The Hunt — Chapter VI: Girls Can’t Hunt

This is a serial story told over many chapters. To see the first chapter click here. To see the previous chapter click here.

Kirill inspected his fingers, which had turned bright red. Gently blowing warm air, he slowly rubbed his hands together. When he could freely move each of his fingers, he cracked his knuckles and quietly chuckled to himself.

After he had turned back around to face Fedir, Kirill squinted and momentarily covered his eyes. The sun was out, and its harsh glare glistened in the endless sea of white. Kirill patiently massaged his eyes with his palms before recommencing the deliberate march towards the forest.

Confused, Alena chased after them and shouted:

- I’m serious. I’m going with you.

Fedir shook his head and replied without a backward glance:

- Are you kidding? Why would we let you come along? You’re a girl.

Alena paused as she quickly shifted her eyes from Kirill to Fedir to the ground and then back again.

- What’s wrong with being a girl?

-Where do I start? Girls are weak, stupid, ugly, annoying, dumb… and they smell bad! We couldn’t even use you as bait for the tig–

Alena stopped Fedir before he could finish, clocking him square in the jaw with a clenched fist. Fedir toppled over onto his back. Startled, Alena stammered a muffled apology and hastily bowed to both boys in turn.

Kirill, meanwhile, had collapsed in the snow he was laughing so hard. Finally, he ambled back to Fedir, who was violently scraping at the frozen earth with his sword, and helped him up. Then Kirill calmly turned to Alena and taking her aside, quietly told her:

- Don’t worry about it. In spite of his golden locks and his delicate frame, he is a lot tougher than he appears. All the whining and moaning is just his way of showing his respect for you.

Nodding, Alena bowed to Kirill again and softly replied:

- Thank you!

- As for our little hunt, you are welcome to come along if you want. Just don’t expect a fun carefree adventure. My father, after all, was considered the fiercest and bravest of all the hunters in our village before the tiger killed him. It’s possible that we might not make it back home again.

To be continued…

- Carlos de la Gringa

The Hunt – Chapter V: Alena

This is a serial story told over many chapters. To see the first chapter click here. To see the previous chapter click here.

Alena silently stared at Kirill’s outstretched hand before lowering her gaze once again. Crouching down, Kirill examined her drawing

- What are you making?

Alena hesitated before finally responding, “a lotus.”

- A what?

- It’s a flower that halmeoni always talks about. She says that it brings good fortune. But it can only blossom in the garden of a kind soul.

- Who’s halmeoni?

- She’s the oemma of oemma of course!

Kirill scratched his head, as Fedir muffled a snicker. Alena grew more and more frustrated and finally burst out:

- All boys and girls have an oemma! Don’t you know anything!?

Fedir burst out laughing, and Alena turned bright red as she stared at the ground with even greater intensity. Bewildered, Kirill quietly watched her.

Alena was a small girl with short black hair that barely came down to her ears, giving her a somewhat boyish look. However, a long green skirt and pink blouse tied off with a big red bow cleared up any doubts.

Alena picked up her stick and returned to her drawing. Grinning, Fedir shook his head.

- She was talking about ‘mothers’, you dummy!

- What? That can’t be right… What about ‘halmoeni’?

- That must mean ‘babushka’. And you say that you’re smarter than me?

Kirill sighed and glanced upwards. Then he picked himself up and turned to Fedir.

- If I said it then it must be true. Come on, Cossack! We better hurry if we want to find the tiger before dark.

As they headed off, Alena called to them:

-Where are you two going? Aren’t you too young to go off looking for wild animals by yourselves?

Kirill turned around and stared at this shy little girl with her other-worldly drawings, her funny words, her weird mannerisms and her condescending questions.

- My father was murdered, and the savage beast that killed him is still out there. And yet a whole month has passed, and no one has done a thing about it. So I’m going into the forest to find this tiger myself. What kind of son would I be if I did otherwise?

Alena nodded and looking him straight in the eyes, replied:

- I want to come too.

To see the next chapter click here. 

- Carlos de  la Gringa