Chapter 5

The temperature was still dropping so once the wood was dispersed to all the other villagers in their own Yaranga’s William walked back into the biggest Yaranga of the village chief where he lived with his 3 wives, they stoked the fire as the temperature dropped even lower to minus 50 degrees the Yaranga was nice and warm inside due to the mammoth skin covering the doorway. William looked around and saw his 3 wives waiting for him they had his dinner ready mammoth steaks with mushrooms and blood from reindeer it was a delicious meal that would keep him warm and full throughout the night. He thanked them and sat down to eat, the smell was mouthwatering, and the warmth was inviting.

While he enjoyed his meal, William couldn’t shake the feeling of unease that had settled in his gut. The storm outside was unlike any they had experienced before, and the elders had been speaking in hushed tones about ancient legends of the ‘Great Freeze’ that had once almost wiped out their ancestors. The winds howled like beasts in the night, and the walls of the Yaranga creaked under their relentless onslaught. He knew that the village was prepared, but the thought of the unyielding Siberian tundra turning into a deadly prison for them all was a terrifying prospect.

The crackling fire cast flickering shadows across the room, dancing on the faces of his wives as they tended to their tasks. Each of them had a role to play in the survival of their little family, and of the village as a whole. Galina was a skilled seamstress, mending their fur clothes to keep them protected from the biting cold. Memyl (seal) was busy crafting new tools for hunting, his nimble fingers shaping bone and antler with surprising strength. Tinyl, the oldest, was the village’s herbalist and healer, her knowledge of the local flora essential for treating illness and injury.

As William finished his meal, he knew that the warmth of food and the camaraderie of his wives wouldn’t be enough to chase away the chill that had settled in his bones. He had to be strong for them, and for the villagers that looked to him for guidance. With a deep sigh, he pushed aside his plate and stood up, extending his hand to each of them in turn. They understood the unspoken message and followed him to the Polok fur-covered sleeping area at the back of the Yaranga.

The four of them huddled together, sharing their body heat and their love, seeking comfort and reassurance in each other’s embrace. The warmth of their combined bodies was a stark contrast to the frigid air outside. The love they shared that night was not just a physical act but a silent promise of protection and a declaration of unity. With every touch and whispered word, they wove a cocoon of warmth around their hearts, shielding them from the fear that lurked in the shadows of the Great Freeze.

As the night deepened, William was roused by the sound of the storm’s crescendo. He felt a sudden urgency to ensure that the fire would not die out, for if it did, the Great Freeze would surely claim them. He gently extricated himself from the tangle of furs and limbs, the cold air nipping at his exposed skin. Moving swiftly, he added more wood to the fire, choosing the driest and most dense pieces to ensure a steady burn throughout the night. The flames roared to life, licking greedily at the new fuel, casting a warm glow that seemed to pulse with the rhythm of the storm.

The months passed with a monotonous rhythm. The villagers huddled in their Yarangas, their lives reduced to a cycle of tending the fire and trying to keep their spirits high. During this time, William noticed that his three wives had all begun to show signs of pregnancy. Their once-flat stomachs grew round and firm, and their breasts swelled with the promise of new life. The realization filled him with a mix of joy and trepidation luckily 9 months was the normal time for giving birth they would be out of the great freeze and be able to hunt and stock up more wood for the rest of the year and to be ready for the next great freeze that ran from October to April every year.