Chapter 3.



          A few days later, Soca was still with them, as if she were a member of the family. We can guess that they didn't really have any other option because the living conditions in the mountain of Groutohr.


          Inside their house, the temperature was of the most pleasant. Thanks to the stone chimney that Koproh had built, the smoke flew outside and the wooden walls were perfect to keep the warmth in the house. Above the fireplace, there were some of Kaliha's drawings, they represented things from real life like the sight she had from a window or even the face of her little boy peacefully sleeping in his father's arms. She was really good at it. The house was relatively well furnished, there was a kitchen in a corner with a small furnace made with stone, there was a circular table with four wooden chairs placed around it. There were no chambers in the house yet, the only room that was separated from the living room was the bathroom where there was a box that they had to fill with water so that they could wash themselves; a few meters away was the toilet. Everything that was made with wood had an ochre color because of the wood used, indeed the Cohp wood was the only type of wood available for Koproh at this altitude in the mountain. The only things that were not the same color was the windows and stone objects, which were respectively transparent and grey.


          The young Tirhok was now at the age of one and he had begun to try to speak reproducing sounds he heard, he was starting to walk, as long as he didn't need to walk through the whole house. Soca, who was often taking care of him, helping to walk and get up when he fell, she even tried to teach him how to say "Daddy", or "Mommy". Tirhok tried to repeat her words but he didn't manage to say them fully.


          By a wonderful morning of spring, a little bird invited himself inside the house while the windows were open in order to let the air refresh the house. Kaliha asked Koproh to make it go back outside before it breaks something or hurts himself. Koproh told her this bird was a friend of his and nothing would happen. Suddenly, the bird started to hissed wand it was looking at the man at the same time, and he was looking back at the bird and whistled back at it as if they understood each other. Soca started to laugh at this uncommon sight, but she stopped when Koproh hurried outside with a scared look on his face. 'Hurry, come and look, all of you!' He said, afraid of what he had seen. Kaliha took Tirhok in her arms and carried him out of the house, followed by Soca. 'What's happeni...' They said, both at the same time, but Koproh interrupted them. He said, 'This bird, I learnt its language so that it could tell me if any danger was approaching. This is why it entered the house. A storm is getting closer and closer with every second. That's why we can't see the glow of the Sun as good as before.' Kaliha looked at the sky and said, 'What will we do? We can't leave, Tirhok is too young but if we stay...' Soca thought for a second, 'I know where to go,' she said. 'I am sure that my village is in this direction.' She pointed at the West and Koproh said, 'Are you absolutely sure, Soca?' She looked down then said hesitantly, 'I... yes I am.' Koproh looked at the West and said, 'Alright then, we must hurry up. Kaliha, you take Tirhok with you and try to find some warm clothes for him. Soca, follow me.' She followed him and as they walk in the house she said, 'Now, it is my turn to save you.' He smiled quickly and got back to work. 'You must take as much food and water as possible with you, in case there of a fog, we must have everything we could need. Each of us.' He said to Soca. 'Alright, anything else?' She asked. 'Start with it, I will take something to start a campfire, a rope and my sword.' He replied as he took his sword and attached it to his belt. A few moments later, Soca was joining Kaliha to give her enough food and water for her and her son. Then, Koproh arrived and gave to each of the women a small bag to carry some wood, the food and the water. 'Do you know how to start a campfire?' He asked, and they both answered affirmatively. 'Brrruei...' Tirhok said, and his father smiled. 'I know, son, you are the best.' He told him before kissing his forehead and his wife's. After that, he explained them how they were going to escape from this storm. He spoke, 'This rope must stay attached around your waist, it will link us all so that nobody can get lost. We will leave in direction of the village of Soca. So, she will be our eyes to reach our shelter. We shall not get too far from each other, understood?' And both women nodded affirmatively. As soon as everyone was ready, they leave in direction of the West, like they said earlier. But, was it the good direction...? 

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