The Lunation Trilogy: Winters End

Silence

Asari choked on her last bite. "Leave the valley? These lands?" She thought to herself. What a dream! To see the world, new creatures, new people and other species...

Liviana gently set her spoon down, everyone at the table sat quietly. Not a word was spoken for minutes until finally Liviana cleared her throat and started, "I will visit with the owls again to see if they have any information. We will figure this out, Mama."

Asari wasn't so confident. She recently went on a hunt with the wolves, riding atop of Maxilar, and the pickings were slim. With the ever growing winter, it was hard enough for the animals to provide for themselves, let alone a whole village that didn't stop growing. The fruits were tart and there weren't enough animals around to have a continued supply of meat. The food was tasteless without spices and variety.

"If I may speak freely?" Asari watched for her mama's nod before continuing. "The animals can barely fend for themselves now. They bring what extras they can to our people, but we need to learn how to fend for ourselves better. We are a weak village. No warriors, mages, our basic workers have even grown lazy. When was the last time Zane tried to grow something in the garden, hm?"

Once again the table was silent. Samya rose from her seat, raised her hand, and struck Asari across her face. Asari left her head turned for a moment, letting the sting sink in before lifting her head back up. She scowled at her mama, and refused to make eye contact. "If I ever hear you speak of this village that way again... get your mind out of the clouds, stop dreaming of ways to escape this village and the people that helped raise you. If it weren't for them you wouldn't be alive."

Anger rose deep from within Asari, "Actually Mama, if it weren't for Liviana and me, this village would be a ghost town."

She waited for the next smack to put her back in her seat. Except, it never came. Asari looked up from the table to find Liviana's hand holding their Mama's from making contact.

Pushing her chair back, she ran out of the house.

"Maxilar!" She called.

The grey wolf came running from the woods, diving his head down and throwing her on top of him and continued running. She let him take her wherever he pleased, needing an escape from it all.

The wind stung at her already red cheek. The tears formed, but never fell. They ran passed villagers, loud curses towards them as they pushed outwards. Her fingers gripped into his coarse fur, her face on the back of his neck burying her emotions so no one could see.

He ran fast, cutting through the woods making sure to stay in his packs territory. The trees were dense but dying, slowly opening up to a small clearing. At the edge she could see an abandoned green house. She pointed to it, speaking to Maxilar through the mind link.

"I need to sit and think. Drop me off in there, please."

He did as she asked, but didn't leave her side as she opened and shut the door behind them. The door creaked as she pulled it open, it scraped against the stone flooring encircling the building. She rubbed her hands up and down her arms, her breath visible. Empty beds of dirt that once held life ran along both sides as she walked down. No snow had managed its way in, the glass roof held steady against the winters attack shockingly well.

Asari continued down the rows, walking and thinking. The moonlight shown through the glass where it wasn't covered and she reveled in how it made her skin feel. She grew tired of her mama trying to correct her when she spoke the truth. The people were going to starve if they didn't change. They became lazy with how much help they received from the animals, and not once had they thanked any of the creatures.

As she walked towards the back end, something called to her from the dirt. Not sure what it was, Asari looked closer to the bed, leaning in to see if she could spot anything. Her hands went to touch the dirt but she pulled back.

"If something pops out of this dirt to jump at me and try to eat me, I am going to be so pissed."