Icebound

Chapter 2

The Ijiraq walked several feet ahead of her. Anyu kept her spear and her eyes trained on its icy back. She had made it clear to the creature that unless it wanted a spear through the back it would walk at a slow pace. The wind was beginning to pick up again. The icy breeze lifted the snow off of the ground, blowing it through the air in a billowing torrent of white dust. Anyu tried to use her left hand to shield her eyes from the elements, but her eyes still watered. Her vision was becoming blurry, and it took every ounce of concentration for her not to blink. If her eyes shut or wandered for even a split second, the Ijiraq and Anyu's only way out of this wilderness, would vanish.

Her survival depended on her ability to keep her eyes on the creature.

It stopped walking. Anyu brought Shesh to an abrupt halt, just a couple feet behind it.

"I didn't tell you to stop walking," Anyu said. She raised her spear arm slightly, her muscles tense.

The Ijiraq turned to look at her. It's petrifying face looked overcome with genuine fear. "It is coming," It said slowly. "It is coming this way. Please, you must turn the other way!"

Anyu narrowed her eyes. All of the stories that her grandmother had told her of the Ijiraq's tricks and deceptions reverberated in her ears. Clearly the creature was trying to talk its way out of its obligation to her.

"My command remains the same," Anyu said. "Lead me home."

The Ijiraq cringed and shuddered, as if it was physically pained by her words, but it obediently turned and continued to trudge through the snow in the same direction. It's beautiful eyes kept glancing back and forth, as if it expected some sort of attack.

Anyu watched the landscape go by in her periphery. The large hunks of ice scattered around were becoming farther apart and smaller. The biting chill in the air hit her face and eyes with less force. She longed to turn her face upwards to try and read the stars, but she forced herself to resist. If she did so, she would be lost forever.

The Ijiraq suddenly stumbled forward, catching itself on its hands and knees.

"What is it?" Anyu barked. "Get up and-"

Quick as a flash, an icy hand scooped up a handful of snow and flung it with deadly aim at Anyu's face. She yelled out in pain as the snow hit her eyes, forcing her to shut them momentarily. Her eyes felt raw and numb, and she tried to rub some feeling back into them. 

With a sinking feeling in her gut, she looked up, already knowing what she would find: an empty tundra, devoid of all life, blurred by the snow that was beginning to melt against her warm skin.