Nora’s panic had taken a different form this time. Unlike the crushing weight of the outside world she had experienced the night before, this felt like an intense energy that surged within her, as if she were about to combust.
Instinctually she pulled her hands free of the mittens and wiggled her fingers through the snow to touch the frozen ground below. As her fingertips met the frigid earth, she felt the energy within her race down her arms and into her hands, escaping into the cold forest floor. A sudden rumble radiated from below, followed by a thunderous crack that reverberated through the frozen landscape. The snow that clung to the branches of the trees above came raining down in large clumps, along with loose branches, pinecones, and acorns.
The world hung still; her heart returned to a normal pace, and her breathing slowed to a steady rhythm. The song was gone,replaced with a gentle wind blowing among the trees. The fear that had gripped her just moments ago seemed to have vanished into the ground through the tips of her fingers.
Just then, Lochland came bounding up the snowy path, Alistair in tow. Concern tightening his face, Alistair rushed toward her, his limp giving way as he moved faster. Relief washed over her at the sight of him.
“What the hell was that?” she heard him say before he arrived in front of her. His eyes darted around, trying to figure out what had just happened.
Nora, wide-eyed, met his gaze but remained silent. Had she somehow caused the earth to quake? Had she channeled all her pain and panic into the ground?
“Are you okay? What happened?” he asked as he crouched beside her.
“I was running and tripped. I hurt my ankle pretty bad. I’m not sure I can walk on it,” Nora replied.
“Running from what?”
Nora was unsure of what to tell him, what had she been running from? She didn’t know herself.
“The weird singing in the woods. Didn’t you hear it?” she asked.
“No. The only thing I heard was the loud crack from the ground. Must have been the frost shifting or something. You must have heard it?”
“Yes, but it wasn’t the crack that scared me, it was the creepy melody, like a distorted children’s song,” she told him.
“Probably just the wind in the trees. It can sound musical at times. Let me look,” he said, pulling up her pant leg and examining her ankle. “It looks okay, no bruising or swelling yet. Does this hurt?” He lifted her foot and began to rotate it.
“Ouch!” she cried out as he moved it to the right.
“Can you put any pressure on it at all?” Alistair asked, standing back up and extending his hand to help her give it a try. She took his hand and was surprised to find that the fear of whatever had been lurking in the woods had been dispelled by his touch. She felt safe with him. Hopping up onto her good leg, she slowly put pressure on the injured one.
“God, no. I can’t,” she said, pulling her foot away from the ground and trying to balance while holding onto him. The pain radiated up her ankle into her leg, leaving a dull throbbing ache.
“Okay, I am going to take the wood down and come back to get you. Is that okay?” he asked, his eyes reflecting concern. Nora looked back over her shoulder toward the woods where the mysterious music had come from, shuddering at the thought of being left alone in the creepy forest.
“I think I can make it over to the clearing with your help,” she insisted, not wanting to be left in the woods, even for a short length of time.
“If you think you can make it. If not, I’ll be right back with the sled to pull you,” he said as Lochland gave her hand a comforting lick.
“I think this one can take care of you while I’m gone,” Alistair remarked, looking down at Lochland. “I heard you scream, but if it hadn’t been for this little guy, it would have taken me a lot longer to find you.” He extended his hand for the dog to sniff. Lochland, in turn, stretched his neck out and sniffed his gloved hand, then stepped closer, allowing Alistair to pet him for the first time. He smiled down at the dog, obviously happy that he was finally warming up to him.
“He’s a good boy,” Nora agreed, smiling at the two getting along.
Alistair assisted Nora to the clearing at the top of the hill. Thesky was painted in a mix of pinks and oranges that echoed back in the water of the loch below.
“Oh, my God, it’s gorgeous,” she exclaimed, marveling at the picturesque view of the loch nestled into the valley.
“Then it will be the perfect place for you to wait for me,” Alistair said, guiding her to a large rock on the edge of the hillside. “I’m going to get this wood down to the cottage and will be right back to get you.”
“Okay,” Nora said.
He nodded and then headed down the sloping hill back to the cottage. She watched him as he walked down the path, the weight of the wood-laden sled pulling ahead of him with each step. Lochland sat attentively next to her, the snow falling softly as the daylight began to dim. Despite the beauty she looked out upon, part of her was still on high alert. Whatever had been singing in the forest surely was still there, only yards away. The thought sent a shiver down her spine as she watched Alistair turn into a tiny speck at the bottom of the long sloping hill.
A sharp sound of a stick breaking to her left made her jump, and she turned quickly toward it. As she craned her head toward the edge of the forest, fear quickened her heart once again. A large stag stepped into the clearing from the woods. Nora froze, and Lochland, catching sight of the majestic creature, sprinted toward it.
“Lochland, no!” Nora called out to the dog, fearful he might get hurt by the massive deer. Oddly, the animal did not turn and run. Instead, it simply stood still as the little dog approached, wagging his tail. The stag bent down and ran its snout over the top of Lochland’s head in a friendly greeting. Nora watched the unexpected interaction in complete awe.
The stag’s eyes seemed strangely human-like. Nora thought back to the book on Highland folklore, to the chapter about theCailleach. Didn’t it say the Cailleach sometimes changed into a hare or a stag? She believed anything was possible at this point, especially with the odd way the deer was acting. It lifted its head, locking eyes with Nora; something familiar in its gaze held her attention. Bits and pieces of memories came rushing back, but none of it made sense to Nora, as they were not hers. She saw an icy lake, a ship on a stormy ocean, and lastly, a frozen river. The images flickered in her mind like an old black-and-white film, giving her quick glances at the winter scenes and leaving her with a pit deep within her stomach.
