It didn’t budge so I was left without alternative measure, my instinct supported the urge. Kill or be killed.
After what seemed to be days of walking in the dry, icy, cold tundra, something seemed to appear in the misty snow. A scream and a thud. We attempted to squint to make out what was happening, unfortunately without effect. As I ran towards where we thought the sound came from, we seemed exert what little energy we managed to conserve. The whole world became blurry, as if we had stood up too fast. A savage tearing had set off not too far away. We halted, with our hearts in our mouths due to the site that we beheld. A thin dark steaming flow of crimson substance suddenly came into view. Fresh Blood.
The wind took an awkward break and the sweet aroma of gore took control. I hacked ferociously at the corpse with excitement. The sweet irony of the predator becoming prey, was only a side thought…
The storm’s noise seemed to have stopped and silence overwhelmed all.
A creaking came from behind. We dared not to look. We froze. Julian glanced at me with wide eyes. Someone shouted superfluously, as we had no inclination to compromise our position; the author behind the bloody stream was yet to be determined. But where was the other side to the argument? The vociferous shouts became more frequent, but no motion was perceived. The chance that the source of these shouts being the assailant slimmed, so the obvious choice became apparent. Half of the hurried words were muffled, and we (or rather I) decided to follow it. As we approached, the man pointed to another blurry sight. All I could see were the vague outlines of a poorly constructed igloo. A grave realisation hit me, as I saw the poorly dug heaps with tilted crosses on them behind him. Graves... Our minds wandered, and in moments we tried to conjure up what could’ve happened, but to no avail. The wind started to howl again and things seemed to settle down, but only relatively so. Can we trust him? The truth was… we didn’t know, and fatigue had already made that choice for us. We slowly pushed away the snow from the entrance and steadily crept in. The entrance barely held in itself, someone might’ve tried to hurry out and it took its toll on the structure. The still warm and glowing ashes were half-scattered across the cramped floor. The precious moments of quiet rest were welcome…
The steaming carcass created a perfume that attracted many brethren. This was no surprise to me, as we all knew there was only one moon till midwinter. One lunar beat before our slumber. Merely One more moon to store whatever sustenance we could. The cycle. After finishing the rough warm meats off the plate, my mind set still hadn’t changed. Still charged, but now with more energy at my disposal. I crawled with lust and hunger with red life on my jaw and paws. Quietly I eyed my simple prey as it was simply squeezing a hunk of snowy ice. For what reason I did not know. I did not care. The luxurious opportunity was upon me. One more.
“ROHHWAAR” The outcry was followed by a thunderous thud. I shook and instantly felt my heart pounding in my ears. I turned in hasty terror. The already dark side of the igloo gained a rosy shimmer. Slowly the pale red aura found its way down. My stomach bulged and turned. The ice shield stifled the clamorous echoes behind. The dark side of the edifice vanished and pink life shone in. I almost threw up as panic, on a level I never knew was possible, struck. After what seemed like an anxious eternity, Julian decided to try to escape this madness. My racing mind could not keep up with the growls and violence. Either excessive consternation got the best of him, or his bravery exceeded mine. I could see his faint silhouette on the far side of the igloo. An anxious drop of sweat trickled its way down my face, taking a superfluous amount of time. Another thud but no scream… I had trouble sanding up, the ice was like a glue to anything alive. Trying to dig my way out the entrance is no easy task; I took my gloves off to make my hands more effective. But the ice had become slippery because of my hands heating it. The irony… The storm swirled with heavy gusts of snow-packed wind. Nothing could survive this, no-one. This was no place for man. Blurred contours approached the translucent frost structure and banged, hard. Ruptures and crushed ice domed all around, the igloo was failing. I squirmed backwards to where the construction seemed strongest. The feeling of complete helplessness hit me, and the contraption crumbled. New and miasmic air crisped my cheeks. Exhaustion prevented me from tilting my head. I was acutely dizzy. A familiar yet mesmerising shape moved around and grew. I felt a searing pain on from the left as the world slanted to the right. Silent darkness followed.