The Ugly Duckling Of The Tiger Tribe-Chapter 214: Are you scared of the cold?

The fire let out low cackling sounds as it glowed with pretty embers next to us. We decided to spend our last night in this camp sleeping under the open sky, rather than inside the tent. I wanted to see them—the stars.

High above, the stars sparkled, though their glimmer had dulled due to the impending clouds, and the edges of the horizon were already being swallowed up.

The snow clouds were rolling in, heavy and relentless, like a curtain being drawn over the world. I knew that once the storm hit, we might not see the stars again for a long, long time, so I wanted to enjoy it while I could.

I sat in the middle of our makeshift bed of furs—not really a bed since it’s just fur and cotton—there was a thick, heavy blanket of mountain goat wool inside the blanket to make it especially soft and warm.

Though it was cold, the heat from the three on my side added to my warmth.

Below me Fenric had already settled, his large hand resting protectively over my ankle even in his sleep—I get the feeling he wants to be the first to know if I so much as move in my sleep.

He was sleeping so soundly, though, he must be exhausted from all the work we’ve been doing as of late.

To my right, Damar sat upright, his silver hair catching the moonlight as he watched the treeline with his usual vigilant grace. He was acting as the watchdog, I presume.

And behind me, Noah had made himself into a living backrest, his chest broad and solid against my spine, his arms loosely circling my waist to keep the blanket—and me—tucked in tight.

I felt his hand over my abdomen and felt how he caressed the baby bump so gently.

It somehow reminded me that he had other kids, or should I say pups? Though he claimed to have never wanted to, he still did, and he got a bunch of females pregnant.

"Look at them while you can, Arinya," Noah whispered, his chin resting near my shoulder and I blinked my eyes, letting go of the heavy thought in my mind. "The sky is changing. I can smell the ice coming."

Why don’t you lick the air while you’re at it?

"I know," I murmured, leaning back completely. "That’s why I can’t look away right now. I want to keep looking until my eyes close in sleep."

I looked up at the beautiful sky. It must be because of the approaching winter, because the Milky Way, which hadn’t been in the sky this whole time, was radiant in the sky.

It started the previous day. I was so excited to get to see the Milky Way up close. It felt as if I stood on top of the tallest tree and reached my hand out, I could touch it.

But of course, it was just a mere delusion on my path.

The sky was a silver river of light that felt so different from reality.

I instinctively touched my belly, my pinky finger grazing Noah’s as I did.

"Are you scared of the cold?" Damar suddenly asked, his voice soft and gentle.

I turned and found him lying down, propping himself up on one elbow to look at me. I looked into his emerald eyes and saw nothing but interest.

"A little," I confessed. "What do you think would happen if you find yourself in the middle of a blizzard, alone, with no food and no shelter?"

"It would be horrible," Damar answered and the interest in his eyes suddenly shifted into something similar to pain.

I read his emotions. He spoke those words so lightly, and yet it felt like he had just described his own situation.

Snakes usually hibernate in the winter but for a snake beastman who had nowhere he could let his guard down, he must’ve roamed around even during the winter. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

Yes, he’s a cold-blooded creature, but that doesn’t mean he’s immune to the cold that winter brings. Why do you think snakes hibernate?

He must’ve been so lonely and cold.

I pressed my lips, turning my head away.

"Because it’s terrible, I can’t help but feel worried," I said but then my face lit up with a smile. "But when I look at you three, and I look at the troller we built, and the clothes we made, and of course the food, haha..." I paused briefly, gripping the blanket. "Somehow, the fear just goes away. We aren’t just surviving anymore, Damar. We’re living."

Fenric let out a low, sleepy rumble of agreement, his grip on my ankle tightening just a bit not to leave a bruise.

I let my eyes wander across the constellations one last time, savoring the silent beauty of the universe before the white veil of winter descended.

I felt incredibly small under that vast sky, but also incredibly anchored. I wasn’t a lonely girl ignored by the world anymore. I was a wife. I was a mother-to-be. And I was the center of a pack that would move mountains just to keep me warm.

"What do you think, Damar?" I asked and dropped my head to look at him with glossy eyes. "With all of this, there’s no reason to fear the cold anymore, right?"

He stared at me for a while, his eyes widened to the endless possibilities I had opened up to him... To us.

His gaze softened and then he dropped his head on my thigh, snuggling.

"That’s right. There’s no reason to fear the cold."

I stroked his hair, nodding.

"Yes. The cold’s got nothing on us now."

Noah did not say anything, but I could feel his curious eyes burning into my skin.

He simply let whatever he had in his mind rest there because the next thing he did was drop his body back so I could lie back, with my head on his belly.

Slowly, the exhaustion of the week’s labor began to pull at my eyelids. One by one, the stars seemed to blink out as the clouds drifted over them, but I didn’t mind. I had all the light and warmth I needed right here.

"Goodnight, stars," I whispered into the freezing wind.

The next morning, the sun hadn’t even fully cleared the horizon, when I wished we could just return to the previous night.

The air was crisp enough to turn every breath into a puff of white fog. I stood there, wrapped in my new, cozy mink-lined coat and boots, feeling like a toasted marshmallow.

On my head was the fur hood I’d spent three days perfecting in my spare time, and on my hand were the mittens I planned to wear but hadn’t worn yet.

How could I with such a commotion first thing in the morning?

I just stood there, my hand pressed on my face and a tired sigh, accompanied by white fog left my lips... Why did this have to happen?