Landsbyen -Into the North- An Epic Poem 4

His reverie ended as he was brought back to reality when he stepped into a patch of deep fresh snow and promptly fell face down in a hollow on the leeward side of a boulder. He was not angry. In truth he was quite relieved as he started digging a tunnel in the snow. At length when he neared the stone he found a rather roomy cavity where he proceeded to seal the snow like cauterizing a vein. He removed his gloves and rubbed his hands slowly together feeling the power within him rise from his chest, through his arms, causing his hands to warm and begin to glow with a bright white light. He moved his palms along the snow on the inside of his makeshift igloo and the snow turned to hard ice, melting and refreezing as he went. After he was satisfied that the walls and roof would not collapse on him, he went about setting aside his shoulder pack and laid out food and a cup. Without the constant wind cutting through his clothing his body soon began to warm itself to the point where he had to remove his outer capes and overcoat. His two capes he laid atop a flat rock from which he carefully brushed the snow to create a bed where he could sleep. He then took the cup, and warming it in his hands, melted clean snow into water to drink with his meal of dried fruits and vegetables. He thought of making a soup but was tired and wanted to rest before having to continue his journey north as his mother had instructed. After quickly eating he bundled his coat under his head and rested on the rock atop the thick, comfortable capes he had laid there. He dreamed. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ In his arms he carried a child, small and gaunt and oh so slim This child he did not know with wistful hair and near frozen skin His weary arms warm around him, though the child's chance at life seemed grim But he would not leave the boy, as before him, he saw a vast expanse of ocean begin ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ He was not sure how long he had slept but awakened with the tune of an old lullaby stuck in his head, sleep, come sleep, come sleep my son, sleep do hasten to my child's... he couldn't remember the rest but he did remember his mother, and perhaps his father as well, sing it to him when he was quite young. It made him smile. He was surprised to find how truly rested he felt for the first time in as long as he could remember. He considered staying in his safe if not comfortable abode a bit longer but ate a quick meal and decided to continue on his journey. He gathered his belongings and donned his coat and capes crawling his way down the narrow tunnel that he had dug. At the entrance, the storm had completely covered the opening, making him dig through two feet of fresh snow to get out. To his relief he found the storm had passed and wind was gone with only an occasional large snowflake falling from the dark gray expanse of the sky above him. Continuing to travel north he walked for many hours before stopping to rest. He rested as he grew weary and ate when hungry, sleeping out in the open under the northern lights as the need arose. Days turned to weeks and he saw nothing but snow until, after a restless sleep, having dreamed his incessant dream once more, he awoke to find a polar bear standing above him. He moved slowly, gently whispering to the bear while not looking into its eyes. The bear snarled lowly baring teeth and rearing on its hind legs. When suddenly, like a flash of lightning, a shape darted past him hurling itself at the mid section of the polar bear. The bear was so startled it turned and ran at full gallop until it had passed completely from sight. Warily he turned to face this new threat and realized it was Sprinteren. He hugged the animal's neck for a long moment and brushed back its hair where soon his majestic antlers would grow long and proud once again. He spoke soft words of thanks to the creature and the animal seemed to understand bowing its head and lowering his eyes with each praise it was given. Sprinteren waited beside him for a moment to accept the pack he carried, but looking thoughtfully at the deer he said, “You carried mother's burdens for so long my friend, you need not carry mine as well, but thank you,” and he started off once more, but this time happy he was not alone.