The Heartwood oxbalm

ghelan scrambled after his father, barely able to keep up. panic arose within him as he struggled to climb up a rock in the trail. when he'd finally hoisted himself over, relief set in when his father had stood. but not for him, he realized. turning his head, he found what had stolen sun eater's attention.

two bucks in a brawl. neither father or son knew the reason, and yet both were entranced by the dance of the caribou. ghelan's eyes first went towards the blood in the younger buck's tine. yet he couldn't linger on the sight. soon those antlers came upon the buck. 

ghelan was unable to look away when antlers pierced skin and stained the snow with fresh, putrid red. even from the distance, the scent struck ghelan. the older buck staggers, alive only because the spirits wished him to be, and the younger one leaves him to the pair.