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2304 Words
Two cold blue, glassy eyes like ice reflected in his eyes and immediately two huge paws knocked him to the ground, while the breath hit him in the face.
-Silver !! he heard his mother from somewhere behind him and her voice, which was usually the only thing that calmed him, disappeared somewhere in the background of time and space. In a split second, a penetrating pain and inhuman pressure seemed to split his head and open his mind, and the last thing he saw were the long fangs and the cascading mouth of the beast that was already pounding him to the ground.
Silver awakened in a cold sweat and trembling. That dream still had this effect it seemed. And he hated it so much, it was the only thing he couldn't control. Standing in the back, in his bed, he tried to push somewhere in the depths of his mind the images of a Silver child, in the clutches of the "ice killer". Becoming aware of the environment, he quickly locates his clothes and throws himself into the cold water that cascaded down the wall of his room. Oooo ... this awakens mindfulness.
He washed himself with cool water that awakened all his senses and headed for the round mirror on the wall. From that mirror, he is confronted by the face of a young man, almost 18 years old, with fine white skin and penetrating blue eyes, vivid and clear as ocean water.
On the right, a strand of long black hair that was covering half of his face, hiding it, dark black like the night. He had his father's hair, a black with shades of blue, quite rare in the world of shadows. He was such a handsome young man, almost unreally beautiful for this world. Slowly, he raised his right hand and he realized that this was exactly his mother's gesture. They had this in common. He raised his right hand and set aside a strand of hair, pulling it back to release the face he was looking at in the mirror.
Above the temple and up to the eyelid of his right eye, four claws were marked like a tattoo on his skin. shaping his face. He remembered the pain he felt when the tiger tried to tear him apart with his strong claws. He was just a child. His heart stopped and those blue, cold eyes ... followed by the feeling of the skull opening ... Silver shook his head in an attempt to drive away the images he deeply disliked and threw cold water on his face once more. He had seen those eyes a long time after that hunting, in countless nightmares that were waking up most of the nights, making him scream so laud that he was awakening all the palace.
He smiled looking sad. He was so young back then... He put on his shirt and pants and put on his boots, getting ready to go out. He returned to the mirror, looking back at the face who was still there, still the same as always. He put his mask on his face and pulled his long hair back in a ponytail, covering it with the black hood of the cloak he put on his shirt.
He went out of the city, getting close to the houses of the guests, built just close to the second defense wall. He reached a simple house, with two large windows up on the first floor, where he saw them closed.
She must be sleeping, he said to himself smiling. There was another window close to the door, but the curtains were on and there was nothing you could see inside. Lazy young girl! Just like a princess... only that she was no princess here...
Knock!
knock!
-Come on, wake up, come on into the woods, are you alive?
Knock!
knock!
Silver was such a morning person, gods, please, have mercy! Senere woke up alarmed, she rushed and opened the door, grabbing him and pulling him inside the house, then closing the door fast behind him.
-Good morning! You don't sleep at night? Senere opened the door sleep deprived, in night clothes, rubbing her eyes and looking so adorable and upset at the same time. A delightful sight, like a child with pink cheeks - a sleeping rose.
-Yes, I sleep just like you do, but I also wake up early. What did you do last night? Could not sleep??
-I also woke up early but... but it's like I'm thinking about sleeping a little more... And you're so fresh this morning... I'm ashamed... Kale and Anterim already left for work and I did not wake up... yet... uuuffff...
-Come on, leave the shame aside, there is no use for it. Come, you need to put some decent clothes on, we are going out. Come on, he pushed her towards the stairs, sending her to get dressed. Today we are looking for resources in the forest.
-Resources? For what?
-For survival. Today you have the test.
-Test? Today? Nooo, I hate tests... It's one of those moments you prepare for when you get in front of the exam you do almost nothing... damn...
-Well, if you prepare, how do you do nothing?
-Well, your emotions...
-What emotions?
-Just... emotions? The emotions that you don't do anything well, that you will fail the exam, that no one sees you in a state of anything, that you can't...
-Those are not emotions.
-Yes! Of course they are!
-You are wrong. You feel emotions when you are scared, when you are angry, when you are happy or sad. That you will not do well and you will not take the test, these are just thoughts that prevent you from doing what you set out to do. You should work on this a little bit, do things that will help you, not hinder you...
-Hmmm... so I should dress you say...
-Ummm... Silver looked like he was measuring her thinking about her words... Yes, you would need to get dressed because the bears don't like sleeping beauties... they eat them alive... And a smile just spread from ear to ear on his face.
-Give me a little time, and I'll be down in a few.
She went upstairs to get dressed while Silver took the time and made some tea and spread some jam on two slices of bread for her. When she came back down, she was ready to go to the woods, like a serious pupil. He smiled at her again.
For the first time, Senere did not laugh with him but stared at his face...
-Do you ever take it off? She asked him.
He lost his smile, sustaining her look.
-I do. When I sleep.
-Why are you hiding your face?
-So they don't recognize me.
-They who?
-People that know how do I look.
-Can I see?
-What do you want to see?
-What are you hiding?
-You can see it before you will die.
Senere felt the threat in the tone and the choice of Silver's words. She felt the cold in the tone of his voice freezing her bones to the marrow of her spine. She felt the danger right into her mind, her soul, and the depth of her body. It was clear that he did not want to share that with her. Maybe later.
She backed down, almost bowing, intimidated by his simple imposing presence and penetrating eyes that were shining lightning behind his silver mask. His eyes were beautiful, moving like waters, unlike the people she always saw, with a dull color in the eyes, fixed gaze. His eyes were magically colored as if the sea within them was moving in waves, threatening to drawn her.
-I am ready, she said almost whispering intimidated by his appearance at that moment. It felt like danger everywhere around him. She decided on the spot that she will not ask about that mask again.
-Let's go then, he said turning fast and determined like there was nothing else they could do in that place.
They left the house and close the door, leaving a note for the maids, so they do not panic coming home and seeing that she was missing. And then, they headed for the already known road to the forest. He was walking forward, his black bow carved into his spine, it was the most beautiful bow Senere had ever seen. It was a work of art.
With the hood pulled over his head, he advanced like a skillful hunter, leaving no trace, while her footsteps could be heard all over the forest. Silver smiled to himself. Even an elephant would hear them in the distance ...
-Wait for me, please, she said panting behind him, grabbing his arm to slow him down.
He slowed down, and began to walk randomly, without any particular direction in mind, without any plan.
-Where are we going?
-Where we see with our eyes.
-Well, how far can we see with our own eyes?
-Up to the next citadels at the border but don't worry we won't get there ... Breathe ...Calm down. The forest is your friend, and will always be your friend.
-How is the forest our friend?
- It feeds us, gives us shelter. Let's learn how to orient yourself today.
-Yes, how do we do that? Where we are?
-In the forest.
-I see that, but where in the forest?
-Where, it does not matter. Only the end does.
-What is there in the end?
-Home.
-What? What do you mean?
-You are to get home. Look up.
Senere lifted her looks up in the foliage of the forest because she could not see the sky from where they were. There were only leaves, moving in the wind blowing through the branches, making them sing.
-Check out where the light of the sun comes down, where the rays of light fall, and in which part they shine. The capital is in the east from here. Do you know how to find the cardinal points?
-Ummm... me? alone? No! You will not leave me here! Please!
-The sun travels from the east to the west and at noon the light will fall above your head. Now you need to head to the east and I will be waiting there with the food.
-No! I can not do it!
-Try it. Here, take this, Silver handed her a knife.
-Wait! Am I in danger here?
-Let's hope you won't meet that bear, friend of yours...hehehe...
Senere looked at him terrified. He sighed deeply, realizing that she did not understand his joke.
-Look over here, he asked her to come closer to him and watch the direction he was pointing towards.
-This is moss. It only shows us the north. It is guiding us in the forests. So this will help you not to get lost and always keep your way right. It helps you, you understand?
-Yes. I understand
-Good. Then you are ready..
Silver laughed, looking at her, while she really looked scared. She really thought she was not ready. Moon thought the same. He still needed to check. So he decided to do it today. So they will find out for sure.
-There is nothing you can not handle. Trust me. I'll see you there.
Without saying another word, Silver disappeared and Senere was trapped in the middle of the forest. she could not move with fear because no one had ever learned her cardinal points, and she had never followed them because no one had put her in this situation before.
She stood motionless like a statue in the middle of the forest waiting ... she didn't know what either. So take a deep breath to calm down and look up at the trees guarding the forest. The sun was shining and the light could be seen falling from above ... as Silver said? "at noon the light will fall above your head".
It was noon alright. After her calculation too and the sun was shining just as he said. The sun was shining and the light could be seen falling from above ... through the foliage, without any angle to make her understand where she had to go. So he began to orient himself a little around.
Silver left her the knife... what would she do with it? Maybe some wild animals were around and she needed to protect herself.
She searched the bushes and to her surprise, found berries in them. Wow, that's not what she expected. She had eaten more berries when Moon once brought them to him, and now he had even recognized them. So that's how they grew up ... Good to know ...
She began to gather in the scarf she had learned from Moon to always have at hand for exactly such cases, all the berries she could find. Then she tied the scarf and could see that the rays of light coming from above were already falling at an angle through the trees. So he said ... east ... the sun is traveling west now ...good. So she should head towards... there. She hoped she had chosen the right path and took the path that seemed more open, more accessible to her. Precisely people go there. That must be a good path to walk on towards the capital. She hoped and went some way, maybe an hour ... maybe two ... because she couldn't remember exactly how long it took them both to get to the place where Silver had left her. What is certain is that it seemed to her that she was no longer coming out of the forest. The farther she went, the more she sank into the forest.
- Writer
