Mina stood in line by the cooking circle until she was handed her bowl of stew. It was fresh from the fire. 

And it was delicious. Mina couldn’t stop herself from eating in big bites. 

“Mm, mm, mmm!” 

“Looks like someone likes my cooking,” said Mina’s mother. 

The two of them were at the bonfire where Elder Murray told his story, though none of the kids were sitting there. They were at one of the two other bonfires, eating with their family. 

“I certainly love your cooking,” said Mina’s father as he sat next to Mina. He wrapped his arm around her shoulder and gave her a strong side hug. 

“Thank you, bubby,” Mina’s mother responded, pursing her lips at Mina’s father and giving him an air kiss as a way of greeting him. 

“Oh, come on…” Mina whispered. She was always quiet and reserved, and even when she was disgusted by something, like just now, she couldn’t bring herself to speak meanly. 

“What’s wrong, Bumpkin?” Mina’s father asked with a hearty laugh. Though Mina suspected that he already knew what ‘was wrong.’

Seeing her parents kiss always disgusted her. This time was no exception, even though their lips never connected and were just kissing the air in each other’s general direction.

“Why do you two always have to kiss whenever you see each other?” 

Mina turned to the side while her mother giggled and told her it was because she loved him, and blah, and blah, and blah.

It was the answer that Mina knew was going to be said but was too embarrassed to digest the idea. 

“You’ll understand when you’re older,” her father said with a laugh. 

It was the typical parent response, the response that Mina was happy about since it meant that the sappy conversation came to a close. 

All Mina wanted to do now was eat her soup in peace. She loved the warmth of soup in her stomach, especially because of the cold terrain she lived in. 

If she could eat soup every day, she would. 

Then, as Mina ate, she peered at the other bonfires and watched other families as they ate together. Her eyes were drifting from left to right, glossing over kids and adults until she came across Kael, who was at the bonfire to her right. 

He was making small talk with his family. He was laughing, too, probably cracking some lighthearted jokes. Mina stared at her crush from afar. 

I wonder what would happen if our families sat at the same bonfire… She thought. Would he talk to me? 

Even though Kael was a talkative boy and wasn’t afraid of starting conversations, Mina knew Kael liked some private time to himself, especially after a hunt. 

She drank some of her soup and froze. Her hot soup was becoming cold. 

AHHHHH! She wanted to scream, but didn’t have the courage to do so. My soup is cold…and it’s all because I was thinking of him. What am I doing? She thought, while palming her forehead. I’m so stupid. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. 

“Are you okay, hun?” She heard her mother ask. 

“Yeah, I’m okay,” Mina said, but when she faced her mother, Mina realized that the question wasn’t directed at her. 

The question was for her father, who had his mouth open in complete and utter shock. 

Mina was taken aback and asked, “Is everything alright, Dad?” 

To which her father shook his head. 

“No, Bumpkin…Everything is not fine.” 

“What happened?” She asked. 

“I knew who you were looking at,” he said, a bit shook. “You were ogling at Karl’s boy, weren’t you? Kamo, I think his name was.” 

“Kael,” her mother corrected. 

“Oh, yes, yes, yes. That boy.” 

But back to Mina. 

“Ogling?” she asked, confused by the word. 

“Yes!” her father said with a finger pointed at her. “Ogling!” 

“What does that—what does that even mean?” Mina asked. 

“It means you were giving him the love eyes!” Her father exclaimed. 

“L-l-love eyes?!” 

Mina was growing red from embarrassment, mostly because her father was right, but she couldn’t let him know that. 

“I’m not giving anyone love eyes,” she tried saying confidently, but she was never good at projecting her voice, and she was never good at arguing. 

“Yes, you were!” her father continued. “It was clear as day!” 

“Why does it matter?” Her mother intervened, switching the attention to her and saving Mina from a humiliating conversation with her dad. 

“Because,” her father started, “she’s too young! When I say that ‘she’ll understand love when she’s older,’ I was thinking she’ll have some sort of crush in a few years, not in a few seconds!” 

Mina could tell her father was distraught. She could tell that he didn’t want her to grow up so quickly. 

“But having crushes at her age is normal, though.”

That’s what her mother said. 

“And,” she went on, “Kael is a sweet kid. He always helps me and the elders. And he’s training to become a hunter, just like you, hun. He’s a capable boy. You wouldn’t want our baby to be with some jerk now, do you?” 

“No, but-but—”

Mina’s father was at a loss for words. He must’ve been flustered by the thought of Mina being with some mean kid, but kept his mouth closed while Mina’s mother called her name.  

“I think it’s fine that you have a little crush on Kael,” she said with full support. “I think it’s cute,” she added. 

It would’ve been such a heartwarming moment if Mina wasn’t so embarrassed. 

Just end this, already. End this talk. 

She couldn’t handle the fact that both of her parents knew she liked Kael. 

“Wait, a minute…” her father said, his face dumbstruck. “Did you already know about her and that boy, hun?” 

Mina’s mother nodded, causing Mina to sit up straight. 

How?! She thought. Was it that obvious?! 

“How long have you’ve known?” Her father asked. 

To which Mina’s mother shrugged her shoulders. 

“I think for about a month,” she said. “Maybe two.” 

Mina wanted to bury her face in the snow and cry. That was the exact time her crush for Kael was forming. 

It was obvious… she thought. 

“I can’t take this anymore,” Mina said. She couldn’t handle another word added to the conversation. 

She stood from the flat stone she was sitting on and trotted towards the cooking circle. 

“Where are you going?” Her father asked. 

“To bed!” 

She just wanted the day to be over with. 

*** 

The cabin was cold and dark. 

Brrr. Mina shivered in her bed, made of wool, fur, and straw. 

The cold always woke her up, but that had to mean that one of her parents had to have gotten out of bed since they usually slept together. 

Mina could feel her mother’s hand on her waist, warmly hugging her, but her father—who carried most of the heat because of his gigantic figure, was nowhere to be seen. 

He wasn’t in bed, and he wasn’t in their little log cabin. 

Where is he? She thought. It’s the middle of the night. Is he using the bathroom? 

She tried falling back asleep, closing her tired eyes, but heard someone running from outside of their cabin. 

Then she heard the screams. 

“Everyone! Get up! Protect the elders and the kids! We’re being attacked!” 

Mina shot out of bed while her mother was getting out of her sleepy trance. 

“What’s going on?” Her mother asked, a bit more aware. Her face was turning worrisome. 

“Get the kids!” Mina heard her father from outside. 

“Dad?” She whispered.  

“Seriously,” her mom said, full of fear as she got out of bed and scrambled for the door. “What’s going on?” 

Her mother was about to push the door open before hearing a sound that brought chills and fear into the both of them. 

“Grrrr…”

Mina’s mother stepped back, smacking her hand over her mouth, trying to stay quiet. 

Mina did the same, but her heart was beating louder than her thoughts. 

Bump. Bump. Bump. 

“Everyone! Get your weapons!” Mina heard a man yell from the outside. “The wolves have us surrounded!” 

From those words, Mina struggled to keep her breath under control. 

Because there was a wolf in front of their small cabin, and there were no weapons inside. 

A situation between life and death was about to ensue. 

And Mina didn’t know if her and her mother would make it out unscathed. 

To be continued…