Steps in the Snow

It was undeniably dark when she opened her eyes. She could barely see Bayard’s hair in front of her as she perched on his back. 4 miles in, she became too exhausted.

“Where are we?” she asked with a groggy tone.

“We are in the woods.”

“What woods?”

“The woods of Tenebria”

The young one’s eyes widened. She had heard of this place sitting across the fireplace as she begged to be terrified by another story from Kaveh. Tenebria was a sinister creature, with a face of a barn owl, the claws of a harpy, the wings of a bat, the legs of a lion, and a terrifying scaly tail to boot. She knew about how she once was a young woman with a shop and a handsome son whom she adored with every fiber of her being. But when war broke out, and they sent her off, she never heard from him again. She died waiting for him. The only reason she had to live was gone. Before she died, she vowed to curse every nobleman and soldier in the village, condemning them to her wrath for letting her son walk into battle and never return. A sad tale, that was. Bayard felt how tense the child became and sang a small shanty.

“I am not far but cannot see

The world is in front of me..

For I must use the stars up high

To guide me and my naked eye…”

Hearing the soft baritone voice of her companion, Nika calmed down slightly, but she knew to still be ever so cautious of her surroundings.

“I came so far yet traveled none,,

The mountains fade to gray..

As I continue on my trek,

To find my happy daze…”

Nika soon became bored with singing and walking. She needed to stretch her legs and feel the earth beneath her feet, only for a little while.

“My legs are cramping,” she whined. Bayard only grunted and kept moving, shrugging her off, knowing that if he let her down, she would be more trouble than she already is to him. The deep echoes of his footsteps were the only thing ringing in her ears, other than the deathly silence of the woods.

Suddenly, she saw movement in the corner of her eye. She tugged on the white hairs around Bayard’s neck.

“I saw something move..!” she muttered in a scared tone. It seemed like he was in too much of a song to listen to. Instead, she became disregarded. To this, she groaned in frustration and pulled harder.

“Bayard!” she whispered louder. “There is something here-” The surrounding air stood still.

“Why look at this...Another morsel for me to hunt? A hunter like you isn’t so stupid to explore my neck of the woods.” a sinister voice whispered in their minds. Slithering in like an earworm, embedding itself into their brains as if that was the only thing they have ever heard. The pair looked around them, eyes poised to do anything and everything with movement, shoulders stiffened as if to mimic the tree trunks surrounding them.

The first thing they saw…

Was the face a barn owl?

It was Tenebria herself. A cloak covers the entirety of her body even though all who have heard her story know what is underneath. She stalked closer to the pair. Bayard immediately brandished his ax.

“We are merely passing through, creature.” He snarled.

‘Does anyone else want to pet her?’

‘Only you. IDIOT.’

‘None of this is helping our situation, you two realize that, right?’

Nika couldn't even respond to them. She froze in fear. Staring into the eyes that have seen and caused death was too much for her. All she could do was hold on to Bayard for dear life. She wanted to cry out for Kaveh, to come to get her and take her away. Nika wanted to feel safe again in his arms; she wanted to be home.

“Now, now...is that any way to talk to a deity, soldier?” To this regard, she felt Bayard’s entire being tense up. She knew ‌the creature struck a chord.

“Don't dare speak to me as if you know who I am. Let us pass, foul thing!” he roared angrily which only made Nika whimper.

“Kaveh...I'm scared...I want Kaveh.” she pleaded. Tenebria finally notices the small child, stretching over to see her. She glances into the innocent eyes of the girl and almost deflates. She remembers her own young one.

“I see..Very well then. You shall pass through. For now. I shall wait till the young one is older to exact my wrath.” With a beat of her wings, an artificial breeze surrounded them and they found themselves on the precipice of the other side. A deep sigh of relief echoed from the man.

“How kind of her to let us go, eh?” Bayard tried to lighten the mood after encountering Tenebria herself. He was fortunate she could not hear his heartbeat. But Nika was so confused at the soft and hurried thumping sound that she could hear.

~`~

They finally reached the village. Bayard let out a breath, feeling like he was carrying iron weights within his chest. He could see the orphanage up ahead just across from what seemed to be the local apothecary. His small unruly companion explored the village with her large inquisitive eyes, the houses made from sturdy trunks of the trees which used to surround them, tarps used to cover the merchants’ wares in the bazaar, and a road made of cobblestone and dirt. He gave a grunt, one deep from his chest, to signal her to focus. Her eyes met his curiosity, not recognizing the enormous structure in front of her.

An elderly woman came to greet them from beyond the gate, a warm knowing smile graced her face. Her eyes held a sense of sadness.

She let the small child in, giving her the warmest of hugs. The youngins’ brows furrowed in confusion as they separated her from her companion for the past week. As her eyes met his but as soon as they met, he tore away from her gaze.

‘We are being thrown away again’

‘I thought he liked us’

Nika soon realized what her voices were saying and spun to see her only real guide walking away from her. That feeling came back again.

Bayard walked away until he heard a small cry. As he turned, he felt small arms entrap his leg, a death grip that could compare to that of a serpent. He stumbled slightly at the attack. She looked up to him with pleading, watery eyes, eyes that reminded him of so much.

“Please...don’t go. Please take me with you! I’ll be better..”

His resolve crumbled. As they kept this staring contest, he slowly tried to pry her hands away from his leg. As she felt his movement away from her, she cried out once again, her grip never faltering, ignoring their distraught audience. He slowed to a stop once again, looking down at a familiar gaze he was so desperate to avoid.

Once again he let out a lung-filling breath, grumbling to himself like a pacing bear. He stood up straight and gave out a sigh that sounded more like a growl; he held out his hand in welcome. As she understood, her distraught gaze turned one into joy, and clasped his hand tightly.

Bayard soon realized the other reason he was coming into town was for supplies. Knowing that he was inevitably stuck with her, he might as well teach her some things about the world beyond palace walls.

“I need you to go find me these things from my list. If you have trouble, come find me, but try to figure it out yourself first.” He ordered the small child. With an exasperated huff, Nika tried to decipher the writing.

“Bayard, I don’t know some of these words-” She turned, expecting him to be right by her side, instead she found herself in the middle of a crowd of people, going about their business.

‘Look at that, another person has left us

‘He’s ‌tired of us.. again, record time too’

“I-I’m sure he’s looking for us.” She shakes her head in defiance. She could hear the three-toned snickering bounce in her skull.

“Shut up, he wants me.” She tried to advocate for herself, for her worth.

As she continues, she sees the village change, turning into a dim, shallow alleyway that leads to a very weird part of the town. Women were at every corner, albeit beautiful girls, and were very sweet to the surrounding men, with an air of giggles around them as they listened to men speak.

Nika was now feeling the stiff arms of fear wrap around her. She tries to retrace her steps when suddenly a tall, scruffy-looking man appears in front of her; it reminded her of that poor rabid dog that terrorized that family in her own town.

“Aw..it looks like someone’s very…. very…. very lost” the smirk and cynical giggle he threw at her made her feel uneasy. She backs away slowly, as to find a way to escape. The man inches closer and closer to her and she panics.

“Kaveh! BAYARD!” She screams and calls, hoping her voice will lead him to her. The man was quick to grab and muffle her terrified screams. Her mind is racing like a wild horse, ‌ what this man will do to her. He always warned her to stay away from men like him. The man’s clammy hands soaked her tears up.

“Yer a pretty little one ain’tcha? Oh! I’m going to get a pretty penny for you,” he coos into her ear with a malice tone. In a last-ditch effort, she takes a bite out of his skinny finger and he lets go with a yelp of pain.

“You little brat, you!!” She runs as fast as her small legs can take her to the marketplace. Seeing the change of scenery, she felt somewhat safe, but the fact is that she is still in unfamiliar territory. She breaks down and sobs. This is too much for a little one.

Bayard smirks to himself. She will be so scared that he’s not with her.

“Now, to the apothecary.” He enters the small hut, honing his eyes on exactly what he needs. During his perusal, he overhears a man tending to what seemed to be an injured hand, talking to a colleague.

“Damn brat..she would’ve given me a week's worth of food with the money I was going to get for selling her to the whorehouse.” Bayard only rolled his eyes to himself at the grumbling. A despicable human being shouldn’t live as much as one week on the hills of the earth.

“She was a pretty one, though, small, supple, and with a golden eye to boot! I would’ve been rich.” Bayard's eyes grew wide and feral, knowing only one small thing with a golden eye. He prowls at the man and grabs him by the scruff like a small dog.

“Where is the girl?” He snarled. The injured man had a look of disbelief on his face and scoffed. It did nothing but anger the hunter even more so.

“Tell me!! Or I will rip out your eyes and have you walk the woods till you die of fatigue.” The low, gruff voice made the man’s breeches filled with piss. As do all scared, small men do when in trouble.

“I-I don’t know!! She bit my hand and ran off toward the market! Please don’t hurt me!” he pleaded with a pitiful whine, his partner long gone before he could call for help. Bayard knocked him out before turning to run to the market. He felt as if his feet couldn't carry him fast enough until he heard ‌a small cry. He quickly surveyed the crowd, eyes sweeping to find her.

“Nika!? NIKA!” he calls out to her. Soon enough he spots her with a woman and a young boy trying to soothe the wailing child. Bayard gallops to her as their eyes meet one another.

“Nika!” the small girl quickly looks up, her bleary eyes barely making out his figure. But she sees him.

“B-Bayard!”

She tackles his legs, holding him just as she did before. He could feel his trousers become damp from her tears and feel guilty that he left her so abruptly. He smooths the tousled parts of her dark mane and coos encouraging words to her.

“It’s alright..you’re okay. I’m here now.”