The White Tree by Robertson Edward W

Author:Robertson, Edward W. [Robertson, Edward W.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Young Adult, Science Fiction, Adventure, Fantasy
ISBN: 9781470150600
Amazon: B004O0U8BI
Barnesnoble: B004O0U8BI
Goodreads: 10666722
Publisher: Broke Robot Books
Published: 2011-02-15T08:00:00+00:00

* * *

Robert pushed them on till the light ceased gleaming from all that white snow to be stolen by the westerly peaks. They were still in the mountains proper, as far as Dante could tell, but the cold was less stunning, the wind less biting. Robert spied a broad, flat break in the pass a few minutes downhill and took them there, tying the horses to the pines that would offer them some shelter. He started to scoop away the knee-deep snow with his gloved hands, just enough space to lie down in; when they did, Dante saw, their bodies would be hidden from sight and wind. He and Blays pitched in, sweeping away the snow with their boots, grateful for an excuse to flex their numb, sodden toes. It was nearly dark by the time they finished. Robert straightened his back and considered their work.

"There, that wasn't so bad, was it?" he said. "Nobody died? Fell off a cliff? Froze to death?"

"There's still time," Blays said, wiping his nose.

"Hard part's over. Tomorrow we'll get back down in the hills. Might not even be snowy."

"It's the north," Dante said.

"So what?" Robert clapped his hands together. "It's just the north, not another world. You boys need to get out more. Besides, mountains make the weather act screwy, you never know what it's like back in reasonable elevations."

"Couldn't these people have started their little rebellion in the summer?" Blays mumbled. "Would that be too much to ask?" He rummaged through the saddlebags, picking out some food. He tossed the heavy wad of Dante's blanket at his chest. "Catch."

Dante caught it and almost fell back into the snow. It had frozen or something. Thick to begin with, it now weighed ten or fifteen pounds. He stretched up his arms and tried to roll it open, frowning when it drooped to but a slightly less creased position, then shook it hard, sending ice particles flying into the last of the light.

"This stinks," he said.

"Ah, it's not that bad," Robert said through a mouthful of cheese. "At least we've got blankets. Think how bad it would be if we were up here naked."

"Why would we be up here naked?" Blays said.

"But just think if we were."

"There's no possible reason we would ever be up here naked."

Robert shrugged and took another bite. "I'm just saying. Some years it's snowed in six weeks ago. We've been lucky."

"Huzzah," Blays said. He wrapped himself in a couple blankets and stared out on the snowfields, on the black of the trees and the gray of the unlit snow. The clouds parted and a three-quarter moon washed over the valley with pale rays.

"Doesn't that make it all worthwhile?" Robert said, scratching his beard and smiling.

"No," Blays said.

"I'm cold," Dante said.

"Lyle on the rack. Then go to sleep. You may hate this day, but you'll be able to remember the story twenty years from now. Assuming the gods suffer a collective collapse of reason and decide to extend your whining lives that long.

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