Fire Within

"Don't you even think about it. You can never make it to Glaciaburg on foot!" they would all tell me.

"Risking your life out on the frigid road only to catch up with your group is pointless!"

I did my best to ignore them as I sipped my spicy cider. I swirled the eccentric flavor within my mouth as I contemplated what I would do.

"Don't feel bad that you missed the train. Sometimes you just can't help being so lethargic and unorganized."

The ineptitude of some people was just too much for my short temper to handle. I took a last sip of my warm and soothing cider, cringing lightly at the spices that had settled to the bottom. I set the empty mug upon the counter quite ostentatiously, soon to rise and look about, my portly beard taking the shape of a smirk I wore, my cheeks red, full on my virile life. Gazing about, I soon built up the will to speak to the people within the pub as I picked up my belongings, a few snacks included.

"I've decided," I started, "…to take on this challenge of making my way to Glaciaburg, where my group awaits me. Lupyro and I will be just fine."

With only a quick silence, I soon heard chuckles as the tavern people turned back around to do whatever they were doing, some poking fun at my frailties.

"…I'll show you," I muttered. "I'm not as weak as you all think. I'll show you. You'll see. Come, Lupyro!"

With a joyous yip, a medium-built red husky scrambled out from under a nearby table. She frolicked playfully around me as I gradually made my way to the tavern doors, still doing my best to disregard the masses who ridiculed my poor strength. What hurt most was not only their criticism, but the fact that it was true… and I knew it.

I gasped with shock as I opened the tavern door. A painfully cold, snowy wind poured over me as if grandpappy hit me in the face with a sheet of ice again. Lupyro merfed anxiously as her fluffy tail wavered blissfully. I departed the Bluemist Station Tavern, shutting the door upon the voices that continued to satirize me. Lupyro cantered about in the powdery snow as I scanned the Bluemist train terminal angrily. Why did the train have to leave me here? Why did my group have to leave me here? Why is Lupyro leaving me here? Shaken back to reality, I called out to her and dashed after her as she was sauntering elsewhere. Apparently, she knew what was going on more than I did, as well as where to go.

I shivered madly as I left the station boundaries, Lupyro at my side. Hoping to keep my mind occupied as I waged through shin-deep snow, I popped a chip of cinnamon into my mouth. I nibbled at it gently as my chilled legs carried me up an increasing slope. At the time, I was unaware that the juices made with the cinnamon within my mouth eventually started to flow past my numbed lips, quick to freeze upon my show-powdered beard.

With a heavy sigh of discontent, I held my gloved hands to my face, just to check and see if a face was still there. My gloved hands could feel a face, but my face could not feel gloves. Gradually pulling my hands away from my frosty visage, they knocked the ember, cinnamony ice sickle from my beard, which plummeted to the ground. Lupyro scampered to the snowy crater and nosed at the zirconium-like ice shard. She yipped to me, thinking that I had dropped something important. With an annoyed and fatigued grunt, I waved her back to me as I stood atop the hill, my completely numb legs just barely able to hold me.

My red husky and I gazed down from atop the massive hill. Glaciaburg could be seen just over a mile away.

"Who needs a train?" I thought bravely. "We could just walk to the town!"

So far, it had taken me almost an hour to reach the top of the hill. The slope leading down was almost like a cliff. Not being able to stand this blasted cold any longer, I hesitantly eased my way down the massive slope. Lupyro continued to watch me from atop the hill, her tail waving about playfully as she danced in place. Looking up to her, I chuckled with humored annoyance. As I did so, I did not see the sheet of ice a placed my foot upon.

"Come, now, you silly girl! Don't be afraid! If I can do this, I know for sure you c—"

My calls to her stopped as the ice I stepped upon made me lose my footing. My booted feet staggered out from under me and I toppled to the ground. A sharp pain flooded my body. I knew for sure I had broken something. But it didn't stop there. My aching body continued to slide down the hill, gradually picking up speed until I knew there was nothing I could possibly do to stop myself. The only thing I could do was yell at the top of my lungs as I slid on my bum, faster and faster down the giant slope. Lupyro yipped excitedly and bound about as she watched me. Her bounding soon turned to a flattening of ears as a massive crash rang throughout the snow-glistened plains.

My entire body ached even still as my head poked up from within a pile of snow. From the looks of things, a tree had stopped my sled ride, then to dump snow upon me. Seeing I was still alive and well (in a way), Lupyro began to make her own way down the slope, following my tracks. I grumbled loudly at my luck, somewhat amazed to still be alive. Although I could move, terror shot through me as I could feel nothing but moderate pain. My body had grown completely numb, and resting in this pile of snow was not helping at all. I kicked my way out of it, growling even louder with anger.

I knew I had to build a fire. Lupyro more than likely knew this as well, and I was the only one who could supply a decent fire for us. Mumbling with fear and anger, I ripped dry bark from the tree. Setting it neatly upon the ground. Within my pockets, my numbed hands could barely pull out pieces of flint and receipts with countless orders of spiced cider upon them. I began to furiously slash at the flint shards with each other, sparks showering down upon the receipts that I had lain out neatly. They were quick to catch fire. I tossed the flints to the side in a panic as I fed the growing flames more dry bark.

Proud and accomplished, I warmed my hands with the decent fire that raged before me. Although nice and soothing, my body ached even more as the feeling came back and the numbness faded. I winced lightly in pain, watching the red husky bound toward me playfully. I saw she was kicking up much snow with her bounding. I uttered a frantic moan, trying to stop her before she kicked snow into the fire. But it was too late. My heart skipped a beat as I batted away the snow, pouring the last of my receipts upon the sizzling fire.

Within a few minutes of trying to salvage the diminishing flames, they roared brightly once again. I looked to Lupyro angrily. She nosed at my chin, almost seeming like she was trying to apologize. I already ached so much, and becoming angry at Lupyro, with her cute muzzle, curious nose, vigilant ears, and playful eyes, would only cause me to ache even more.

My warm hands shuffled within my pockets, soon to pull out a small container that possessed my lunch: dried pineapple rings, which were now heavily frosted. But I didn't care; My empty stomach only increased my pain. I eagerly devoured the sweet rings of goodness, even offering the naughty husky at my side some.

I sighed with ease as a glimmer of hope welled up within me as I watched the dancing flames. I might actually be able to make it. Make it all the way to Glaciaburg by myself. I know I can! I'll prove the tavern people wrong! They will never consider me as weak again! I felt so warm and so renewed as I gazed into the dancing flames, although wondering which bones I had broken. Exhilaration flooded my body as I thought of what was to come. Yes… The tavern folk and my group will see that I'm not so worthless, weak, and uncoordinated.

My joyful thoughts were broken by the dreaded yelping of terror. Realizing I had nodded off, I woke with a start only to see Lupyro scampering away. I was about to shout "What is it, girl?" to my husky. But my answer was soon found. What snow that didn't fall from the tree when I crashed into it, now fell onto my fire. It was completely covered. Extinguished! Just like my hope and happiness! Once again, I grumbled my luck loudly and felt around in my pockets for the flint. A lump formed in my throat as no flint was to be found. I then remembered that I had tossed it to the side after my previous use. There was no way I could find it now.

I lifted myself up and trotted toward the town.

"Come, Lupyro! We must hurry to Glaciaburg!"

I ran with all of my might, hoping to keep my body warm. I WILL make it, I promised myself! It was as though it was my purpose in life to finally prove my peers wrong. I am not weak. I am strong! And I will make it to Glaciaburg on my own. Worry flooded my body as I felt my stamina quickly decreasing, the numbness returning to my weakened body. My desperate dashes turned to pathetic trotting as I waged through the deep snow, a deathly cold wind now brushing against me. My feet gave out from under me and I plummeted to the snow. I held back the tears of frustration, terror, and diminishing hope as I held myself up.

Lupyro nosed at me with light yips. It was as though she was urging me to go on. She knew I had the strength to make it through this trial. I knew this as well. It was my goal, after all. I had to make it. With a burst of energy, I bound up and made another desperate dash to the town. It was not even a mile away. As I jogged with every ounce of energy I had, I felt like a shell, completely unrelated to this world. My body was once again overwhelmed with the evil numbness. With the body came my mind as well. My thoughts became a blur. The only thing I could thing about was reaching Glaciaburg. It was what I was meant to do. I had to. Nothing else mattered.

My dead legs and feet continued to glide me along the ice-killed trail. Lupyro danced joyously around me as a trotted, my pace becoming slower. My face was white, my expression that of death. I knew I couldn't last much longer. I was never able to last long at anything. I was always so pathetic, just like the folk had said. My pace slowed to a drag. I really am worthless. I can't do anything.

I closed my eyes in sorrow. But as I did, I saw the all too familiar memory: The snow that had fell upon the helpless fire, completely extinguishing it. I let out a moan of pain as I stopped dead in my tracks. The next thing I knew, I saw the ground plummeting toward me. I had landed face-first into the snow. I felt as though my fire within had been extinguished. My breathing became shallow as I tried to move. I've always been this pathetic.

I was able to lift my head to gaze about with snow-covered eyes. There was Glaciaburg, not even a half mile away. It may have been so close, but it was so far since my fire within had been extinguished. A curious nose nosed as me once again. I… can't do it, I thought. There was no way I could make it now. Everyone was right. I'm just a worthless failure with no inner fire. I was wrong to think I could prove myself to be strong. I am who I am, and that's all that I am.

It would have been so nice to see the astonished faces of the group and tavern folk. Show them once and for all that I am actually worth something. These thoughts filled me with happiness of my own. I looked to Lupyro, who was curiously nosing as me while whining loudly. I smiled as I began to feel very warm. Such a good girl, Lupyro is. She's always been there for me. I gradually nodded off with my thoughts of happiness. But soon, I felt myself drifting away. With my fires extinguished, all I could hear was the sorrowful howl of the only soul who actually had faith in me.