Frozen Belief’s…

“C’mon! We’re going to be late if we don’t find a tree soon.” 

  Adera chuckled, watching Huck gallop ahead as the sun started to set. Adera trotted to keep up with him, accompanied by a few others. They were all friends after all, but Huck was definitely the excited one. The buck loved all things nature, and was extremely excited to be choosing a Christmas tree from out in the forest to bring back home. They were all roommates and lived together for the first year this year, and had all agreed- at the behest of Huck- to allow a live Christmas tree into their apartment. 

  “Huck, wait for me! I want to help choose the tree too.” Trista called as she ran after him. The dark grey lycanbuck had purple accents to her. Adera thought she was quite striking, and may have just a small crush on her. Oberon- the final buck in their group- moved up next to Adera, a low chuckle in his chest. 

  “They’re like kids and we’re the parents.” Oberon murmured, looking over at Adera. “Oh well, we may as well join in the fun. Unless your old joints won’t support you running and having fun for once in your like Adera.” Adera’s ears flicked back in offence at his words, but his eyes showed that he did in fact enjoy the banter. He wasn’t even that old, he was older than Oberon by only a few months and nothing more. 

  “Fine, race you then and you’ll see how spry my joints really are.” Adera called, jumping into a full gallop and laughing as Oberon stood surprised for a moment before he also lept into a gallop. He ran fast, outrunning Trista and Huck and taking the lead. He laughed as he did, enjoying the cool winter air filling his lungs as they burned, and feeling his muscles stretch and then snap back as he went faster and faster, but suddenly he slammed to a halt, seeing the picture perfect Christmas tree. “Guys! Look what I found.” He called, ears forward and tongue rolling out of his mouth as he panted. 

  “That’s once nice looking tree. Good size too. Not to big, and not terribly small.” Oberon said as he arrived next to him, also winded. Trista and Huck arrived with a squeal and grabbed the saw that was on Oberon’s back and immediately started to cut down the tree. Adera and Oberon enjoyed a nice rest in the snow while they watched Huck and Trista happily cut down the tree. 

  The sun slowly set and the moon rose, bathing the forest in darkness with a very faint moon glow. Aldera finally got up, the tree finally falling down as the cutting was finished. He was about to say something when Oberon called out first, cutting him off. His ears were raised and he was staring at something in the distance. Upon looking in that direction, Adera saw it too. A bright light flashed and disappeared as soon as it came. 

  “I’m going to see what that was.” Oberon called as he sprung into action towards the light. Adera followed, Huck and Trista joining him as they surged towards the light. They wove in and out of the trees, the forest getting darker and darker until suddenly they reached a small clearing in the forest and they all frozen in place. 

  Adera couldn’t believe what he was seeing. A single moonbeam shone down into the clearing, falling on a still form laying between the roots of a large tree. But that’s not what caught his attention, what caught his the whips of energy that were floating up to the light… like a deity had been there. What… was happening? 

  “What… was that?” Huck asked, and Adera caught a glimpse of him looking over at him with a confused look. Adera needed a second, but as the whisps of energy went away, his eyes blinked a few times and he focused back on Huck. 

  “I think… that was energy from a deity…” He murmured, not even able to understand fully what he was saying. He looked up again and the light was dimmer, and the energy was gone. But as he scanned the surroundings, his heart dropped. Oberon was over near the still form, and Adera could make out what it was now. He took a shaky step closer, looking at the small frail pup cuddled against its mother’s cold body. But, the pup had a small frozen snowflake that was sparkling from its chest. “Frozen heart…” he murmured, watching Oberon gently pull the small pup away from its mother and into his warm arms. 

  “A miracle…” Oberon murmured, holding the newborn close as he squirmed weakly and let out a small cry. Never had Adera seen something so pitiful and fragile. It needed help, more help than they could get there. And it needed a warm home, it looked to be freezing to the touch. And it had been touched by the gods… so who knew why or what could possibly be in its future. 

  “We need to get back now… it won’t last long out here…” Adera murmured, motioning to Trista and Huck to come closer. “It’s our responsibility now to make sure it survives… it’s the least we can do.”