Icebound

Chapter 33

Anyu took another step. She was almost out, almost back in open air. She had not been in Yahal for long at all- only an hour, perhaps, a mere blink to the indwellers who had wallowed in this prison for eons. Still, stepping out from those depths and into the brisk air and clear daylight of the above world felt like breathing free for the first time.

The bindingness of it was the first thing to hit her. The sun was at its zenith in the sky, and the whiteness of the snow and ice all around only magnified the brightness.

She blinked until her eyes were able to open properly and see the scene before her. The other indwellers were spreading out along the mountain top already. There were so many of them. They looked so strange out here in the snow, even more so than they had down in the chasm. Their very presence was incongruous with the tundra, as if the snow itself knew that they didn't belong.

But Anyu wasn't searching for the summer indwellers. Her eyes sought Kano and Tavra, Sakari and Siku, Shesh. Any of them. But they weren't here. Panic began to well up in Anyu's chest.

Her right hand began to heat up, and this time she knew that it was not just her fear.

Anyu wandered forward on the mountaintop, desperately searching for some kind of clue, for anything. Eventually, she spotted a group of indwellers crowded around something, forming a loose circle. Anyu's heart faltered. She shoved through them until she was standing in the middle of the circle. Inside, Shesh lay on his side, unmoving. His fur was coated in frost, his antlers dripping with icicles.

Anyu dropped to her knees and placed her right hand on his flank. Cold. Empty. No blood running through his veins. Anyu felt the tears welling up and couldn't stop them, even as they froze on her cheeks.

"No," she murmured to herself. No. Shesh couldn't be dead. They had been through too much together for him to die like this, all alone and afraid in a strange place. It's my fault, Anyu thought miserably. I never should have agreed to come on this quest. If I'd just insisted on going home right away, Shesh would be alive right now.

The other indwellers stayed back, but looked on curiously, as if the sight of death truly fascinated them. Anyu didn't have the heart to tell them to leave them alone. She didn't have the heart to do anything, except sit there and grieve by herself.

She continued to pat Shesh's side, like she always did, ever since he was just a calf walking on gangly, shaking legs. She didn't know what else to do. She didn't know what to do next, and she didn't want to think about it. All she wanted was to mourn her friend in silence.

Anyu felt a hand on her shoulder and turned. Igni had entered the circle behind her. The frightening mask no longer disturbed her, and she watched numbly as he sat beside Shesh's body.

He took off his mask. His face was human, surprisingly, a square, tanned face and wide forehead. His eyes were a bright, clear green. Anyu was so startled by the color she stopped short for a moment- she had seen green before, yes, but never in so bright and vibrant a shade. What other colors were there, she wondered, that she had yet to know?

Then he opened his mouth. Inside were rows upon rows of sharp, pointed teeth in a wet, red maw. Anyu recoiled instinctively. Igni didn't pay attention to her reaction. He reached a hand into his mouth and with one sharp tug, pulled out a tooth.

The tooth that he used on my wrist, Anyu realized numbly. As she watched, he crushed it in his hand and sprinkled the dust onto Shesh's forehead.

For a moment, nothing happened. Anyu felt like she was teetering on the edge of a cliff, waiting to see whether the wind would push her to safety or send her tumbling. Then Shesh made a noise and moved his head. His heavy chest started moving as he began to breathe once more. By the time he had opened his eyes, Anyu had already crushed him into a hug, laughing out loud.