Icebound

Chapter 5

"Who's there?" The voice repeated insistently when Anyu did not answer right away.

She stayed frozen in place, unsure of how to respond. The best option would have been to sneak away before he'd noticed her, but it was too late for that. She supposed she could still leave without saying a word, but then what was to stop whatever malevolent spirit this was from following her? After all, its voice sounded human enough, but she knew enough of the deceptions and tricks of spirits to not be fooled. Perhaps ignoring it would incur its wrath.

Anyu silently cursed herself for being so careless.

"Hello? Anyone? I'm getting older over here."

Taking a deep breath, Anyu moved a couple feet closer to it.

"I'm Anyu of the Nenet tribe," she said, pride saturating her voice in spite of her fear. "Who are you?"

He whistled, impressed. "Nenet, huh?" He said. " You're certainly a long way from home. Don't tell me you came all this way just for little old me?"

"What? No, I-" Anyu cut herself off, frowning. This conversation was not going in the direction that she had expected. "Who are you?" She repeated.

He let out a laugh, as if her question was an exceptionally funny joke. The sound of metal upon metal began again as his shoulders shook, much louder and clearer than before. Now Anyu was certain. This figure, whoever he was, really was chained down. It didn't exactly warm her to him.

"Why don't you tell me who you really are and why you're here, so that we can move past this charade, hm?" He asked. "And why don't you throw in who sent you, for the sake of efficiency."

Anyu, past feeling perplexed, felt her anger rising. Did this bastard dare suggest that she wasn't a true Nenet? Anyu had never been so insulted in her life.

"I am who I say I am, fiend!" She shot back. "Now why don't you tell me who you really are?"

He didn't answer right away. Anyu couldn't see his expression in the darkness, but she did see the outline of his head tilt to the side, as if confused.

"My name is Kano, if you truly don't know." He finally answered. His tone seemed more sobered and serious than before. "I apologize if I offended you earlier. Please, what brings you here?"

Anyu was just as wary of his politeness as his teasing, perhaps even more so. Nevertheless, she answered his question.

"A blizzard forced me off course, and now I'm in unfamiliar land." She said. "I was about to freeze to death so I came in here for shelter."

Kano's chains rattled as he leaned forward. "So what you're saying is," He said. "You're lost."

"Yes."

"And you need to find a way back to Nenet territory."

"Obviously."

"So you need a guide."

"Yes. Wait-"

"Perfect!" He exclaimed, cutting her off. "I'd be happy to lend you my services."