Running • Iggy

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WINTER

It had been a month since we left the wolf cave. Nothing had really changed since then, me and Iggy were back to just being us. We taught Future how to fly, but I carried her most of the time. We were meant to go back to my family 3 weeks ago, but we decided to play it safe. It was now late November or early December, and I could see the first few flakes of snow begin the float down from around our flock. We were about 4 hours from the city my family resided in, but we would most likely have to stay and wait in a cave with our luck. I found myself glancing at Max, who seemed conflicted. We could keep flying and possibly risk not having a place to take shelter if the snow became heavy, or we could stop and possibly get sick from the cold.

"You're the boss!" I called over the wind, tucking Future tighter against my chest. I had loosened my backpack straps just enough to fit Future between me and my chest tightly, like a baby carrier. I had also sown a piece of fabric on the back of the bag so it worked just like a baby carrier, straps going between her legs and separating around her head to stop her from slipping out the bottom. "Keep going until it's moderately heavy." Max decided. I nodded slightly, swooping back so I was level with Nudge. She began talking about a style of clothing she had seen in the shops in a city a few days' flight from here, but I wasn't listening. It was early December by now, which meant Christmas season. I loved Christmas season. I wasn't even too fond of the presents, it was the whole atmosphere. Everyone was happier on Christmas.

I didn't realize how heavy the snow had gotten until Max yelled for us to get to the floor. It was hard to see through all the white, but all of us managed to land fairly well. Future was fast asleep against my chest, her long, beautiful strawberry blonde hair covered in small snowflakes. We were in a massive forest that looked like something out of a winter wonderland. I gently steadied Iggy as he landed, but took my hand away from him as quickly as I could.

That was the way it had been the past month. I would refuse to touch him longer than I had to, I wouldn't cuddle him or hold his hand anymore. The most I would do was help him change the bandages over his eyes. I had shut myself off again, refusing to show emotions. I could feel them building up inside me the way they had before, but I distracted myself by looking after the 4 younger flock members.

I spotted a big dent in a mountain ahead, A cave that looked like a circle cut so only 2/3rds remained, it faced away from the snow and wind, so I decided it was the most logical place to stay. "Max," I said as I pointed towards the cave. She nodded in agreement, taking Iggy's arm as we all walked to the cave.

"I'm so cold." Nudge pouted, sitting down at the back of the cave, swinging her backpack to the floor. "Aren't we all?" Fang said dryly, opening his backpack and lifting out some cans of food. I gently pulled a blanket out of my bag and wrapped it around Future, rolling up a jacket and resting her head on it like a pillow. I set down my own bag and turned back to the snowy forest. "I'll go find something for a fire." I decided, watching as everyone's expression shifted into ones of weariness. "Are you insane?" Fang asked slowly. "Would you like to freeze?"

"Would you like to freeze? If we don't get stuff to burn, we'll all get sick." I fired back, wrapping my wings around my body. "I'll be fine." I said, walking out of the cave before anyone else could protest, neatly sliding down the small snowy hill.

I wandered around the white wasteland, picking up the wood that had been sheltered from the snow by trees as I walked, using my wings like an umbrella to stop the wood from getting wet. I ignored the painful shiver that rolled through my body like waves, crashing against my over-sensitive nerves. When I had enough for a fire to last us, I made my way back. I set the wood in the middle of the cave, shaking the snow off my wings and hair.