The summer was coming to an end, daylight was starting to grow shorter again and there was a chill brought with the wind that signaled the coming of autumn.
Over the past couple of weeks a fox had managed to slip his way into the village and be off with a handful of hens and with the risk of the fox continuing his return a pair of men had been sent up the hills to track it down.
It was nearing evening when one of them sat down to set up camp, the other climbing up the hill a half an hour after to join.
"Any luck?" The man asked turning his head to regard the approaching companion who shook his head at the question.
-"No luck. I find no tracks or hair of that fox."
"Strange, isn't it? Doubt he crossed the river at this time of the year."
-"Maybe he's just smarter than your average fox."
"Perhaps."
Silence fell between the two as they sat by the small firepit and waited for the barley to boil for the soup they would eat, some fresh summertime herbs sat to the side waiting to be placed into the water.
"How is the family?" One finally decided to speak up to break the silence.
-"They are well, thank you. Your own?" The other replied looking across the firepit towards his companion.
"They are good. Strange not to have father around anymore but he felt it time to leave."
-"Did you celebrate well before his parting?"
"We did."
For awhile the two did not utter a word, the pair switching glancing from the pot, the environment and each other. Though it was not long till one of them hardened their expression and the mood grew heavier as he spoke.
"What do you suggest we do with the fox once we find it?"
-"Wring it by the neck. The pelt should be worth something."
The man frowned deeply at the answer and a short glare fell towards the other "Is that how we do things now?" He questioned as he shifted in place, his arms draping over his knees and his hands joined between.
The stare was met and the other scoffed at his words, shaking his head "What else is there? Shall continue to dig into the coops if we do nothing." He finally answered.
"There are other ways and you know it. We may chase it off or even bargain with it should the fox be as clever as we assume. Why draw blood when it isn't needed?"
-"It ensures that the fox doesn't come back."
"And what if it has kits?
-"Then we shall find the den and be rid of the litter." He answered coolly to the other's faint disgust.
"You know as well as I that it is not our way." His teeth suddenly gritted and his eyes darted over the other man's being "You still have it, don't you?"
-"What?" The other answered shooting his companion a cold glare.
"Don't play dumb with me. You swore that you would be rid of it!" He snapped as sudden rage boiled within him "I had hoped it was just my imagination but you are different, just like you were then. Though I think it is worse now." The man rose up from his seat and paced about, a hand running through the dark mane upon his head.
-"You are just being paranoid." The other answered, keeping his eye on the man while he stepped back and forth.
"I will not keep silent for you again. Do you understand? I shouldn't have stayed silent then." He slowed down his pace and looked towards the other man, inhaling sharply.
The two stared at each other and only the crackle of the firewood interrupted the silence that fell between them once more until finally broken by the other who spoke in his defense.
-"You will not say anything." The man stated and slowly rose to his feet to size the other up "You are my brother after all."
"Not by blood..." The other stated quickly as a reminder for either himself or the man that stood opposite him.
-"We were born in the same week, we grew up together, we learned together and we fought together as brothers. Do not try and dismiss it by that poor excuse." Rounding the firepit he stepped over to the other, their eyes held on one and other as he continued "You saw what happened that day and I know you remember it. I was stronger, I was faster, I was more alert." Another pause and a heavy breath of air was drawn "If it wasn't for it then you would be laying dead in the field up there." He stepped back and returned to his seat by the fire, stirring the barley in the water and checking how far it had cooked.
"But you weren't you." He finally responded as he looked towards the other "And you still aren't. You still have that look in your eyes, that thirst I saw that day."
-"So you will tell them? After saving your life? Making sure you would return to your family? You would betray me like that?"
His shoulders dropped at the man's words and his head hung low, the questions tearing at him and two sides starting to tug against one and other "I don't know." was the only thing he could finally answer as he found his seat again.
It was quiet while the soup was cooked, the aroma of it drifting with the soft breeze down the hill causing a few curious critters to poke their heads out of their nests to have a look.
-"Did you bring the broth?" He muttered stirring the soup up again once the greens had been added to the bubbling water.
"Yes" The other answered reaching into his satchel and pulling out a small tin box filled with flakes of bone broth that had been dried and cut.
-"Toss about four in."
He nodded and collected four of the flakes to toss into the pot, watching as the flakes mix into the water and dissolved to add more flavour to the soup.
-"That should do it."
"Yeah, that should do it..."
Moments after the soup was ready and the pair rose up to their feet and turned to face west, a purposeful silence held for a full minute as was their tradition before the evening meal was enjoyed.
