TIOA Sns9 eps 34: The four of them moved all night and through the next day, as the next night was coming upon them Theo started to get much slower, he had asked for food many times but his mother said no. She made it to the river and had them follow her the whole time, she was on the watch the whole time.
Theo's mothers long dirty blonde hair was dirty from not washing and braided, most of it under the coat and she moved slowly along the ridge of the river, she finally spotted a place that she thought was good. "Go there and gather wood for a small fire, do not start it until I get back." She pointed to her sons and the second asked her "Where are you going mother?" she said back. "I am going to go find food, you get over there and find wood in that small cave, do you see it?"
The eldest looked over through the trees and it took him a while and he finally saw it, he said. "Yes mother, I see it." and started over the river hopping along rocks so that he did not get wet. Theo was tired and could hardly listen or comprehend. He was pulled by the coat from the second boy and followed along tired and wanting to eat and sleep.
Theo's older brother Latrell made it across, and went to the small cave, he searched it for any signs of animals, bones or disturbance. There was none and he watched Theo being pulled by Pallab, he started to look around at the trees and branches, there must be fallen branches nearby and looked as the sun was going down. He saw movement and looked as their mother went back almost directly the way they had come and wondered why.
Abby moved back over the tracks and wanted it to look like they went another way, she was going hunting, but kept her senses up, she knew their tracks would be followed.
Latrell was looking for dead and dry branches and spotted a few up out of the snow and went to grab them when he heard. "Theo!" and a splash, Theo tired fell into the freezing water and it woke him quickly, he jumped up from the near freezing water his eyes wide and his clothes wet. Latrell grabbed some of the dead branches quickly with his cold hands and broke them. He then ran to his two brothers. "Theo." he pointed to the cave "go there, take this Pallab." He thrust the dead branches into the second boys arms and followed saying "Take Theo to the cave and hurry, get his clothes off!"
Latrell went back to the tree that had dropped the dead branches, there were plenty to choose from and he took out his sword and hacked hard and fast, he gathered a large amount of twigs and went back leaving much. Theo was shacking in the cave, his heat leaving fast and Latrell looked around and saw some dead dried moss. He took the moss off the side of the cave and laid it on the ground, he then added a few small twigs on top, he quickly went for the flint rocks in his coat pocket.
He struck them together and tried quickly to get it going, the sparks not catching, he could hear Pallab telling Theo to get out of the clothes, and kept his head down working. "Come on, come on." He struck hard, and something came over him and he struck a little slower and faster, a spark hit the moss.
He watched and a little smoke came up, he waited a moment and then after feeling for the breeze moved and blew slow and soft, the smoke built, he blew slow and steady and the smoke turned into a quick small blaze of fire. Latrell took more moss and added it to the small fire, he let it catch and added a few small twigs on top with the others. The little fire started to take and catch the small twigs.
He turned to his brother Pallab and said. "Keep the fire going, do not put it out, add small and slow." And ran back to the tree with his sword, and began to work feverishly at the wood, he took large chunks out and got a good pile in his arms and went back to the cave. Pallab was tending the fire and Theo was close, he was shivering and the fire was not big enough. Latrell got close and added a few bigger branches and twigs to the fire, the coals were starting below, he placed them like a teepee above to not quench the fire.
After he made sure the fire would keep going he looked for some rocks and started to place them around the fire, the fire was catching and growing and as he finished the circle, the fire was finally big enough to produce a good head. "Theo, get close to the fire." Theo shivered and got closer and Pallab took off his coat and placed it on him.
