The Ascent

"The sun hasn’t even cleared the eastern ridge. And if I’m late, what does that make you?"

*Say something you think will fit*

Kaelen sat on his bed, his head pressed into his hands, watching the sunrise through his angled window, which had frosted over. Again. The pale light bled through the crust of the ice, painting his small room in shades of gold and white. The crisp morning air was harsher than usual, and it already made his lungs ache. His head was throbbing and his eyes begged for rest. He sighed, rubbing his temples, he had not gotten nearly enough sleep, and he knew this morning’s hunt would be hard on him.

Although Kaelen had lived atop the frost covered mountains of Sorriven his whole life, the cold still managed to find a way to steal his rest, creeping into his bones no matter how tightly he wrapped himself in furs. The other villagers didn’t seem to have the same sensitivity to the cold that he did, and occasionally he doubted that he was born in the right tribe.

He pulled his head out of his hands, reaching below the elevated wood platform to find his fitted elk hide that he had stashed there the night before. He stood up, pulling it over his parka, feeling the extra warmth hug him. He strode over to the door reaching for his fur lined moccasins, bending down to pack in extra grass, that he had collected the previous day, for insulation. His intricately carved, wooden bow rested near the doorway beside his beaten down quiver, holding flint arrows, both were treasured gifts from his father.

“Why did we agree to complete the hunt today?"

"We clearly haven’t learned enough from accompanying our fathers. If we had just practiced tracking for a few more weeks, days, even, we wouldn’t have caused that deer such a brutal end. It was my fault. My fingers froze.”

“Kaelen! You’re late.”

"Early means warm meat before nightfall, my friend,”

"You look absolutely awful, Kaelen. Did you even get sleep?”

You’re late Kaelen,“Your hair isn’t even tied back yet; you’re a pitiful excuse for a hunter.”

“Are you serious? You didn’t sleep? This isn’t just another practice hunt Kaelen; this is our chance to prove ourselves. This is our first hunt without supervision. You’re going to mess it up for everyone.”

“Don’t you think you’re taking this out of hand Yorin?”

"My mother says that the first hunt is only successful if the mountain thinks your ready. If our hunt ends in failure, you cant just blame it on Kaelen. The burden of this hunt rests on all of us.”

"You have learned how to hunt. Now you will learn what it means to return. The mountains do not care how strong you are. They do not care who is the fastest or who carries the largest weapon. It rewards those who are patient and punishes those who are carless. Listen to each other. The strongest hunter is not the one who walks alone.”

heard about the stray arrow, Taven," "Your fingers froze. It happens to every young man when the deep freeze sets in. But you didn't panic, and you didn't run home. You stayed to help drag the meat back."