Tôrfa slowly sharpened her battle axe with a sharpening stone. Her thoughts wandered to the next week's events. She and a group of other teenagers in the village of Fossdalr, had come of age to make a bond with a dragon. There was mostly only Frozen Spearheads, but some Sharpbeaks came up during the warm season (Deadly Nadders). The young Norse child made a face at her reflection in the war axe; it was so shiny it glittered in the light from the fire.
Standing up, the girl heaved the axe onto her back and walked out quietly of her house. Tôrfa squinted her eyes at the harsh landscape; Tôrfa frowned as the snow glare pierced through her eyelashes. Leafless birch swayed in the early winter breeze as Tôrfa made her way to the council room.
Waiting for her there was the rest of the village's teenagers. As Tôrfa walked over she noticed them mapping out their route to find dragons. Wrinkling her nose in disgust she continued to watch them argue, until one of the male teenagers noticed her.
"Lookie here guys, we have the dragon slayer here to save us." A large blonde haired boy spat out.
"Well, I'm not going to burden you then. You can go fight off the bears alone then." Tôrfa said coldly.
The group stared at her in shock, until a dark haired boy finally had the courage to speak up.
"You have to. It's tradition. If you don't how will you get food?" the boy's name was Alvoriç.
"I don't need a petty dragon to give me food, unlike you I have skills to survive alone. And as for tradition, to Hel shall it go" with those words being said, a small gasp emitted out of the group as Tôrfa stormed out of the council room, slamming the door behind her.
Walking aimlessly around with no real destination, she ended up at the bay. Its waters had been frozen under a thick layer of ice; the sunlight sparkled off the ice in a dazzling manner. Tôrfa sighed to herself, "How can I just let them know that I want to spill blood? It's not like we don't have shield-maidens, but they all have dragon bonds."
The girl kicked one of the small rocks that dotted the shoreline. As the young girl walked along the bay she looked at her home and sighed. "How will I ever show them? I hate dragons!"
Tôrfa took out her battle axe brandishing it at an invisible enemy. She soon lost interest in the action though and dragged her axe behind her as she continued walking.
Tôrfa soon found out that she had reached a point where she could not see her village anymore, grinning the girl ran off to her hut.
Dusting off her boots she found that her snow leopard had already made it back before her. Poking the small first she had just created with her flint and tinder, she thought about how she came to have this place and the story behind her pygmy leopard. Looking around for her book she began to leaf through the pages to find the one that was labeled "Hut".
Making herself comfortable on a polar bear skin, she began to read her book. Its crude pages and writing reminded Tôrfa that she had to improve the book soon. Dawn came over onto the girl's lap and cuddled up to her. As both of them enjoyed the warmth given to each other and from the fire, a steady purr arouse from the snow leopard as the girl began to read.
11 summers and 10 winters to date.
I built this place to shelter me from the bullies in the village. Tôrfa, my future self don't let them deceive you. They will end you, don't let them in. You must be harsh as the winter and as violent as the tides during new-tide. On a happier note, guess what I found today? I hope by the time I read this again she is still here; I think I will name her Dawnberry. I found her under a berry bush after I saw an adult snow leopard not far away from the bush. A polar bear probably got to her as she was hunting, I don't know, but the cub is my responsibility now. I'll just call her Dawn for short. The hut should be able to protect you from most snow storms and sturdy enough to allow you to hide from a bear until you're old enough to kill them. Stay safe. Stay strong. Do not let them in.
After feeding Dawn some fish that Tôrfa had caught beforehand and smoked. Realizing that the sun was setting the girl began to run back to her parents' home. Wheezing loudly the girl paused for a moment to regain her composure before entering the house.
Her mother and father sat at the eating table in the middle of the room. Looking around Tôrfa realized that most of the elder village council along with some of the younger adults was here. Tôrfa realized that they were probably here for her. Silently backing away she bumped into something soft. Turning around she realized it was Gredår. He smiled softly at her, rustling Tôrfa's brilliant silvery white hair, before pushing her towards the adults. She looked back at him confused.
"I'm sorry" he mouthed. Realizing she had to way out of this situation, Tôrfa stared steely at her parents.
"What do you want?" a quiet voice said, Tôrfa hardly recognized it as her own. It was deathly soft, and the elders paled as they heard the voice.
One cleared his throat. Standing up he wrung his hands together in an obvious discomfort.
"You have to go with the rest of the teenagers. It is the law in this town, and if you don't we are no longer obliged to look upon you as one of our own." The tall man said before sitting down in his seat.
"So you always looked upon me as one of your own then?" Tôrfa spat out.
One of the other council women - a younger one by the looks – spoke up. "We have always looked upon you as our own. Even when you did things that others didn't."
"You say that defending myself as a mere CHILD to other children was an action that is frowned upon?!" the girl's accent began to play in slurring her words into angry shouts.
"Yur all horrible beasts! Dragons or not, allowing yur child to be beate' or beat another is not a part of yur heritage!" Tôrfa slammed her fist down on the table in anger. Recalling the words from her book before, she spit on the floor at her parents feet and stormed out into the frozen unknown.
A/N How did you guys like it? I'm packing for Kanobels (Spelled wrong -) right now, but I hope you guys have awesome reviews and stuff when I get back! Read & Review!
PS: How did you guys like Tôrfa so far?