Completed The End

[Katelyn Marks]

22nd, Winter, 514 AV

Katelyn awoke to the sound of fervent pounding on her front door. It was dark in her house. Her furniture was nothing more than blobs arranged in the inky blackness. It seemed that her hearth had long burned out, leaving the cottage cold. She slipped out of bed, shivering when the warm blankets fell away and left her skin exposed to the air. Kat crept across the rough stone floor toward the faint remnants of her fire.

A few sad embers still fought for life, glowing in the bed built into the wall of her home. She added a few small logs--barely more than branches--and poked at the flames with another, churning the ashes. When they sputtered and died once more, she quickly retrieved her flint and steel to bring the flames back to life.

The pounding started once more on her door as she shaved bark off in the darkness, breaking up little bits of woods into tinder. Kat piled it on the weak embers, covering what paltry amount of light they provided, and struck the steel across the flint's edge. A great cloud of sparks lit the hearth for a moment before fizzling away. The knocking grew heavier and she heard a few voices arguing on the other side, muffled but distinctly male. Again she struck the flint, and again the sparks died in vain.

Grumbling under her breath, Katelyn moved the flint down closer to the tinder, practically lying it on top of the bark shavings. With the third strike they finally caught. The dry bark glowed with heat, a baby flame eating away at its fuel. She quickly stacked a few more smaller sticks on the pile and gently blew into the mess. The flame swelled and glowed brightly, snapping wood with its heat and warming her face. Smoke curled up into the chimney and she continued to add gradually larger pieces until a confident little fire was dancing in the bed.

"Katelyn!" a familiar voice from outside yelled, drawing her attention.

She retrieved her heavy winter cloak from its place hanging by the door and threw it over her shoulders, covering her half naked body. When she cracked the door and peered out, the faces of her brothers looked back at her. Their expressions were drawn and anxious. She looked at the two of them in surprise, then peered over their shoulders into the darkness.

"Why are you knocking on my door this early?" she hissed at them, but they didn't answer.

Instead, they pushed their way inside her home, shuffling through the doorway and finding some seats around her dining table nestled by the crackling little fire. Katelyn looked between the two of them with surprise and quickly growing apprehensive.

"What is it?" she demanded, and they looked at each other. There were only two of them she realized quickly, and her eyes narrowed. "Where's Garreth?"

It was Harris who finally spoke--the one twin who was present.

"That's why we're here," he began uncertainly, continuing when their eldest brother Daniel nodded at him.

"We can't find him. He and I had a bit of an argument a few days ago so we decided to give each other some space. He went off to hunt some coyote that were giving a few of the farmers trouble, and I stayed back here to help father keeps the sheep warm. But it's been three days now, Kat. Nearly four. We already tried looking for him some, but we didn't venture far into the woods. There was only two of us, you see. Pa' can't leave the animals and mum is about to go crazy with worry. We need you to come help us find him."

"Why didn't you tell me this earlier?" she roared back at them, feeling her tempter flare like the fire.

"It was only just a few bells ago that I finally started to get worried. He said he'd be gone maybe just a day or two, but it's going on double that now! We just got back from looking, but it's dark so we didn't stay out long. We were going to go try again come sunrise."

Katelyn was pacing now, distressed and sick with worry. She raked her fingers through her hair, trying to sort through the snarl of thoughts tangled in her head. When Daniel finally spoke, she reluctantly stopped to listen.

"We'll stay here until just before sunrise. Come up with a course of action, then go out and search. We know all of their usual spots, and Harris you know where he'd most likely be trapping. We'll make our way to every possible point then go from there. Alright?"

She sighed and sat down on the edge of her bed. For the next few bells they talked and prepared, planning what they would do and where they could go. Harris drew a few crude maps of their usual routes, then of the ones they only visited occasionally. The brothers left her to dress and pack once their course of action was set, returning later with their horses and gear. When the sky began to turn to shades of purple and pink in the east, they all set out toward the Bronze Woods, hopeful but afraid.

[Katelyn Marks]

Harris led them with haste to the first few points on the map he'd drawn. The path he'd scribbled down was winding and erratic. Without his help she knew they'd have a hopeless chance of getting anywhere. The two of them had covered a lot of ground over the years and set up an extensive network of game trails. Their favorites he'd circled and named.

Their second stop was the first circled point on their map. Rabbit Holes was all it said, but Kat was sure it held more meaning for Harris and Garreth. Both of her brothers rode ahead of her, Harris in the very front and Daniel in the middle. Their horses trudged through the snow, breath streaming from their nostrils like pale pennants. It was turning out to be an uncharacteristically cold winter this year. Katelyn was shivering in the saddle despite her layers and heavy cloak.

Harris reined up his horse in a tiny clearing surrounded by thick brush. The trail continued on ahead through the wall of thorns beaten down by years of consistent travel. She and Daniel stopped their mounts alongside him and she looked around. The snow was untouched aside from a few small tracks that she recognized to be rabbit. Their tiny prints marred the frosty whiteness, zigzagging every which way. Rabbit Holes she realized was a very fitting name. It seemed like a small community had taken up under the protection of the thick tangle of thorns growing all around this area.

"I don't see any tracks or signs that there's been a camp," Daniel said solemnly, and Harris shook his head.

"He hasn't been here," Harris replied. "We'll keep moving. This is just one of the first points on our trails, but it was worth a look. Follow me."

The two of them started off again, but she kept Sebastian halted in place. Her heart was heavy and she felt the threat of tears burn her cold face. Taking a deep breath, she released a heavy shuddering sigh in a great white gust. She was trying to stay optimistic, but Harris' words crept back from the depths where she'd hid them away. Four days out here alone and no word. That wasn't like Garreth. The twins were a little reckless sometimes, but it was always when they had each other's backs.

She wiped a stray tear from her cheek and sniffed, rubbing the cold and the wet from her nose. Her brothers were starting to disappear between the trees now, so she tapped her pony's sides and urged him into a trot. He eagerly trudged after the horses ahead, drawn to the sense of the security the group provided. Behind them, a hare emerged from under the thorns and watched them go, quiet and alert.

[Katelyn Marks]

They made several more stops that morning, but with no luck. The sun was now above the trees and several miles were behind them. Hunger was starting to set in on all of them, so Katelyn called a stop for a light breakfast.

"We'll be no use to him weak and famished," she snapped when Harris tried to argue her suggestion.

Reluctantly he relented, and she could see the relief on Daniel's face. He shared her voracious and constant appetite, so they find a convenient point to dismount and tether the horses. The trail was clearer here, with wider spaced trees and less brush growing on the forest floor. It was mostly open, uneven ground covered by snow and exposed mountain stones. She brushed one off and sat down, relieved to be out of the saddle so she could stretch her legs. Katelyn had packed a little food--just enough to snack on throughout the day. Apparently they could ride the entire route in that time if they kept a steady pace, so she'd prepared just enough.

Kat opened her backpack and fished out some jerky. Salted beef that was tough to chew but not at all unpleasant. She ripped a large piece off and began working it with her jaw, quickly devouring the entire strip with gusto. She followed it with a small wedge of cheese and a long drought from one of her waterskins. The water was ice cold and made her shiver even harder. Her brothers ate nearby, both looking solemn but intent on their meals.

"Do you have any hunches?" Katelyn asked, still working on some remnants of her breakfast.

Harris pondered while he chewed, then took a drink from his skin.

"I've been thinking about it for about a mile now. Since we crossed the creek. Usually when we come out this far we go to one of two places. Either up north in search of deer, or further to the east. There's coyote territory out that way, and sometimes they wander down a little too close to the herds back home. The farmers pay us to bring back their pelts."

"Where do you think we should try then?"

"Let me think on it a little longer. Let's finish eating and move on. I'll figure it out before the trail forks."

Katelyn nodded and contented herself to wait. She drew her legs up to her chest, chin on her knees, and watched the bare branches overhead sway in the cold breeze. They creaked faintly in the thick silence of the forest, interrupted only occasionally by the sounds of birds. For her own sanity she tried to remain optimistic when her thoughts betrayed her and began to wander back to Garreth.

He's fine, she thought stubbornly, combating the fearful whispers of her traitorous mind. He's having an especially successful hunt and his good fortune drove him to stay longer. We'll be angry with him and give him a good tongue lashing, but all will be forgiven and he'll learn a valuable lesson. The thoughts were so enticing that she almost had herself convinced, but Katelyn's doubt reared its ugly head to darken her hopeful pandering. Luckily Daniel called the order to move on, saving her from the bleak thoughts.

Eagerly, Katelyn untied Sebastian from his tree and swung up into the saddle. Harris took the lead once more and they rode off at a brisk trot, spirits slightly renewed from their short breakfast, but also spurred on by their mounting worry.

[Katelyn Marks]

As the day wore on and the solar disk rose higher in the sky, Katelyn couldn't help but feel her hope begin to wane. Harris remained solemnly silent, giving her no hint to what he may be thinking. With his back to her, she couldn't see his face, but Daniel occasionally glanced back her way and tried to offer a reassuring smile. It was brittle and unconvincing, only making him look sadder. He obviously didn't seem to be any more optimistic than she was.

They'd already passed the fork in the trail without a word from their brother. He seemed intent on their direction, driven by the thought of his twin--his other half. She didn't know which point they were riding toward, but Kat didn't question him. She was afraid that if she said anything now, she might lose the control she had on her fear and be consumed by it. The hold on her reins was vice-like, but she was managing to keep an outward appearance of semi-sanity. The wait for killing her slowly, withering away at her patience and driving her mad. Katelyn wanted to spur Sebastian ahead and gallop headlong through the trees.

Harris seemed to have the same idea though.

"We're getting close," he called back to them, startling his siblings and the horses.

She hadn't realized how long they'd been riding in heavy silence, but those sudden words were so enticing that she soon forgot all of her worries and all three of them spurred their mounts into a trot. When their impatience built, Harris kicked his horse into a fast lope and his siblings eagerly followed. She gave Sebastian his head and urged him up close to Daniel as the trail widened, letting the pony stretch his legs and lengthen his short stride to catch up. When she pulled up alongside her brother she smiled up at him atop his horse, and he returned her smile with hopeful excitement. Being so close now, it was hard not suddenly be optimistic.

"I'm going to beat him black and blue for making us worry like this," she joked, and Daniel's grin grew a little wider.

"Don't hurt him too badly before I get a few swings in myself."

They laughed easily now, feeling giddy and light from the high of their sudden excitement. Harris was galloping full tilt now, spurring his horse into the clearing ahead and reining in hard when he broke the treeline. They caught up a few ticks later, beaming and reining up behind him, their horses stumbling and skidding to a halt through the icy snow. Harris had already dismounted and carelessly discarded his reins. She was confused for a moment when she saw him dash wildly to a few small trees growing on the middle of the clearing.

"Harris! What are you--," she yelled after him, but suddenly stopped when she saw it.

Her brother was running toward the remnants of what had at one point been a camp, but no more. She saw the tent broken and strewn across the snow, half buried and tattered. A fire pit lay cold and black, scarring the white winter ground. A few belongings lay scattered about the clearing, but other than that the area was barren. Katelyn didn't dare dismount from her pony. If she did, she was afraid her legs may betray her. Daniel didn't seem to share her problem. Her half-jumped from the back of his horse and ran to investigate with their brother. Katelyn rode Sebastian a little closer but reined him up on the fringes of the destroyed camp, looking on with stricken dismay.

"Harris?" he asked, voice breaking and rising an octave on the last syllable.

"He's not here," he half-yelled, sounding panicked. "It's his tent, but he's not here," Harris explained, training off into a whisper and frantically repeating to himself over and over.

Daniel seemed a little more composed. She watched him walk around the barren camp, brow knitted seriously and eyes flitting about. His search widened slowly while Harris fretted about the epicenter of the site, picking up small discarded items then throwing them back on the ground.

"A lot of things are missing," he babbled angrily. "Where is he?"

Katelyn finally dismounted and made her way over to her brother. He was crouched in the snow by the fire pit, sifting through the cold ashes as if looking for a clue. When she touched his shoulder he looked up at her, stricken and eyes threatening tears. A strangled cry cut through the cold and their heads jerked around at the horrible sound. Daniel was on his knees by the trees, hunched over the snow. Another wail rose from him prone position, and they both ran to investigate. Harris was far faster than she in the slippery snow, beating her by several yards. When he reached their brother and saw what he had found, he screamed.

The agonized sound stopped her dead, and the cold fist of fear twisted hard inside her belly. She knew what they had found, and her knees buckled. Harris wailed with naked grief and scrambled around their brother to clutch Garreth's body. Her body felt weak and faint, but she crawled the rest of the way to the three of them. Tears flowed freely even before she saw the curly brown hair dusted with the snow, and the impossibly pale skin. A sob escaped her and she stopped, turning her head away. Grief wracked her body painfully, the sobs choking her and making it hard to breath. Her brothers mourned as loudly as she did, holding Garreth between them like a small babe.

[Katelyn Marks]

Kat tried to catch her breath, but with no success. She consigned herself to her tears and turned her eyes up, crawling the last few feet through the snow to her brothers' sides. She instantly wished she hadn't. The horror that greeted her stopped her cold. Garreth's throat had been slashed opened in a jagged tear, exposing his torn windpipe. His tattered shirt laid bare a battleground of stabs and deep slices, the wounds black with cold. One eye had been obviously eaten on by carrion, and the rest of his flesh showed signs of scavengers. Bile rose in her throat and her stomach emptied onto the snow until her body was wracked by dry heaves and painful sobs.

He'd been killed and left to be eaten on by animals. His initial wounds were that of a blade, likely brigands come down from the mountains in search of food and supplies. The winter was showing to be harsher than usual, and not everyone would have been prepared. They'd found Garreth and taken what they wanted. Most of his things were stolen--long gone and only the Gods knew where. She didn't want to think about how long he might have been out here like this.

The three of them grieved for several long bells, unable to muster the strength to do anything but cry. The horses huddled near the trees in the destroyed camp, waiting patiently for their riders. Katelyn was cold and weak by the time her tears finally stopped. She couldn't tell if they'd dried up or just froze. She didn't dare look at Garreth anymore, too frightened by the state of his corpse. It was already branded into her memories, and she couldn't torture herself by gazing any longer at the gore.

"We need to take him home," she croaked quietly, but received no answer.

Kat fought the urge to look at her brothers, because if she did she was would see him.

"Daniel," she tried again a little louder, voice heavy with exhaustion and grief. "Please, Daniel. We can't stay out here. Garreth can't stay out here. We need to get back."

She heard him shift in the snow slowly, and sensed him stand. Footprints retreated back to the camp without a word, and she looked over her shoulder to watch him. His face was pale and drawn, but he moved with obvious intent on the task at hand. One of the few items left behind had been Garreth's tarp. It was strung up between two trees as a wind break, and she watched as Daniel took it down and slowly made his way back, dragging it through the snow behind him. He laid it out on the ground and moved silently back to Harris' side. Their brother didn't say a word when Daniel made to move Garreth. Instead, he helped.

The two of them half lifted, half drug him onto the tarp and arranged his stiff limbs where they needed them. Katelyn mustered the courage to peek out of the corner of her eye as they carefully folded and swaddled the tarp around him head to toe. It was almost as bad, seeing the shape of his body lying there in the snow. He was hidden inside, but she knew it was him. It seemed her tears hadn't finished after all.

Together they all secured him behind Harris' saddle, and Katelyn was grateful when she could back away. The sight of his body lying across their brother's horse brought fresh bile up, and she quickly spit it out and washed her mouth out with snow. When they all found their way back into the saddle, Daniel led the way. He carried the map just in case, but it was a fairly straight shot back home. The trail was clear almost the entire ride, and it would be easy to follow. Harris would guide their course from the rear just in case, but they never needed it. The ride home was agonizingly slow--or at least it seemed like it--and they arrived back at the Outpost several bells after night had fallen.

She found that the worst had yet to come when her parents were fetched by the nighttime watch and they learned what had happened. Kat had been left hollow and their grief echoed inside her, but she couldn't muster a reaction. She wasn't surprised when they demanded to see him, though their request wasn't respected until the following morning, after some investigating had been done by the Knights. The coroner dressed him up as best he could, hiding his wounds under crisp bandages and attempting to make it look as if he were asleep and healing from injuries. It was almost convincing.

Soon after that the Knights laid him to rest and Harris lingered long into the evening, inconsolable and haunted. Their parents' returned home to grieve with Daniel, and Kat found herself back at her cottage with the door barred, unyielding and hiding away to mourn alone in her own way. When she emerged a few days later and returned to her former routine, it was with a harder heart and a far less happy demeanor.

[Sayana]

Your Grades Have Arrived Katelyn Skills: Skill EXP Observation +4 Socialization +3 Wilderness Survival +1 Planning +1 Riding +3 Running +1 Deduction +1 Lores: Making a fire in a hearth Starting a fire: Flint and Steel method Riding in the snow Remain optimistic in times of dread Loss of a brother Dealing with grief: sobbing Horror of a brother's corpse Dealing with grief: numbness Murder by a brigand Comments : A very grief-stricken thread. It was very well done. Even though I knew how it would end, you led the reader through with a glimmer of hope to be crushed soundly at the end. Don't forget to edit/delete your grade request in the grade request thread. If you have any questions or concerns about your grade please feel free to send me a message. Enjoy.