Iron Rations

Lyall Hound- Family

The thunder outside my window was a loud boom jolting me to my senses. I woke up, panting, and I heard Philip groan loudly, making his bed creak. He sat on top of his bed, his green eyes shining like a cat's, greatly contradicting the night.

"Lyall," he barely stifled a yawn, "what is it?"

Lightning flashed outside as I shuffled slightly on my own bed. We shared a room.

"I can't sleep," I replied plaintively in a seven-year-old voice.

Philip's mouth cracked to a smile. "Always afraid of thunder, eh?"

I buried my head in my blanket and turned away from my brother, facing the window.

"Always the quiet one," Philip muttered loud enough for me to hear. He lied back on his bed, facing the ceiling. "I'm going hunting tomorrow."

"I frowned and pulled off the blanket.”So? You always go hunting. We always go hunting."

"Nah, I'm not going hunting with Dad this time," Philip said proudly. "This time, I'm hunting with Isachar and Shiv. Oh, did Dad tell you he's giving me Shiv?"

"No," I replied, though I felt a pang of longing. I always wanted Shiv. But maybe Dad thought I was too young to have a falcon of my own.

"What about Isachar?' I asked.

"What about him?" Philip asked.

"What's Dad going to do with him?" I asked.

"I dunno, Philip shrugged, burrowing into his blanket.”Dad said he’ll probably get the old dog shot during the winter or something so we have something to eat just in case game is scarce. Don't look surprised; the old dog deserved rest. And so do you," he pointed out. "Go back to sleep, Lyall. The thunder won't kill you; lightning will."

I rolled over to I could face the window. Lightning flashed, followed by thunder. I heard the howl of a lone dog, and the cry of a falcon. Then the unmistakable grinding of metal.

"I'm planning to join them, you know," Philip said drowsily. I didn't bother to turn to him, but I know he knew what my face looked like right now.

"I'm going to join the war-bringers," Philip promised. "I'm going to fight."

___________________________________________________

I snapped awake, and my eyes opened to the forest around me. It took me a moment to realize it was all a dream.

I turned slightly, and saw Yule was fast asleep a good distance from me. I noted parts of her shirt were torn away, revealing the skin underneath, but before I could think too much why, I realized the scraps of fabric acting as bandages around my wounds had been parts of her shirt.

It basically sapped all my energy to stand up, but it was worth it. Shiv appeared, and is now perched on my shoulder. She was worried sick, it was evident.

 My first impulse is to spring to my feet, run and join the wind as it sailed between the trees, but I know I can't leave Yule here. She may be armed with a knife, but somehow, I know I can't leave her here.

I turned to the sky, and saw it was afternoon.

"Lyall?"

I looked down and saw Yule staring at me, her hands sheepishly covering her exposed skin. I looked away as I said, "How was your waiting?"

I couldn't explain Yule's confusion. "What do you mean by waiting?"

I couldn't hold back a smile. "By waiting, I meant getting your thoughts together. Getting rest. Sleeping." I glanced at the sky before turning back to her. 'So what now?"

"What do you mean?" Yule asked.

"Are we still going through with Thom's plan?" I asked. "Trying to find the hero or something?"

Yule made a funny face. "Of course, we are! It's official! Why did you think we won't?"

I scratched the back of my neck awkwardly. "Because Thom's not here?"

Yule stood up clumsily and put her hands on her hips. "Oh, so just because he isn't here we go back to your original plan?"

I took a deep breath. I want to reply, but Shiv's gaze seemed to say not to. I decided to listen to her. I turned away from Yule as I said, "fine. I'll think about it. But first, we have to focus on finding your brother."

"And Thom," Yule volunteered.

"Yeah, the... instructor too," I said through gritted teeth. I don't see why Yule had to even think of Thom. Sure, Thom is a much better leader than I am, much smarter (he could read) and is richer, but still, I think she's thinking too much about him. Unless she likes him. Somehow, that thought bothered me a little.

"So where do you think the two would end up?" I asked, kneeling down. Shiv flew off. Yule knelt down opposite me.

"I don't think they'll end up in any specific location," said Yule. "James isn't good in navigating. I doubt Thom is."

"They won't end up in the village," I replied. "Any being with a brain won't go back after he almost got killed."

Yule nodded. "Right. So...what's your plan?" her sheepish grin indicated she was merely steering me to get an idea.

I frowned. "Maybe they'll end up in a place we stayed?"

I shrugged and looked around. I realized I don't know this part of the woods. Unlike the familiar grounds where the trees were leafless, the brooks half-frozen, everything shouted "freezing to death", this part of the woods had some slight life to it. The trees looked stronger than the skinny ones I’m used to. There were spider webs. And this place was obviously disturbed.

I sprang to my feet and examined it. A print.

It must've been weeks old, by the looks of it, but it was well-marked, carving a soldier's boot print on the ground.

"What is it?"

Yule clumsily walked over to my side and examined the boot print.

"They’ve passed this place," I muttered. But Yule shook her head. "I don't think so. I mean, if they've been here, shouldn't there be other prints?"

Maybe she's right. But I still looked around for other signs, and decided if there were, they must've been brushed off, hidden or something. But why leave one boot print if they could finish the job? Unless they want us to find them. Then the print...it could lead to a trap.

I turned to Yule, who was hastily buttoning her fur coat.

"Get everything you need," I said. "We're going."

"Why?"

I stared straight into Yule's eyes as I said, "we're going to find your brother and Thom."

It was a lie of course. I'm getting us moving because I know it's possible we are being watched right now. I don't why we are being watched, if we are, but that doesn't really matter. We have to get out of here. I feel guilty lying to Yule, but I don’t want to make her paranoid. That would slow us down.

Yule believed my reason. "Okay. But can we eat as we go along?"

I wasn't really hungry, but maybe Yule is.

"Yeah, we could probably stop by a stream or something and catch some fish."

As we went on our way (I already cleared most traces of our stay there in case we are being tailed), I whistled a three-note tune. I hope Shiv heard it. If she did, she'd follow us.

"Lyall?"

I turned back to Yule. She looked so out of place in the woods, her red hair too fiery for the snow, eyes too warm for the cold. It was like seeing a fish out of water. All wrong.

"C'mon."

I took her arm, and began to lead her through a thicket, not on the hunter's path. I already know where we're going.