Chapter Six

Winter

 The cold season had come quickly in the village Winter still did not know the name of. Aunt Carol's training had begun with a ruthless consistency; early mornings and late nights. That was how Winter spent her days.

In the mornings, she was made to run up the steep hill that led to a small fishing area and back. She did this twice--her body could not afford to go more than twice. After her run, Aunt Carol would give her breakfast and then her lessons in hand to hand combat would begin. For now, she trained with Aunt Carol's harsh voice and a human like figure made out of tree branches. Her knuckles were bloody and bruised from hitting the figure over and over again but Aunt Carol had reminded her several times that revenge came with pain and sacrifices.

At mid-afternoon, Aunt Carol would commence her lessons in sword fighting. So far, Winter was doing poorly in that area. The pain in her ass was a firm reminder. During the night, however, things were calmer. There was no physical training, no heat, no sweat and certainly no bruising. Winter and her aunt would take a walk through the town, buying food from vendors and enjoying the performances of musicians.

When they returned home, Winter was made to read ten pages of a big heavy book which contained all the boring information on war. Every day that went by, Winter thought of her Ma less. It had been three months since she left. She had even stopped writing to Aunt Carol but Aunt Carol had let Winter know that her Ma knew exactly where to find them and would have come for Winter if she wanted to.

Winter knew the truth. Her Ma despised her so by the second week of her stay in the village, she had stopped crying over her Ma.

She fastened her cloak around her neck. Winter wore tattered brown clothes and an even more hideous cloak that smelt like sheep and did nothing to keep her warm but it was what Aunt Carol had given her so she did not complain. The moment they arrived at the small cottage house, Aunt Carol had seized all of Winter's fine clothes and boots. According to her, Winter would have to earn them back. That was a month ago and Winter hadn't earned even one of them back.

She did not know how to.

"Meet me downstairs, now" Aunt Carol called as she walked past Winter's open bedroom door.

Winter sighed, dreading the usual early morning run up the hill.

Aunt Carol was dressed immaculately well when Winter met her downstairs. She wore a beautiful long sleeved cotton red dress which sat beneath her shoulders, with intricate designs of roses sewn into the fabric with a golden thread. Her brown hair had been held up in a bun.

The moment Aunt Carol saw Winter, she threw a black cloak over her dress and walked out. Winter hurried behind her.

The cold season in the village was harsher than the ones Winter was used to. It rained endlessly with no hint of sunshine anywhere. The ground was always muddy, soft and easy to slip on. Winter wanted to question her aunt when she started walking in the opposite direction of the hill Winter usually run on but she kept her mouth shut and followed quietly behind.

Her aunt had taught her to always follow instructions before she questioned them or complained.

They walked past the small village square and then the market until they were deep into the forest. Winter had heard rumors about the forest from the children she met during her nightly strolls with her aunt. During the cold season, the panthers came out to play. The panthers were creatures of rain, they could survive any harsh weather except the heat and people were their preferred meal and so, the villagers did not go into the Maelin forest during the cold season.

Ever.

Winter remembered promising to fear nothing but herself but she could not help it. Her heart thudded as they went deeper into the forest.

Aunt Carol stopped and Winter stopped as well. Taking in a deep breath as she looked around and saw trees for miles and miles.

"This is your first assignment. Kill a panther today and I will officially initiate you into our rebel group. I'll tell you our name, our location, our plans...…kill a panther today and become what you truly are. Claim your destiny." Aunt Carol explained, dropping a bow and three arrows in Winter's hand.

She must have hidden the weapon beneath her cloak.

"And where will you be?" Winter squeaked, peeking at her aunt.

"At home," she simply replied and begun to walk away.

Winter listened to her footsteps walking away until finally, she heard nothing.

And then, she was left alone in the forest with no one but herself.

Winter marched forward. She had not been paying attention when Aunt Carol had led her into Maelin forest so she did not know how to get out of the forest. Even if she did, she could not leave.

She stopped in front of a tree that towered over her, watching as a white owl was pushed out of the hollow in the tree by three brown owls. It fell to the ground with a loud squeak. Winter rushed to pick up the owl, dropping her bow and arrows. The owl had huge black eyes which stared into her soul. She swallowed her fear of the creature, tucking it into her cloak after seeing its broken wing.

Winter looked up at the tree., glaring at the hollow the other owls had disappeared into. The white owl was different like her and they had thrown it out of the nest because of what it was just like the third watch had murdered her Pa and Ava and her Ma had disappeared because of what Winter was.

But it was not the owl's fault or Winter's fault for being born different.

Winter was still positioning the owl in her cloak when a loud snarl came from behind her. She placed the owl on the ground gently and picked up her weapon. She turned to face the panther. It was a beautiful black creature with brown eyes. It stalked its way towards Winter and she nocked her bow and arrow and took aim.

She breathed slowly, focusing on the approaching creature.

Before Aunt Carol had started training Winter in the art of shooting, her Pa had snuck her out of the house behind her Ma and Ava's backs to teach her how to shoot and hunt.

Winter drew back the string and shot.

She missed, the panther ran faster, lunging at Winter. Her bow was knocked out of her hand as the panther stood over her, snapping at her neck. Winter remained calm.

Emotions were fleeting and if she panicked, she would be dead.

The panther pinned her down on her back, its saliva dripped onto her face. Winter turned her head to the side, watching as the owl shrieked in fear.

Anger consumed her. They were going to make it back home. Both she and the owl. The panther was exactly like the king, going after the weak, the people who could not defend themselves but Winter was ready to hunt.

Her siren sense took over and she let it. Winer's fangs elongated as she reached for the panther's neck and sunk her teeth into it. Her venom spread quickly.

The panther went limp in her hold.

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Carol stood in front of the house, waiting for her niece.

The sun had already set and it was getting dark.

She wondered if she had made a mistake. If she had overestimated the girl. Perhaps Winter was not a monster like her brother had led her to believe, perhaps, she was not strong or powerful. Perhaps, she was just like every other child.

Normal.

Carol sighed. "what a shame?" she muttered under her breath.

She was disappointed. Not because she cared about the girl but because now, she'd have to come up with a reasonable cause of death for the girl's mother. She turned, shaking her head as climbed up the cottage stairs when she heard footsteps. They were light footsteps, quiet and were unmistakably her niece's.

She turned to face the figure of the little girl coming. She was covered in blood and a strange white owl sat on her right shoulder.

The girl halted in front of her, tossing the head of a dead panther at her feet.

"I found the owl. I'm keeping it,"

Carol smiled. "Welcome home,"

The girl nodded, her blue eyes dim, tired and angry. She walked past Carol and entered the house. Carol turned the panther's head over with her foot, studying it. Its face was marred with claw marks. Her niece's claw mark.

Her lips turned up into a smile.

Her brother had not lied. With Winter came power.

It looked like Carol had underestimated Winter Ogallan after all.

She was a monster.

A monster Carol was ready to use.