Kapitel 53: Chapter Fifty-Three
Three Weeks Prior
Serena pushed aside a snow-covered pine bough and ducked beneath its needles. Snow drifted down lazily, covering her face and shoulders in its cool touch.
She rubbed her nose with her gloved hand and continued to follow in the footprints that Lucian had left for her.
"What's taking you so long?" Lucian peered around a branch, his hat and coat covered in the white powder as well.
Serena laughed at the sight. Lucian's cheeks were flushed pink from the constant nipping of the cold. His eyebrows and protruding bangs were dipped in the snow, making him look like an older man.
"Coming!" She called, hopping from footprint to footprint until she was at his side.
He smiled down at her softly and grabbed her hand, pulling her into the alcove of trees.
The ring of white and green protected the circle from the elements and provided a sanctuary to all kinds of animals. Their footprints and other marks covered the snow, stamping it into an almost perfectly flat area.
Lucian knelt at the base of one of the pines and draped his backpack against its trunk. He removed some twine and bait before moving to a bough that covered a well-traveled section of the land.
"This is where I get our food." He said as he began winding the twine around the bough. "I'm going to show you how I set a trap so that if anything happens to me while I shift next week under the full moon, you'll be able to sustain yourself."
Serena nodded and knelt beside him.
"Get me some small sticks please," He waved a hand toward the cove of birch.
Serena scrambled to her feet and gathered a few small branches. She dropped them in his lap and plopped into the snow next to him.
He had tied a loose loop about the size of his fist and was carefully tying the other end to the bough above the path. His gloves were hanging from his mouth, flowing in the wind. His fingertips were pink and stiff. He dropped the gloves onto the twigs and breathed the cloud of hot air from his mouth over his fists. The cloud evaporated soon after hitting his skin, leaving him colder than he was before he tried to warm up.
Serena slipped off her mittens and cupped his hands in hers. The warmth seeped out of her palms and into his fingers. He froze, his breath caught in his throat, as she rubbed her hands over his. His eyes wide, he found her intense gaze.
She was studying his hands in hers and their color. The pale palm and the pink fingers against her tanned skin. She furrowed her brow and bit her lip as she clenched her hands tighter around his hand. Lucian gulped and blinked, shaking his head a little bit. He pulled his hands away from her grasp and cleared his throat.
"Thanks." He grumbled under his breath.
He pointed toward the bough and began explaining the reasons behind everything. Serena nodded, but only half hear what he was saying. His gaze was intense as he spoke about the trap. It was something that he had relied on and was important to him. Serena turned from Lucian toward the twine dangling.
"I need to make a barrier with the twigs so the rabbit'll go through and die. It needs to be directed, otherwise, the piece of twine is worthless."
Lucian set up the barrier of the sticks, blocking anywhere around the trap. He shoved the ends seep into the snow so they wouldn't waver in the wind storms. He stood up and brushed some of the snow over their tracks, dusting the sticks to look as though they had been there forever.
The two left the cove and slowly made their way to the cabin, Lucian leading the way.
His body shielded hers from the wind and snow slicing its way through the forest. It cut deep and left red marks on both of their faces. The two stormed through the door as the wind picked up, howling as it went.
They stripped off their winter clothes and made their way to the kitchen. Serena placed a full teapot on the wood stove and began to boil water. As the water boiled, they hovered in front of the stove door, soaking in the warmth it freely gave. Lucian nudged her playfully, knocking her away from the heat source.
She glared back at him, a smile creeping over her face. She nudged him back, just as hard. Surprised, he fell against the counter, grabbing her arm as he fell. Her shoulder collided with his chest. He grunted as her full weight hit him square in the sternum. He wrapped his arms around her and took her to the floor, cradling her head as they fell.
"Ouch." He groaned, tightening his grip on her waist and wrist. She grumbled and shook her head. Her wet hair whipped his face. "Ow!" He shouted, shielding his face from her hair. She pressed her hands against his chest and shoved. Her were eyes wide and her face red.
"Oh my god. I'm sorry." She grimaced and began to slide off him.
Lucian snapped a hand over her wrist and both of them froze. Serena's breath caught in her throat and refused to budge. She bit her lip and looked up at his face.
As their eyes met, Lucian's face flushed a new shade of crimson and he immediately released her. She raced to the other side of the kitchen, giving him as much distance as she could. Her nose and face flushed as red as his.
"I'm sorry." He said as he rose to his feet. "I shouldn't have hit you so hard."
"It's okay," Serena mumbled, clutching her hands behind her back. She rocked on the balls of her feet and kept her gaze at the floor.
The two stood in the kitchen, fidgeting as the minutes ticked by. The steam from the kettle whistled and saved the both of them from further embarrassment.
Wöchentlicher Energiestatus
-- Power-
Rangliste 
-- Power-
Stein