Chapter- 11 The Path of Beaten Faith

Chapter 11- The path of beaten faith

 

 

Shadow was almost lost. His awareness was completely gone. He didn’t move for hours. The snow had practically buried him. He awoke with a start. The snow was packed in all around him. He struggled out of his icy prison and onto the floor below him. He looked around panting. He was freezing more than ever but that wasn’t his main concern. The avalanche had pushed him into the small area and now he was buried underground in the frozen dirt chamber. His first thought was to find Kanoue. Shadow jumped up on a frozen patch of dirt and dug at the wall alongside it. The ice protected it like a shield. Shadow scratched all around the walls in desperation for an escape. He gave it another shot against a partially melted wall. The dirt crumbled down and snow poured in. How deep was he? Shadow dug at the snow hoping to see light peek through but more and more snow came down through his opening as he dug. Finally, a light from outside could be seen. Shadow pushed through the opening, through the snowy opening and out into the exposed air. He found himself standing on a mound of snow, feet high. He looked around only seeing this mound of snow expand all over the valley. Kanoue was nowhere to be found. “Kanoue”! Shadow called out. The wispy wind called back to him rather than Kanoue’s shaky voice. He called again and again hoping and begging he would find him. Shadow even dug at random spots in the snow hoping Kanoue would be under somewhere. Shadow stopped and stared over the buried lake. It was no use, Kanoue was gone; he would be forced to go on by himself. He would have to head north and stop Chanoue all on his own. How he did not know nor care. Chanoue had caused all of this. Arnoue, James, his entire pack and now Kanoue. Chanoue had to die.

 

 

 

          Shadow had only been walking for an hour and was already collapsing from the cold. The tundra ripped at his fur in shifty breezes. A thick blizzard shot overhead, casting over the mountain tops like an airy waterfall. Shadow took another step, sinking into the snow. It was even less possible. With Kanoue dead, he had no one. He was starving as well. The small remains of a dead dear from earlier couldn’t suffice the dying need of food. The cold wind and snow only made it worse. Shadow looked around, opening his eyes after a long moment of shutting them to avoid the blizzards crisp. He was in an empty field, surrounded by snowy fog. He had no idea where he was or going, nor did anyone else. Shadow collapsed in defeat. This was it. Shadow had given up. He rolled over in his soon to be icy tomb and only thought of his father and parents. “I’ll be with you soon dad, and mom too. We’ll all be together”. Shadow closed his eyes but then heard a faint voice echoing in the distance, somewhere close, but far. “Hello”? Shadow called out opening his eyes. “Shadow”! A voice called. Shadow stirred slowly. That’s not Kanoue, he thought. “Shadow, there you are”. It was James; he pushed through the fog and stood towering over Shadow. “Shadow come on, get up”. Shadow blinked. Was it really him? “Dad? But, I saw him kill you…” Shadow scanned him in confusion. “Get up”. James repeated. Shadow turned his legs up and starting standing. “I can’t believe it, I mean you were dead”. James smiled at him. Shadow looked down panting but also relived; but it was impossible. Shadow looked back and James was gone. It had been but an illusion, the cold fooling with his mind. “No… He’s dead. I know he’s gone”. Shadow said to himself continuing his march. It was as though his mind was struggling against him, forcing him onward.

 

 

          Hours, possibly days were fleeting by. Shadow was starving. Eating the snow proved his only supply of water. Shadow nearly stopped again but brought himself back up. He slowly slouched under a nearby tree to avoid the encumbering snow. He kept hearing his father’s voice in his head; calling to him. It was almost a beckoning forward. He climbed back up out of the cover. If he slept, he would die. The snow blew up in his face again and he staggered. “Keep going, I know you can Shadow”. The voice echoed. Shadow dropped to his knees again but once more pulled upward onto his feet. He felt like he was fighting a loosing battle. “Where is Crystal”? Shadow mumbled quietly against his frozen face. “Where is she”? He said again this time toppling over onto his side. “Where”? He whispered even more silently. Shadow felt himself slipping. The sides of the cliff were now visible. Shadow struggled to get back up but the cliff pulled him backward, ripping at his heels and staggering him downward. Shadow slid through the snow, careening into rocks and logs on the way. The hill side kept steadily downward until Shadow had slammed into a thick snow bank. He pulled from the ice cold mound and dropped down once more. He blinked and snow curled into his eyes. He stopped moving when he noticed a shimmer of hope. Ahead was a cave; a wide open cave. He couldn’t see too far inside due to the blizzard. But it was hope. He ran forward through the trudging snow. When his paws finally met dry rock he slouched down and laid for a few moments; savoring in his survival. To his luck, a dead dear was sitting on the outside, frozen from the cold and buried in a mound of snow. The wind was blowing down like a waterfall over the opening. Shadow attacked the frozen dear, ravaging in its meat. He tore from its leg, it was delicious. It tasted as though he had never eaten before. Shadow ripped another shank in delight. But as he did, his attention turned to his side. He looked strait at it with seemingly glowing eyes. He was staring at a gigantic rock door at the back of the cave.