Getting through Winter
Year 0001, The Imperium
---
Winter fell and August is now hudled up in the middle, near the hearth of their home. He made a rabbiet stew with some of the mushroom like stuff he got from foraging.
The snow was heavily piling up outside luckily for him though, he rationed well and his current food pile would last him through the winter.
There was nothing much to do inside their home he could only stare at the hearth, almost lost in thought or boredome.
Now that winter fell he could feel that his wounds have mostly healed. August thought he should strengthen his body this winter. For he had a lot to do when spring comes. He must gain some muscle mass and strengthen himself.
He knew some exerices the village would do everyday to keep themselves on tiptop shape.
---
On the first day, August did some funny looking push-ups, sit-ups, squats, jumping and a bit of running inside to keep himself warm.
He was exhausted after that and would sleep through until noon the next day, then he'd repeat this process until he would finally drop dead.
He repeated this routine until the next week, until he could finally do some, in their proper forms and a good couple of sets.
Sometimes he'd brave the outside and jump to the snow to aleviate some of his bodily pain. But now he almost do this in the morning upon waking up.
To keep the spirit awake he said!
---
After religiously doing this sets of activities everyday, he could finally tell that there was an increase in his mass and strength, he could endure it a little better now, with almost all his sets having good forms from start till the middle of his set, until he'd start shivering and he'd fall from exhaustion.
Looking from the reflection on the metalic mirror, his body is now a little lean with some muscles in it.
He somewhat made some funny poses that children do when they're alone looking at the mirror.
[ S Y S T E M : . . . . ]
" WHAT? YOU JEALOUS? " he made a smug look and a grin on his idiotic face
[ -_- ] System, probably.
---
As he began his nightly routine before sleeping, which was to say the least almost a meditation for him.
( A.K.A - a hundred yard stare into absolute nothingness.)
The howls of the wolf like beasts could be heard more than usual actually. It was like they were communicating with themselves.
It was a little bit unerving for a boy who is alone in this vast nothingness.
But after awhile he got used to it and his eye lids fell heavy and he began to wonder into the abyss of dreams.
---
The next morning he did his usual jump into the snow. He wasn't expecting anything out of place today same as the last few days and weeks that he have been here.
But today there was something unusual, something that does not add up. Because he had been alone for a couple of months now he didn't notice.
There on one of the houses, one of the doors was broken into... he didn't realize this until the next day.
---
The night before, the wolf like beasts were howling more than usual they were hunting their prey.
It was another being that walks on legs as if to wander this snow laden land, lost, very very much lost.
The figure walked aimlessly, figures actually there were two shivering people who threw themselves onto winter wonderland.
It was a mother and daughter a pair of humans who braved the cold icy winter. They were thrown out of their village for who knows why.
But this is their fates now, in the mothers mindless pursuit of walking aimlessly she stumbled on a protruding branch and she fell face first still holding her daughter.
She groaned and looked up and there she saw a faint smoke from the distance most likely from the boys hearth, and took her chances of going there to request help.
She was delirious and hopeful but she failed to notice the dangers that were stalking them.
The wolves were hungry as most of the beasts went into hibernation every winter. Although this pack of wolf like beasts now have limited game to catch. And this mother and daughter combo is the perfect food that would satiate their hunger.
---
After sometime the mother noticed her daughter tugged her clothing.
" Mother..mother..." a weak and faint voice of a little girl.
The mother tried her best to answer her childs woes.
" What is it Gel? " although she tried her best her throat was now dry and cold.
" The wol..ves a..re howling. "
She failed to realize this before almost as if she was deaf to her surroundings, she was too hyperfocused trying to reach the boys' abode that the beasts are already circling them.
She panicked and picked Gel up and with all her might she used every ounce of her strength to run towards the direction where she saw the faint smoke.
---
She ran like there is no tomorrow and she knew if she slowed down one bit both she and her child would be wolves dinner.
Of course the wolves had already bitten and clawed bits of her flesh. But she endured and thrashed at the wolves with her body and a piece of wood she picked while they ran, atleast her child, she thought would survive.
[ DING! PROTECTIVE BUBBLE ACTIVATED ]
The wolves stopped their chase seemingly as if there was an invisible wall that separated them and the village.
[ S Y S T E M : 1KM, TEMPORARY VILLAGE PROTECTION ]
She failed to notice this as she just kept on running.
---
With her last strength they reached the gates of Maya Village, she found houses covered in snow. Although most of it seemed dilapidated and unkempt she found two a bit further that looked like someone is living in them.
After a couple more steps she fell from her injuries. She let the child go from her embrace and pointed to one of the still good looking houses. It was the one where August stored the villages tools and miscellaneous.
She died..
Gel couldn't sob for her dead mother, her tears would freeze the moment it fell from her cheeks.
She ran to the good looking house her mother pointed at. As if she could understood what she meant. Unfortunately it wasn't the one where August was staying.
---
When August woke up the next day and went outside, he finally began to notice the anomally in the village.