Cw - mild language
No prompt, I came up with this on my own!
Kenna closed her eyes, drinking in the scent of the pure and immaculate snow. It had been falling for nearly fifty years and the weather forecasters said it would keep falling until Earth would implode. Much to the dismay of the grumpy population who had to trudge to ever-growing mounds of white, brown, and sometimes, to Kenna's repulsion, yellow snow. Sometimes, the snow would melt imperceptibly, allowing them to move with more flexibility. Those were the days Kenna and her brother would go out hunting. Other days it would crash on their heads with such vigor and speed, Kenna was sure they would be forever stuck inside their homes, rationing their food as much as they could. Only one thing was certain; every time it fell, a sweet perfume came with it and tickled her nostrils. She was one of the few people who had come to love this incessant snow—and, as far as she could tell – the only one who could smell it.
But when she opened her eyes, she didn't see the blaring white she had grown accustomed to; instead, a shadow sneaked between the clouds. She unconsciously reached for her shotgun, which she always carried on her back to deter any person with despair flickering at the edge of their puffy eyes. And there were many desperate people in the wastelands Kenna had come to call home.
She thought she saw two golden eyes watching her from the grey clouds, but in the blizzard's roaring, she didn't trust her senses. It could have been anything from an odd reflection off a snowflake to a Fata Morgana taunting her to come closer. The only thing she was certain it couldn't be was the sun. No one had seen the sun since fifty years ago when winter rolled in and never left. Civilization had ebbed and fallen to anarchy for a few years until their leaders had gotten their bearings, taken control, and unified the vast majority of the population to withstand this new foe. Many had died—too many. The last survivors had gathered in the remnants of Russia and had built a new life and bunkers where the cold couldn't slither. Hers was a tiny village on the outskirts of a larger city, aptly names Snyek, or Snow.
The golden eyes shimmered again and this time Kenna unholstered her shotgun and loaded it, leaving the safety on, just in case she was proved to be wrong. It didn't happen that often, but one could never be too cautious. She traced the edges of the shadow with her shotgun, balking at the sky when she noticed how it coiled and waded through the clouds. Like a snake through water. A wingless snake, flying above her head.
"Malyk," Kenna screamed, whirling to see where her brother had scurried off to.
They were supposed to be out hunting and gathering supplies, but just like any teenager coming out for the first time in two weeks, Malyk had been fidgety all morning. Boys, she had guffawed when he had stormed off, never thinking of the danger she had allowed Malyk to throw them into. This is why the elders tell us to not split up. She cursed at herself and her brother.
"What?" Malyk's silver hair popped out a few feet before he and Kenna almost pulled the trigger. Malyk raised his arm above his head with a mischievous grin in his copper eyes and said, "I surrender."
"Where were you?" She lowered her weapon, scowling when she noticed two skinny rabbits dangling from her brother's belt. "Is that all you could find?"
Malyk sniggered at her, pointing at her egg-filled pouch. "More than what you have. At least I got meat."
Kenna pointed her shotgun at the sky. "Shut up and look."
Whatever snide comment Malyk had in mind died on his lips when he saw the giant snake looming above them, and when it roared, the earth beneath their feet thrummed in return.
"What in the bloody hell is that?" Malyk took out a spyglass and watched the snake dance around the clouds.
Kenna wasn't going to wait to find out. She slung the shotgun on her shoulder, and grabbed Malyk's free hand, dragging him with her, following the footsteps they had left behind. The snow had been dwindling since that morning; she was grateful they hadn't needed to rope themselves to one another to keep from being blown away. It also meant they knew exactly how to return home.
"Aren't we going to kill it or some shit?" Malyk got his feet under him just before he nose-dived into the snow, puffing a loose strand of silver hair out of his eyes. "Fucking hair. I don't understand why dad doesn't let me shave it off."
"Because if you do, someone would be able to see your bald head from miles away. Even wolves." She glanced at him to make sure he had gotten the hint, but Malyk was still smiling without a care in the world.
"Then I'll have to capture one and make it my dog."
The snake roared again; this time the low rumble shook the earth underneath their feet and Kenna almost lost her footing. There was no way in hell the others hadn't felt that too; Kenna hoped they were climbing into the bunkers as she and Malyk rushed back home. Their parents would close the door if they wouldn't get there in time; nothing was more important than saving the majority. She had learned it the hard way.
"It will chomp your feet off before you managed to domesticate it. Now move." She pulled Malyk before her, making sure he couldn't stop and stare back at the snake behind.
If they stopped and their parents closed the doors, Kenna and Malyk would either freeze to death or get eaten by whatever the beast was. She just hoped it wasn't a dragon. Dragons had wings, and three rows of daggers behind which a forked tongue waited to scrape the flesh off their bones, didn't they? This one didn't seem to have any wings, but she had no intention of finding out whether its teeth were sharp or not.
Kenna drew her bear furs closer to her skin as they waded farther and farther from the beast. It didn't appear to be out hunting; instead, it was frozen on one spot on the sky, as if the clouds themselves were holding it in place. Something was drawing its attention, but they had no time to find out what that was.
If it was weird enough to draw out a dragon, she wasn't entirely sure she wanted to know.
Kenna bumped into Malyk who, just like the dragon, was frozen solid in one spot.
"Why did you stop?" She threw a fake punch at his shoulder, frowning when Malyk didn't so much as groan in response.
She moved past him, looking in the direction she thought he was staring. They had reached the farthest bunker of the village; the one the hunters were supposed to use in case of an emergency.
The door was bolted with heavy copper locks, and a blood mark had been drawn on it, to ward it off against any beasts who tried to force their entrance. Kenna could have gotten past the locks, but she could do nothing about the ward.
They were trapped outside and a warm breath on her back told her the dragon was indeed out hunting. It had just lain in waiting to see where they would lead it.