Alec í Amasa (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
whiteroadrunning) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
thesphererp2020-11-28 02:11 am
whiteroadrunning) wrote in thesphererp2020-11-28 02:11 am
Entry tags:
[Mem Share] Hunting and gathering
The air is growing crisp again; the telltale bite of late autumn ushering in the first flurries of snow. It's never bothered you. Rather, it's hard to be bothered when you've been sleeping under the stars since you were a babe.
That's probably why the innkeep always sends you to collect firewood. You've stayed with them a few times now, helped around the tavern to cover your board while Papa is out hunting. It's hard work for a young boy, but the innkeep's own children are more delicate. Better to send you into the wild. At least you won't get lost. At least you know what you're doing.
The youngest, Shara, is only a year younger than you. She's got more of a head on her shoulders. She's inquisitive, and she learns quickly, like you. You like her. At least, well enough that you don't mind when she tags along to the forest with you.
The questions are a bit much today, though. Even if she is making more sense than you'd like...
"What kind of bear hunts people like that, though?" Shara asks, pressing on with her line of inquiry after your papa's whereabouts. "I've never heard of that."
"I don't know what kind," you mumble, and adjust the log pack over your shoulders. You can see your breath on the air when you speak. "That's all he tells me. He's going to hunt the bear, so it doesn't hunt us down first."
Shara looks doubtful. "Even if it were hunting you, why would it do that?"
"I don't know," you repeat, and your tone snaps a little more than you meant it to. "I never asked him. He's always come back for me. That's all I care about."
Shara's lips go thin. She doesn't like that answer. You aren't thrilled with it either, any more than you're pleased with just how much this conversation is making you think. Papa wouldn't lie to you. He has no reason to lie. But none of this makes sense either, now that you're actually stopping to consider it.
"You don't think he's hunting?" You ask.
Shara sighs and shrugs. "Maybe he is. Maybe not a bear, but..."
You're both silent for a long while. You don't know what to say, or what to think, and your ax feels too heavy in your hand. At length, Shara rests a hand on your shoulder, and pats it soothingly.
"I'm sorry, Alec. You're right. No matter what he's doing, he always comes back. That's all that matters."
You force a smile and nod. But you're not entirely sure anymore. If that's all that matters, why is doubt gnawing at the back of your mind?
"Right," you sigh. "That's all."
That's probably why the innkeep always sends you to collect firewood. You've stayed with them a few times now, helped around the tavern to cover your board while Papa is out hunting. It's hard work for a young boy, but the innkeep's own children are more delicate. Better to send you into the wild. At least you won't get lost. At least you know what you're doing.
The youngest, Shara, is only a year younger than you. She's got more of a head on her shoulders. She's inquisitive, and she learns quickly, like you. You like her. At least, well enough that you don't mind when she tags along to the forest with you.
The questions are a bit much today, though. Even if she is making more sense than you'd like...
"What kind of bear hunts people like that, though?" Shara asks, pressing on with her line of inquiry after your papa's whereabouts. "I've never heard of that."
"I don't know what kind," you mumble, and adjust the log pack over your shoulders. You can see your breath on the air when you speak. "That's all he tells me. He's going to hunt the bear, so it doesn't hunt us down first."
Shara looks doubtful. "Even if it were hunting you, why would it do that?"
"I don't know," you repeat, and your tone snaps a little more than you meant it to. "I never asked him. He's always come back for me. That's all I care about."
Shara's lips go thin. She doesn't like that answer. You aren't thrilled with it either, any more than you're pleased with just how much this conversation is making you think. Papa wouldn't lie to you. He has no reason to lie. But none of this makes sense either, now that you're actually stopping to consider it.
"You don't think he's hunting?" You ask.
Shara sighs and shrugs. "Maybe he is. Maybe not a bear, but..."
You're both silent for a long while. You don't know what to say, or what to think, and your ax feels too heavy in your hand. At length, Shara rests a hand on your shoulder, and pats it soothingly.
"I'm sorry, Alec. You're right. No matter what he's doing, he always comes back. That's all that matters."
You force a smile and nod. But you're not entirely sure anymore. If that's all that matters, why is doubt gnawing at the back of your mind?
"Right," you sigh. "That's all."