Funeral Hunt

It had been a bloody affair, birth usually was. But this was something else. Skadi couldn't stop thinking about it as she picked up the blankets that made up the floor of the tent. They had been thoroughly soaked, a full person's worth, and the worst part was that it wasn't an exaggeration. As she stepped out and tossed the cursed things into the fire, she watched the smoke rise, smelled the acrid stench of burned fur and boiling blood, and she heard the junior wise-woman, Ada, chanting, bidding the spirits that had done such a horrible thing to go away, begging for them to take mercy on the child in her arms, hearing it as if she was underwater. She watched as her mother, the senior wise woman, sat near the fire, tending to it, ensuring the taint of death would be burned away, as any wise woman should, even though she had tears in her eyes and stains on her cheeks Skadi could not help but feel confused, numb. It had started so normally after all.

The night before, the chill had not been as terrible as it usually was, a sign that the winter was leaving for now and that spring was upon them, an auspicious time for a child to be born. Hele had gone straight to her mother's tent to complain of labor pains. Normally, she would then be compelled to wake the eldest wise-one, but with her mother also being the eldest wise-one, that was wholly unnecessary. Instead, Ula merely went to go wake Ada before leading Hele to the birthing tent, where she was fed herbs for milk and luck and calm. All of this done with the expectation that they would have a proud mother and a new baby to introduce to the daylight, right at dawn if they were lucky. Skadi had been woken too, made to stand guard while her father, Nansi, held Hele's hand. All of it done to utter perfection.

And yet, though was a squalling babe at dusk, there was no pride, only pain. When Skadi looked at Ada's eyes, she saw that the tall woman was staring at nothing, only holding shock in her gaze. When she realized Skadi was watching, she forced herself to focus, finishing her chant and asking, "Has she been put in the snow?"

Skadi nodded, telling Ada, "Father did it. He took her to the burial grounds and is still there now. He'll have made sure that she was covered."

"Good, go and tell the others."

It was then that a strangled sob came from Ula. She covered her mouth but was still heard by the other women. Skadi crouched down and wrapped an arm around her as she began to properly sob.

Skadi shushed her, "No, no, don't Mother, please don't. No one could have known, not even you. What else could be done?" There was nothing to be done for Hele bleeding out.

"I know, that doesn't mean I shouldn't have tried harder. What kind of wise woman can't even save her own daughter?" She sniffed, wiping her eyes. "Just head back to camp. We have arrangements to make."

Skadi nodded, standing up and taking a breath before she headed for camp. It wasn't a long trip, just out of ear and eye shot of the birthing tent. Skadi suspected that it was to ensure that others didn't hear screaming, rather than for the mother's sake.

It was strange to see him so calm when he came back. Nansi wasn't the type to hide his emotions, the first to laugh and the first to cry. And yet now, after the loss of his lover's child, his eldest daughter, his eyes were dry. The last time someone had lost her daughter to childbirth, she had supposedly sobbed and beat at her chest for days on end. Though it wasn't as though Skadi could say much, feeling as far away as she did. With this in mind, Skadi let him join her in telling everyone what had happened, until everyone knew that Hele wasn't coming back. They all headed to the ritual cave to await their wise women. Luckily, they didn't have to wait long, as they both arrived and headed to the back of the cave. Ula took up her staff and Ada lit the fire, the baby handed to a nursing mother.

The ritual cave, when lit up, was a glorious place. The fire itself was on a natural shelf where the wise women stood. Both had brought in a stag's skin, putting them on so that the antlers rested on top of their own heads, Ula's bigger than Ada's. There was art on every surface of the cave; the little handprints of children lifted up by their parents covering the upper wall, the rest of the surfaces covered in all sorts of animals. Hunt-luck paintings of aurochs with spears in them, horses that were so skillfully drawn that they looked like they were running, the beasts so beautiful that they simply had to be captured forever. And on the wall behind the wise women was a painting of a great stag. No,The Great Stag. His legs were long, thin, and pointed. His chest proud and thick. His neck curved and elegant. And his antlers were magnificent, having more points than any deer could possibly have, for he lived longer than any deer possibly could. This was a deer that sired many fawns indeed, their spots making up the stars in the night sky. And yet, looking at it, Skadi felt that distance she felt earlier turn to anger rather than awe or comfort. Why? Why hadn't The Geat Stag, or the many, many does in his herd, protected Hele? They had done everything right.

Ula spoke first, her eyes red from crying, but she was otherwise the vision of a calm and dignified wise woman. "On this night, we have lost Hele as she birthed her child, a son. I thank Skadi for informing you all. While she did so, we burned everything that was tainted by that which killed her, the ashes scattered wide where it happened. However, that is not the only reason we are gathered here, in this noblest of places."

Ada spoke then, "Hele has not been buried but remains in the snow. We need a pit prepared so that she may properly sleep."

Nansi spoke up then, not needing to step forward or raise his hand with how tall he was compared to everyone else. "I'll do it, it's only right. Anyone who wishes to can help me."

Someone else spoke then, a young man, telling him, "But Nansi, you've already buried your children in your homeland. You don't need to do it for someone who wasn't yours too. You've been through enough."

Nansi glared at the young man who said it, the expression not befitting the gentle man's dark face. "She was my child. I may not have helped make her, but she was mine. And where I am from, the eldest of a person's loved ones always buried them and I am older than Ula. I'll do it."

The young man backed down. Ula nodded at Nansi, and he nodded back. "Thank you, Nansi. I have no doubt you'll help her rest well."

Ada spoke then, telling the crowd, "We also need a hunting party to prepare her bed. We'll need something she would have liked. Something beautiful."

Although she was not as tall as her father, Skadi had no need to raise her hand when she spoke firmly, as she was the tallest woman, "I'll hunt a swan-hawk for her. She always liked feathers. And if nothing else can be used, just one wing will hold her."

And just like that, whispers broke out. Was Skadi serious? A swan-hawk? And at her tender age of 15 summers? There was devotion, but this was something else. Not to mention how selfish it was.

Skadi heard these whispers and turned around so that her back was towards the shelf. She told them all, "I'm not doing this for glory, and I don't care that I'm young! I'll go take it down and give Hele the best bed I possibly can. Isn't that what she deserves?"

A cry of, "Enough," rang out, Ula's arms raised and her staff in the air. "She is a huntress and has volunteered. It is her right. She shall help us prepare Hele's bed. And so, it shall be her first big game hunt, you will then allow her to join hunting parties, as is her right."

The cave quieted down. Skadi would hunt a swan-hawk. It was not as though she was an incapable hunter, having brought in plenty of small game. No one could stop her.

Ula spoke once more, with finality, "We start at dawn, it's getting late, and we should all rest." She climbed down from the shelf, putting her staff down and removing her deerskin, Ada following her lead and everyone else following her.

No one spoke once everyone returned to the campfire. No one was sure how to break the silence, so the only sound was that of the cooing baby, a baby they had all expected to return with Hele. Finally, an old man spoke, "Have you had a single thing to eat since yesterday?"

Skadi confessed, "No, we thought we would be here by morning, so we took nothing but water."

"No wonder you spoke nonsense then." He went to a pile of snow nearby, "I was saving this for Hele. I knew how much she loved them and how hungry she would be after her ordeal, but you should have it. Be full for your hunt."

It was a fat and plucked bird, which Skadi took gratefully, setting to cook it immediately. As she did, quiet fell over the campfire once more. The bird changing color from pink, to white, to brown before Nansi asked, "Do you remember when you were weaned, Skadi?"

"I do, but only vaguely."

"You refused to eat birds at first. Hard to tell why, you simply refused."

Skadi grew a bit embarrassed, telling him, "I'm sure there was a reason."

"I'm sure there was but either way, you cried when we tried to feed it to you. That was until Hele tore it up and ate a piece. You must have thought that if your big sister ate it, then it must be good. Never mind that I caught it for you."

"In my defense, you also like eating roots."

"Because I have good taste and you're still a child."

That got a laugh out of everyone. The baby squirmed in Ada's arms, and she rocked him gently. And Ula looked at him as she spoke, telling of her memories. "I still remember the day she was born. It was in those days where spring was turning to summer. One of the happiest days of my life. Steved nearly fainted, my mentor practically attended to him more than he attended to me."

"Really? I thought he would be more resilient about these things than I am," Nansi added.

"Oh, you know very well that hunting and birthing are not the same thing, Nansi. You're hardier than he was in a lot of ways."

"You're right about that, Ali always hated to watch butchering, but had no problem watching the healers." He sniffed and rubbed at his face then, as if he was wiping sweat but Skadi noticed tears. And then, he began to weep.

Skadi could only imagine what her father was feeling at the moment. Ali had been her father's son, her brother, in Nansi’s homeland, he was only seven summers when he died. Now, Nansi was losing a child all over again. And the worst part was that they had truly believed that Hele would be fine, and yet the only evidence she had ever been here was in Ada's arms. Skadi offered him water from her water skin, and he took it gratefully, chugging it as he tried to stop crying.

The old man spoke again, looking to Ada and telling her, "I saw a bull with a calf today. No cows around, just him. He wasn't an old man with only the little one to his name or a young thing with a sibling tagging along. This looked like a strong bull. One who should already have more. What do you suppose that's an omen of?

Before Ada could answer, an old woman interrupted, "What does a bull have to do with anything? And why are you asking now of all times? And why are you asking Ada of all people about bulls?" She even glared at him suspiciously.

"It doesn't have anything to do with anything Narna, that was the whole point. It's called a distraction!"

Skadi took a sharp breath through her nose and instantly regretted it, the cold burning her nostrils. And then the baby started crying. This was going to be a rough night.

Skadi was the first one up, before dawn. The night watcher was heading to sleep as she came out of her tent as he told her, "The fire's already lit. You don't need to worry about it."

"Thank you," Skadi said tersely as she went to the fire to warm up. There was new snow on the ground, so she had extra hunting time. She also roasted some roots for her morning meal while she was at it.

After that, she headed to the ritual cave. She took off her mittens and took up the shell dust kept in a bowl and mixed it with water, making white paint before dipping her fingers in and drawing on the wall. It was then that Ula came in, early riser that she was, and saw Skadi painting. "Already preparing?"

"Yes," said Skadi. "If I don't start now, then I may lose time we don't have."

"You know, Skadi, I've been thinking. There are plenty of hunters; I don't think you should take this as your hunt.

"You said yourself that it's my right and it needs to be done. Does it matter if it's a hunting party or by myself? It's not as though I'm doing this for glory."

"That's not what I meant, and you know it. It's just such dangerous prey-"

"I know it is."

"Please don't tell me that's why you chose a swan-hawk."

"No, of course not! I only chose it because all the real swans are gone. We don't have time to wait for spring."

"Skadi, look at me."

Skadi stopped her painting and looked at her mother, instantly regretting it. Ula had been crying again. From how tired she looked; Skadi guessed she must have done so all night. Her hand was shaking as she reached up to grip Skadi's shoulder. "I know you want what's best for Hele, but I refuse to lose another child. And your father cannot stand to lose you either, I don't think he could survive it."

Skadi's eyes flitted to the ground in guilt. "I understand, but Hele needs this. I need this. I just," Skadi tried to find the words, "I need to kill something. I need to because what happened wasn't right. And there's a weight in my chest. Like I'll scream if I don't do this. Besides, what I said is true. Hele loved feathers and a swan-hawk has enough for her."

Ula took a deep breath, "Alright, I can see you need this. Just go talk to your father when you're done. He has something to show you."

"Of course, Mother." And so, Skadi went back to painting, Ula going deeper into the cave. The white bird looked quite fearsome, in her humble opinion. She made sure to capture its claws, its massive wings, both these things used in battle with swans. And though the bird's bill was closed, it was still dangerous looking. There was only one thing left to do. Skadi took up the red rock dust, mixed it with water and, using her pinky, swiped a single red line going into its breast. It was a messy stroke, but it struck true. The beast would surely die.

Just as Skadi was about to leave, Ula returned from deeper within the cave, carrying a bag. "Wait, take this with you."

Skadi took it and looked within. She expected to find some sort of herb blend or talisman. She instead found, "Dirt?"

"Trust me, it will save your life. Just don't get it wet."

Skadi was skeptical but nodded anyways, telling her mother, "Of course and I'll be careful." She thus left the cave and headed to the weapon makers.

Nansi stood out even when he was sitting with his fellow weapon makers. He was tall even when sitting. It seemed everything aboout him was longer than the average person, a sort of elegant quality to him. He also had darker skin than everyone else, the color never fading even into the coldest of months when everyone else began to match the snow. Skadi had inherited a mix of his and her mother's skin. Her hair in looser coils than his. He waved her over and said, "I'm sure your mother told you to come speak with me," as he stood up.

"She did, is everything alright? None of my weapons are broken."

"Oh, I know your weapons are fine. You're not foolish enough to go and hunt with broken tools. No, I have something new to show you." He then handed a strange looking branch to Skadi.

Upon closer inspection, Skadi found that it was not a branch, but something Nansi had crafted. Still, she puzzled over what it could be used for. One end was thicker than the other, like a club, but it was still far too thin for that. It had a divot on one end and was very flat overall. It was decorated with her father's usual flair of square patterns, so it was very pretty at least. At a loss, Skadi asked, "What is it?"

"It's a spear thrower," Nansi explained. "You balance a spear on it and throw. That way you can send a spear farther than you could before. I wanted to gift it for your first hunt but-"

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