5 Chapter 4

Alright guys, I've got good news and bad news! I may have gotten picked up by a publisher for this piece of crap back, surprisingly. So if you'd like to read the rest of it, follow me to Ringdom! Under the same penname and title and everything! I hope to see you guys there! Remember to follow me on Instagram for updates on other projects and what's happening with Beneath Us! as well!

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Packing for the trip was hard. He didn't often wear anything other than the woven pants Maria made him and a shirt when it was cold. He almost never wore shoes either, but he was going into a place of ice and snow and his feet would freeze.

He threw saddle bags over the white stallion's back later the next morning, filled with clothes and food. Moth pricked his ears towards him in confusion, cocking his head. He pulled the horse close to the barn to saddle him right as the sun started to peak up over the horizon. He shivered as goose bumps trailed up his arms. The mornings were starting to get colder.

"We're going near death's pass," Tian explained quickly before running off once more to go get the last of his bags. The horse whinnied quietly, shaking its massive head with a huff. He was packing blankets in case he fell into water and a shovel in case he was trapped.

"Maybe not the shovel," he commented to himself.

"Take the shovel," a familiar voice stated and turned to see his best friend, Axel.

Axel was a year older than him with fiery red hair that came down to his shoulders. He had the palest skin out of the whole village with millions of tiny, dark freckles, and came from an entire line of red heads. He was the only one who had his father's deep oceanic blue eyes. Axel was the third eldest out of 8 kids, but he was his father's third son. When Axel was eight, his father had had an accident that led to his untimely death. He left three sons and 2 daughters behind, all with the same fiery red hair and millions of freckles against their pale faces. His mother remarried to a man named Josh from another tribe and the man treated all the kids as his own. Even though Josh's kids were brown haired and different, they didn't think none the different.

"Did the hunting trip go well?" Tian asked, turning his head to meet the elder's eyes.

"It was alright. Not as fun without you, but we brought home two more mule deer from the southern herd. They're surprisingly close for this time of year."

Tian chuckled, shaking his head. "I'm sure Barbaros helped a lot with chasing them down."

"He cried after we killed the deer. He cried while chasing the deer. He started crying and he didn't stop," Axel sighed, barely keeping his smile at bay. "He could've cried us enough to make a new river. I lead the chase though, brought down the largest."

"He's an idiot, but he's only 12. Sorry I wasn't there, Maria didn't want me chasing with the threat of another raid so imminent."

"It's ok. Not your fault, she keeps you on a tight leash," Axel snorted. "She doesn't trust my ability to protect you anymore."

Tian simply hummed as he threw the saddle over the horses' back. He reached underneath moth's chest to grab the cinch and pulled it tight.

"Where's your make up? I can see the lines against your neck," Axel commented, coming up behind Tian. "You know how Maria gets mad if she finds out you're not wearing the makeup."

"I didn't want to have to put it on," Tian commented with a shrug of his shoulders. "Plus, I'm going somewhere I won't need it either. The mountains.""

He was strapping the pack tighter against Moth's sides when he felt cold fingers against his neck. They traced up the black lines only to stop at his hairline. Something uncomfortable settled in the pit of his stomach, like a warning.

"Unique," Axel whispered under his breathe before retracting his hand away. "Why is Maria letting you go into the mountains?"

"I'm going close to Death's Pass, rescue mission before the snow set in up top," Tian replied, turning around to face Axel. "I think I have enough time before the Warriors get here for another raid."

"You're not actually going are you? You'd be stupid to. The warriors could be here in a week! You need to get ready to go below the ground again."

"I have reasons to go. I'll be back before the end of this week before the snow sets in completely."

"Tian, you're not going. You don't know what the pass looks like, and we're too close to winter as it is. It'll be nothing but snow up there, snow and wolves!"

Tian sighed before setting down what he'd been holding. "Axel, I've already went through this with Maria. She let me go."

Axel shook his head. "Then I'll go yell at her! This is Death's pass Tian, no one who goes there comes back alive! It is one of the most dangerous passes on this continent, Nothing compares. It becomes a hundred times more dangerous when the snow sets in! Even with the old roads, you don't know what's up there. There's too many risks, I can't let you go. Too many of our people have already died on Death's Pass. You can't be another. I won't allow it."

"They went up in the winter Axel, it's still late autumn. The snow isn't as deep yet. The river is probably still flowing down from the mountains, as well, without ice. It'll be ok. I can make it. I've played up in those mountains enough times."

"I'll go with you then. I'll take mom's horse, Mana. Just let me get packed and I'll come with. If you go, than having someone else there is best. You may need help."

Tian bit his tongue. Axel often forgot that the strongest person in the village happened to be Tian. The man with the most endurance, the most fortitude against the elements. Perhaps he couldn't control his power just yet, but snow struggled to freeze him when all other humans were so cold they couldn't move.

"You'll slow me down Axel. I'm the strongest to go out there. I can withstand even the worst of the cold." Tian reminded, putting his hand on Axel's shoulder. "It's going to be ok. I'll be back in a week, top. Just don't get too lonely without me around. You can flirt with all the girls until I'm back, they won't be fawning over me as much."

"Idiot!" Axel scoffed, slapping the back of Tian's head. "You say that like there's more than one girl our age. There's just Meredith and she definitely looks like her mother."

"Aw come on Axel, I know there's someone you like!" Tian teased, a grin spreading its way across his face. He slid the bit into the horse's mouth, before patting the stallion's head.

"Yeah, there is," Axel said, barely a whisper.

"When I get back, tell me who she is ok? She must be beautiful to catch your eye, you've never had any interest in other girls," Tian laughed before trying to swing his leg over Moth's back.

Axel smiled before grabbing his foot to push him up. "Gorgeous. They're absolutely gorgeous Tian."

Axel looped a rope around Moth's back and guided him towards the front of the barn. The sun was low in the sky the morning Tian left. The clouds hung over the land and shrouded the buildings in haze. It was a colder morning, hinting at the coming winter and perhaps a little rain.

"Tian!" Maria shouted, racing up to the horse. She came to a stop at his other side, clutching a bowl tightly in her hands. "Are you ready?"

"Ready as I'll ever be," Tian shrugged with a smile.

"Just... be careful. Don't get lost please. I brought some mash for you in case you miss home or get too hungry. Here's the last two flares... in case you need a rescue... I'll be watching the skies as much as possible," Maria stated, rubbing her eyes awkwardly. "I love you kid, be careful out there."

They didn't mention that they wouldn't be able to see Tian's flares, anyway. If he got hurt or failed, no one would know until the snow receded once more in the Spring. He was the only one who could go up this late, and he'd be the last one to go up.

"Thank you Maria. I'll be home in one piece, promise." He hoped it wasn't going to be a lie.

"Of course you will. You learnt from the best after all," she smiled but it did nothing to hide the fear in her voice.

Tian snickered before reaching down to hug the woman. "Don't worry. I'll be ok. I'll see you in a few days."

Maria pulled one of his bags towards her and stuffed a small knitted charm into the deepest pockets. "Mom made that for you. It's a mountain charm, and she said it'll protect you from bad spirits. It'll give the stag spirit your exact location to find you, if you need help. Keep you safe and all. He's the only one who can help you now."

Tian's face turned sour. He hadn't told them about his dreams last night when the spirit had come to him. He feared he'd be completely, utterly alone up there. With no safety net, he had to be ever more so careful.

"And," Axel quipped on the other side. He pressed something into Tian's palm. "My compass, so you can find your way home no matter what. So you don't get lost out there. Remember, home is always north west by about 40° but I don't know how accurate the compass is anymore. My hunting group always finds their way back home, so it helps."

"Thank you guys, really. I'm not going to die out there."

Maria stepped back with a tense nod. "We better let you get going then."

Tian readjusted against Moth's back, tightening his feet against the stallion's sides. He wrapped the hair around his fist to hang on. "Stay safe. Ha!"

He kicked the stallion in the sides gently and Moth sprang forwards, breaking into a canter with ease. They shot to the edge of the village. Tian wished he'd never left.

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When Moth grew tired of running, he slowed them down and slid off the horse's back to walk. It wasn't entirely fair to be carried all the way. When the sun was still high in the sky, they'd found one of the old roads that split off to somewhere called Denve. The sign was horribly faded and it quipped his attention. By sundown, they had made it to the base of the mountains, an old town called Boulder. The buildings had long since fallen apart and the roads had all split from plants and trees growing in between the hard stones. The village must've once been beautiful though, especially to have sit at the base of the mountains. What he wouldn't give to be able to go back in time and see the village when it was alive and bustling. There must've been thousands of people who lived there.

"It's kinda spooky though," Tian commented, looking over at Moth. He could practically hear the ghosts and spirits slinking around in the shadows. From what he'd heard from the elders, the people in Boulder and Denver perished by a plague and were unable to escape before it was too late. They'd laid in the streets, bleeding and coughing until their lungs filled with blood and they suffocated to death.

The horse simply blew air at him and shook his head before turning to graze. He patted the horse before stepping towards one of the fallen ruins of a building. "We'll stay here tonight, and continue up when we have daylight."

His partner didn't say anything. But horses couldn't talk anyway.