Chapter 6

There wasn’t much to do now that the big freeze was here all William and his wives could do was stay warm and eat and sleep some others did sewing around the fire that had more wood put on it to keep them all warm inside the Yaranga. The crunch of snow was muffled by the thick layers of animal fur that lined the floor. The scent of burning wood filled the space with a comforting warmth, and outside, the endless expanse of ice sparkled under the cold, stark sky.

One of William’s wives sat by the entrance, peering out through the flap of fur that served as a window. The icy gusts of wind tugged at the edges, trying to steal the warmth from within. Her eyes searched the horizon for any sign of movement, but all she could see was the stark white wilderness stretching out as far as the eye could see, unblemished by any sign of life except for the occasional snow drift.

Her gaze returned to the warmth of the fire, where William was tending to the pot that hung over it, the rich aroma of Reindeer stew wafting through the air. She felt the cold creeping up her back and knew she couldn’t stay there much longer. With a sigh, she pushed herself to her feet and shuffled back over to the fire, her fur-lined boots silent on the floor.

Gitinnevyt and her 2 sister wives were all one month pregnant, a fact that had brought a new sense of unity and purpose to the family. They whispered together, sharing stories of their pregnancies, and offered gentle reassurances and warm smiles as they felt the first flutters of life within them.

William noticed the quiet camaraderie and felt a twinge of pride. He had done well to provide for them, to keep them safe and healthy. As the stew simmered, he listened to their soft murmurs, their laughter like the crackle of the fire. His thoughts drifted to the future, to the children they would raise in this harsh but beautiful land.

In three months, when the big freeze had loosened its iron grip, they would pack everything up on the sledges. The sledges, now resting outside under thick blankets covered in snow, would be their lifeline once more. They would glide over the now-frozen rivers and lakes, heading towards the distant lands where the sun had more warmth to give and plenty of grass for the reindeer. The thought of moving filled him with a strange mix of excitement and apprehension.

The three sister wives grew more rotund with each passing week, their bellies swelling like the full moons that occasionally pierced the star-studded sky. Their laughter grew softer as they moved around the Yaranga, but their eyes held a spark of life that hadn’t been there before. They took turns carving toys from the bones of the animals they’d killed, imagining the squeals of delight their children would make when they saw them.

The great freeze would be finally coming to an end it would soon be time to pack up everything on the sledges to be pulled by the Reindeer to their next location somewhere to the north west where they knew there would be plenty of food for the animals and the new born babies, the three sister wives, went into a huddle, whispering and planning for the upcoming journey. They were all eager to leave the confines of the Yaranga and feel the wind in their hair again, but the excitement was tinged with fear of the unknown. They had never traveled so far during the thaw before.

Two months have passed by and it was time to pack everyting up and get ready to move.Inside the warm embrace of the Yaranga, William stirred the embers of the fire, watching as the flickering light danced upon the animal skins that lined the walls. He felt the anticipation building in his chest, a coil of excitement and trepidation ready to unravel.

“William, lend us a hand with the sledges!” called out Tuko, his deep voice carrying through the frosty air. William grabbed his fur-lined parka and stepped out into the crisp morning, the cold immediately biting at his cheeks. He took a deep breath, filling his lungs with the scent of frost and the promise of a new adventure.