The sun was high above the trees, cascading shadows danced along the forest floor. It was midweek, about the time that she would go out to forage. It used to be something she would do with her mother until she fell ill. While she missed those times, she found bringing home her finds to see the proud look in her mother’s eyes just as special. Asteria looked forward to returning home with her small basket full of wild berries and mushrooms, knowing that upon her return the two women would sit together at the table and sort through them and talk. 

She wondered if her father had been able to drag Adrin out of his room to go on a hunt with him. They had been bickering for days over the matter. Their father had always wanted something similar to what she and their mother had, but his son was the type who preferred to stay home and study rather than go for a hunt. He saw no gratification in slaughtering an animal, or so that is how he would put it every time she tried to persuade him to appease their father at least every now and again. There were times that they wondered if he was disappointed in Adrin. He’d never seemed to understand him, couldn’t understand the fascination with reading and learning. 

“What is the point of it?” Their father would ask, once again going on his rant about how it is a waste of time. “Nothing that you need to learn is in a book. It’s right in front of you; hard work is all a young man needs to learn about, and you are getting that here on the farm.” 

It was a near weekly occurrence- the fighting that is. Their father would go on ranting and raving about how Adrin should dedicate more time to the farm and to helping him hunt rather than with his nose in a book. Well, then her brother would turn around and argue right back. He had always been cool tempered, but something about this topic struck a nerve and resulted in an explosive argument between the two men. 

Her basket was half-filled when she begin to feel off. Despite the warm sun beating down on the forest, Asteria felt frozen. A chill ran through her, and she slowly turned. It felt like something had been watching her, but it was clear that there was not a single person or animal in around. She felt sick and anxious. While she normally prided herself on returning with a near full basket, something was telling her it was time to return home. 

As she trekked through the forest, a cool spring wind weaved through the trees. The sunshine slowly faded away, clouds rolling in and taking its place. Random rain and storms were not abnormal during such a time of year, but she could tell that this was different. She broke through the treeline, her family home in sight. Her pace quickened as she crossed the field and passed by the small barn. No one was working the fields upon her return nor were they in the barn, setting off alarms in her mind. Normally, her father would be there. But she pushed away the worry, thinking that this must mean Adrin went with him finally. 

She turned around the corner of the house, and her heart instantly sunk.