Song of the Earth

by Ankaa Morningstar

With the passing days, the river of time flows onward - the sun and moon dance across the heavens, the seasons come and go with the cycles of the moon. Yet over all of these lies the path of life and death, and it is the earth that shall bear the memories of these intertwining paths. Written for the September writing contest of The Clan of Clouds.

3. In the Darkest of Days

She lay in the shadow of the willow, shivering in the darkness, all memory of warmth fading away into the endless cold. Every breath was a struggle to survive, to keep the fire within burning bright. In the frigid night, remembrances of yesteryear shattered, illusions of plenty giving way to cold, bleak reality. Within her, a voice crowed, No hope, no hope. Thunder roared in the heavens, the falling ice unceasing, the snow nearly warm to the touch. The darkness beckoned her, its warmth tempting, the peace comforting. With a frozen embrace the cold enveloped her, and she welcomed it.