Coldwalker

Coldwalker topped the frozen ridge and looked out over the vast expanse of the Moranionn Hills. His hooves crunched in the snow as be began to make his way down. The Arechbelle family followed after him. The matriarch Dianea made up the rear, while her eldest daughter Cierra was right behind Coldwalker, with the youngest son Jacobs in between them. Each one led a donkey laden with goods. They were heading to Loseth, on the other side of this cold and broken land.

Coldwalker's breath rolled out in great clouds of steam. This was the fourth time he had made this journey. It was not a trip he particularly liked to make. The desolate hills were far from the plains of Vyke, where his mares waited beneath the evergreens. But this was his sire's profession. Tradition called on him to carry on his sire's profession, even though such tradition was not meant for the human professions.

"Mr. Coldwalker?" Cierra called out. "The sun is setting. Where shall we stop for the night?"

The centaur looked ahead. "There is a clump of trees down in that valley. We'll camp there."

Cierra called to her mother and told her of Coldwalker's plan. He heard her screech about the distance. It didn't bother him though. She was more interested in getting to Loseth safely than making any real fuss.

The wind began to pick up. This did not worry Coldwalker. The valley would shelter them from most of the chill, and the fire would take care of the rest. Tonight would be an easier night than most.

The quartet picked their way down the frozen hillside. It was slow going. In places, the ground was hard and slick, and Coldwalker and the donkeys had to take it extra slow. Coldwalker took more care than usual. His sire had broken his leg out here, and he had to send his charges on while he lay there and died. That was not going to happen to Coldwalker.

At last the group reached the trees. The orange glow of twilight was falling upon the land, bathing it in rich colour. Coldwalker broke off branches to prepare for a fire, while the Arechbelles laid out the skin for the night.

"How much longer do we have in this land?" Dianea asked Coldwalker as he trotted up with an armful of wood.

He paused and thought. "As many days as it took us to get to this spot, Mrs. Arechbelle. After tonight we cannot go back."

"Well, this is faster than I expected, and I do thank you for that," she said. "But it seems like any time in this land is too long."

Coldwalker chuckled. "That is true, Mrs. Arechbelle. That is true."

They set up camp beneath the tallest tree in the grove. Coldwalker laid the foundation for the fire, just as his sire had taught him to do almost ten years ago. With deliberate care he brought out his tender and coaxed a flame to life. It hissed and spit as it grew bigger. Coldwalker got out the salted pork and began to cook it.

"How are the animals?" he asked Jakob.

"Fine," came the reply

"Scrape the snow away from the ground around them," Coldwalker said. "Uncover whatever grass might be there that would be fit for them to eat."

Jakob nodded and walked off, pulling the coat closer as he left the warmth of the fire.

"We made good time today," We'll ease up tomorrow."

"Why?" Dianea asked. "The faster we move, the faster we leave this desolate place."

"The way ahead is rockier than it has been. Those of us that have four legs need to take it carefully."

Mrs. Arechbelle grumbled but said nothing outright. Coldwalker also said nothing. This was how it had to be. And besides, as much as she was going to pay him, she had the right to grumble a little.

Jakob returned to the fire about the time that the food was ready. Coldwalker handed it out. When they had received their portions, the Arechbelles bowed their heads. Coldwalker did not know which deity they directed their prayers towards, nor did he care. He went ahead and began to eat.

The Arechbelles talked as they ate. They discussed what they would do at the end of the journey and how Dianea hoped to find a friend of hers that would help them settle in at Loseth.

"It has been a few years, but I am still certain she is there, along with her seamstress shop. My hands are not yet too stiff to sew. It will help bring in some extra money."

"If I had to, I could always find a livery stable to work at," Jakobs chimed in.

Coldwalker chuckled. Considering how well the boy treated the donkeys, and Coldwalker himself when the centaur wasn't looking, this came as no surprise.

Ciera gave a thin smile. "You both. I would much rather marry money, rather than work for it." She giggled as she said that. Her mother just shook her head and laughed along.

"I will be back," the Arechbelle matriarch said as she got up and trundled away into the gloom.

Coldwalker smiled a bit. Though he had been around quite a few humans, he never understood why they went alone to relieve themselves. He had no such cares. Mrs. Arechbelle did not look kindly upon him when he chose to do so in the middle of the trail. This greatly amused him, so he did it often, though it was a trivial thing.

Cierra rose up from where she sat and walked over to Coldwalker. She sat down against his flank. Her mother would have raised a fit, but it didn't matter to him. He knew that his body was warm and that, in this land, warmth was a precious thing. If it mattered to others, they could deal with it themselves. Besides, he rather liked speaking with Cierra. To him, she had the most sense out of his charges. Jakob was still too much a foal, and Mrs. Arechbelle too much an old mare.

"Good evening, Cierra," he said.

She laughed. "Don't treat me like a client now. Treat me like a friend. Or do you not have any friends?"

"My kind is not much in the habit of making friends. But, if it would make you happy, I will call you my friend."

She smiled, somewhat pleased with this. "I have always wanted to have a centaur for a friend."

"Oh, why is that?" Coldwalker asked.

"Well, maybe it's because you're both a man and a horse, and since girls have an attraction to both of those, it only makes sense that I would be attracted to both of them when they are combined. And, well, your human half is nice to look at for a girl my age, and your horse half is as good as I've seen, and our father owned a great deal of horses, so I know that sort of thing, and..."

"It seems these reasons aren't so much for centaurs as a whole, but for me."

Cierra paused. She gave a slight nod. "Yes, I suppose so."

Coldwalker brought out a knife and a bit of wood and began to whittle aimlessly, in an attempt to appear nonchalant. "Do you feel that way about me?"

"Yes...I do... I do see you like that. You are young like me, and you are strong and handsome in my eyes."

There was a pause. Coldwalker began to shape the wood into a spoon, carving it out. "You know it would not be like I and my mares. We could not be that close. You would not want that willingly."

"I understand," Cierra said. "But, I would still spend time with you. What I feel is strong."

Coldwalker turned and looked at Cierra. She was fair looking in his eyes. But it was the sense she had, a presence of mind somewhat different from other girls he met, that held his attention.

But he paused. "Your mother should be back by now."

He rose quickly, almost sending Cierra into the snow. Mrs. Arechbelle's footprints went off into the dark night. Coldwalker picked up a piece of wood that was lit at the end for a makeshift torch. Jakobs stood as well, a look of worry in his eyes.

"Take the ax by the packs," Coldwalker told him. "Take your sister and stay by the fire."

The boy nodded and did as he was told, though not without some hesitation. "What's happened?" Cierra asked.

Coldwalker did not answer her. He followed Mrs. Arechbelle's tracks out into the darkness. Away from the fire, the air had a bitter bite to it. Silence hung in the empty chill.

A sound, a crunch to the right. Coldwalker thrust his torch towards the noise. A large panther had its jaws in Mrs. Arechbelle's throat. When it saw that it had been discovered, it let go of its prey and snarled. Coldwalker drew his long knife and stamped his hoof. After regarding its opponent for another moment, the panther slunk away, growling as it went.

Coldwalker walked over to Mrs. Arechbelle. She was dead. Her unblinking eyes left no doubt as to that. The panther had probably killed her before she even knew it was there.

The centaur looked back towards the glow of the fire. The last two of his charges still hung by the fire. They looked frightened. Coldwalker felt for them, in some strange way. He made his way back to them slowly, as though the weight of the news he bore was heavy on him.

"What's wrong?" Cierra asked. Jakob stood beside her, hands gripped tight on the handle of the ax.

"Your mother is dead," Coldwalker said.

The ax fell to the ground. The crackling of the fire was the only sound. At last Jakob began to wail. Cierra soon joined him, falling on her knees and sobbing.

Coldwalker came over to them and got down on his knees to comfort Cierra. Jakob threw himself across the centaur's back, crying without control. Coldwalker did not move the boy. It would be a crime to interrupt this kind of grief, that of a child orphaned in the wild.

"Take care, Cierra," Coldwalker said, putting his hand on her back. "It will be well."

"How?" the girl asked, her voice despondent. "I don't know who my mother was supposed to meet! I don't know anyone!"

She dissolved into choking tears and buried her face into Coldwalker's shoulder. His hands held her there. The trio sat like this for a while, as the fire began to die down in the night.

"I shall take you," Coldwalker said.

"What?" Cierra asked, confused in her sorrow and looking up at him.

"My sire earned much money from these journeys. It is mine now. As I live a more traditional lifestyle for my people, I have no need for it." He held Cierra in front of him. "If we are joined, as stallion and mare, then you and your brother become my responsibility. I would care for the both of you."

Cierra's eyes had a glimmer of hope. "You would?"

Coldwalker nodded. "It would be a manner of duty. I would help him through his last bit of schooling. And if he chooses to take on a trade, I would help him start it"

Cierra cast an eye at her weeping brother. A faint smile touched her face. She looked back at Coldwalker. "What about me?"

Now Coldwalker faltered for a moment. "You would live with my herd, as one of my mares. I would give you food you could eat, but that would be the only difference between you and them."

This made Cierra's head fall. "I would just be someone to give you children?"

"No," Coldwalker said. "I and my mares are close in more ways than that. Though I am traditional, I am not fundamental. I would give you the same care and devotion they receive."

Jakob's cries were the only sound now. Cierra stared out into the blackness. Coldwalker looked at the boy whose tears drenched his flanks. Cierra got up and walked over to her brother.

"Sh, Jakob, sh," she said, putting her arms around him. "We will be fine. You hear me? We'll be all right. Coldwalker will take care of us. Okay? He'll care for us."

Jakob didn't respond to her. Coldwalker turned and put a hand on the boy's shoulder. Jakob looked up at the centaur. Coldwalker nodded and his crying began to subside. He sniffled and sat up against Coldwalker's flank, looking out into the night with tears still streaming down his face. Cierra walked in front of Coldwalker and sat on her knees.

"This is for him," she said.

Coldwalker nodded. "Don't worry. It will be worth it. I will make it worth it."

Cierra sighed and tried to smile. Coldwalker took her and pulled her close to him.

"I feel owned," Cierra remarked.

Coldwalker put her head against his shoulder. He wanted to reassure her, but didn't say anything.