The fog was heavy and low to the ground as Kendra stepped outside, keeping her movements stealthy so as not to waken her family. Nols, the dog, ran up to greet her, and Kendra quickly offered him the bone she had brought to keep him quiet. Across the way, Kendra could barely make out old Elbert. He was supposed to be keeping watch, but she could tell that he was fast asleep, propped up against the pig sty. She drew her cloak tight against the chill of the early morning air and began walking briskly. Only moments later, though, Kendra’s chest fell as she heard the tell tale sound of her three year old brother, Aidan, softly crying her name.

“Aidan, go back inside.” Kendra whispered, harshly, as she shooed at him with her hand.

Aidan’s face screwed up, signaling the immanent arrival of a temper tantrum, and Kendra heaved a sigh of capitulation. It was either take him with her, or give up her chance to go at all.

“Aidan, you have to do what I tell you to do,” she hissed, as she grabbed him by his shoulder, noticing that his shoes were on the wrong feet, “Or I won’t take you to see the kittens later.”

************************************************************************

The fog still hadn’t lifted by the time that Kendra and Aidan reached the banks of the river. She worried that Osric wouldn’t let her practice as she directed her little brother towards a cluster of rocks nearby, instructing him to play quietly.

Her excitement knew no bounds as she rushed over to the small fishing hut and pushed open the door.

“Osric, I’m ready.” she declared.

Osric was seventeen to her fifteen, but, out of all the boys in their settlement, he was the only one that didn’t treat her as if she were just a silly girl.

Continue reading →