Focus

[Criala 729]

Making a journey into the snow covered tundra in only sandals and a dress was not a bright idea. A terrible one really. But the unfocused blur of the world was too disorienting to even think about changing into something else. At least yet.

 

Not being able to properly see and focus set Estellise on edge, even more than she already was. Her stride was swift, posture rigid.

 

I swear this man is trying to kill me.

 

The walk to the north was ‘easy’ enough, if you can call not being able to focus easy. The whole way she was trying to figure out exactly how she was going to do this.

 

Scalpel and a bonesaw. That was all she had on her that could be used as a weapon. Not exactly prime hunting weapons. Not that she was skilled in anything else.

 

I’m going to dissect him if I survive this.

 

The cold winter air nipped at any exposed flesh, causing her to shiver. Snow covered trees and mountains as far as the eye could see. It wasn’t supposed to be easy, but that didn’t stop her from hoping that it would come quickly.

 

Her teal and gold attire stuck out against the snowy background, with her pale skin and white hair blending in. Wind blew her hair and clothing about every so often. The tips of her ears were already reddening, as was her nose and her fingers. Her right ankle ached deep within the bone, from where it’d previously been broken in the past.

 

A howl sounded in the distance, easy enough to hear due to how quiet everything was from the snow. The sound caused her to slow to pause, closing her eyes so she could try to hear where the howl was coming from, without the disorientation of unfocused sight.

 

Another howl came, from her left. Based on the sound of it, it was still quite some distance away. She remained still, eyes closed.

 

Maybe I should head back and get other supplies. That’s another long walk with this tugging at my mind, and not being able to focus though.

 

A third howl, but somewhat closer than the last. The wolf, or wolves because it was unlikely there was only one, was closing in.

 

Better that than dying. I’ll figure it out.

 

Promptly, she turned around to head back the way she came, down the hill. As quick as she could with the snow weighing her feet down, and causing an even worse ache in her ankle the colder it got.

 

But she didn’t make it very far before she felt something bounce off of her back. She stumbled forward, one hand shooting up into the sleeve of her dress. Her fingers curled around the thin handle of something as her front collided with the snow on the ground. She rolled on her back, hand yanking at the handle to pull a scalpel out. She thrust the small blade forward, right as a wolf was lunging its fangs toward her. The teeth caught her arm, but she was able to lodge the blade of the scalpel deep within its throat.

 

A wet noise escaped the wolf, especially when she drove the scalpel deeper in. A moment or two passed of the wolf not being able to breathe, before it slumped on top of her, unmoving.

 

Blood was already flowing down her arm from the bite, the sleeve of her dress torn. A breath of relief escaped her amidst her wincing, even as her vision was unfocused. She forced herself up with a hiss of pain from the stinging in her arm.

 

Once up, she moved as fast as her feet would take her, her arm pressed to her chest. There wasn’t time to take care of it yet. Rarely was there only one wolf around.

 

Just then, more howls sounded out from behind her, though not super close. It gave her enough time to get further away and to the base of the hill, not that she stopped. She only did once she was sure she didn’t hear any more howling behind her. Then she tended to the wound on her right forearm, disinfecting it with alcohol and bandaging it securely.

 

That’ll do until I can get back.

 

The long journey back went on, Estellise relying more on her hearing than her vision. At least that worked fine still. Eventually, she made it back to Oswin and to the Clinic, where she properly took care of her wounded arm. Then she went home to collapse into bed to get some much needed rest. Later, she’d have to try to figure out some kind of plan, since the previous one didn’t work.

 

When she’d had enough rest, her planning continued, though it was with her eyes closed. Much easier to think that way. She was doing her best to ignore the pull she felt toward the north.

 

Gold and teal stuck out too much in the snow.

 

Maybe a white cloak to blend in with the snow.

 

A scalpel and a bonesaw weren’t going to be enough.

 

What else could work though…? Spear? Bow?

 

Perhaps both, just to be on the prepared side of things. Not that she’d ever used them before. But it’d be better than what she had on her.

 

It’s worth a shot.

 

Opening her eyes and being hit with how unfocused it was punched her in the brain stem. A sigh escaped her, as she pushed herself up. Now up, she set to finding what it was she thought she’d need for another try at finding the reindeer.

 

Some time later, who knows how long it actually was, she had what she thought of. A spear, a bow and quiver with arrows. Some rope. Bandages. A pure white cloak, but she didn’t pull that out just yet. Not until she was back at the tundra. With that, she set off once again.

 

The whole way, as she had on the way back, she did her best to keep her attentiveness to her hearing. That seemed to help, somewhat. There was a dull throb in her temples, but she brushed it off for now.

 

Back at the tundra, she took out the pure white cloak. She pulled it on, tying it securely together in the front and pulling the hood up. Now, anything in the snow shouldn’t be able to see her coming. First, she checked that the quiver on her back was fine, the spear tied beside it along with her bow. It caused the back of her cloak to stick up some, but it shouldn’t have disrupted her disguise.

 

Let’s hope it goes better this time.

 

She ventured into the snowy domain, with the hope that nothing would spot her because of the cloak. As she trekked up a mountain, it appeared her hope was coming true. There was no sign of anything catching sight of her.

 

Far off howls had her pausing briefly, but after a minute or two of listening, she determined they were growing farther away instead of closer. Once she was positive this was the case, she began to move forward again.

 

Now she let that pull she felt guide her. Quiet and as swift as she could, extra effort going into not alerting anything else of her presence if she could help it. So far, so good.

 

A glimpse of clarity through the falling snow. Growing closer confirmed it for her. Her vision was finally able to focus on the animal some ways ahead of her.

 

Finally, hopefully my aim is good.

 

Despite the cold of the snow, she took a knee. Slowly, she tucked a hand into her cloak so she could pull an arrow from the quiver and draw her bow. She lifted the bow, lining the arrow up with the string. With a little difficulty at first, she drew the string back. Taking aim, she let the arrow loose.

 

It flew through the air, but the wind gusted at it, causing it to veer off course. It disappeared into a snowbank, somewhere far off to the left, without a sound.

 

At least it wasn’t her only arrow. She was smart enough to bring as many were able to fit in the quiver. She reached back to draw another. Once lined up with the bow, she raised the bow to take aim. This time, she made extra sure of where her aim was pointed before letting the arrow go.

 

It shot out from the bow, soaring through the air at a speed that surprised even her. It hit its mark, striking the animal in the back, lodging itself deep into the flesh there. The animal fell with a strangled noise, unmoving on the ground.

 

I can’t believe that worked.

 

She tucked the bow back over her quiver, before making her way over to it. Sure enough, there was no movement from it. The arrow was sticking out from just below its shoulder blade.

 

Now to get it back…

 

The rope was pulled out, so she could tie it up. That took her some time, but soon, it was tied for her to drag back to Oswin. A grunt escaped her as she tugged the rope, it taking a fair bit of effort to drag it along. But she was able to do it, slowly dragging it back through the snow.

 

It caught on a rock or something here and there, causing her to have to pause and put extra effort. Mostly, all it took was some extra effort to get it loose, then she was able to continue again. But not this time. When she tugged on the rope, with all her might, the rope slipped from her hands. She stumbled backward, tripping over her feet and slipping down the edge of the hill.

 

Crack!

 

It took everything she had to keep in the pained scream threatening to erupt out. Agony seared up her leg from her right ankle. Forcing herself to keep it all in still, even as she moved her leg, was hard. Burning hot pain shot from her ankle anytime she moved it.

 

She felt along her ankle, gritting her teeth so she didn’t make a sound. The break in her ankle was easy to feel, it already starting to turn purple.

 

So broken.

 

All she could do right now was bandage it and splint it. Further care would have to be done at Oswin. So, she pulled out the roll of bandages from her satchel. A glance around showed a fallen branch nearby to use for a splint. With a deep inhale and exhale, she bandaged her ankle, then tied the splint to it to support it.

 

Then she forced herself up to her feet, making her way around the side and back up to where the rope dropped. Now going at an even slower pace because she was limping, she continued her tug along, only stopping for a break when she needed to. Eventually, she made it back to Oswin.

[someome 2053]

As was his usual whim, the grey man could not be found right away. 

 

But several things about left show he was never in doubt. 

 

A fresh stew on a barely living flame to keep it ready. 

 

A clean dress and comb sat outside her and Taals room. 

 

A bath drawn up with medicinal salves lined up. 

 

He may not be found right away sometimes, but he was never in doubt.