Sigmund, The Young Cub

A young boy picks up a large rock in a forest somewhere in the forests northeast of Neverwinter. His small boots step on the fresh grass by a lake under the shadow of Mount Hotenow. His chubby fingers grip the rock and he yells out as he throws it further than he ever could before. It makes a loud satisfying ‘plunk’ sound as he watches it sink. He smiles.

‘Sigmund! Lunch is ready!’ A feminine voice calls out. He picks up his trusty branch and runs back to his home, a small cabin in the forest.

Mother was in the small rose garden on the front lawn, wiping her brow as she finishes pruning a rose bush. ‘You mind getting me the frost sheet Sigmund?

The boy goes to get the sheet with holes on it and hands it to his mother.

‘Why do that mummy, the bushes end up dying in the winter anyway.’

She carefully covers her rose bushes and sprinkles some water on the young buds.

‘Well, maybe this time they’ll pull through. We have to have hope.’ She smiles and takes his hand.

‘Anyways even so we can start again next spring, new beginnings. Maybe you can help me a little this time…’ Sigmund protests. ‘Wait mummy! I don’t like doing the flowers. I want to go out with papa.’ He folds his arms and pouts, she smiles and picks him up. ‘Then you have to eat and get bigger.’

They go into the small cabin and take seats at the wooden table, oil lamps and candles lighting the rustic cabin. The table set carefully with handwoven cloth with a large sun symbol in the middle.

‘Remember Sigmund, prayers first, then we eat.’  He looked at her through slanted eyes.

‘We have to wait for papa. He’s coming back early today, Lathander told me so.’

She laughs and ruffles his hair. ‘Don’t tell lies Sigmund. Your father said he’ll be back late.’

A gruff voice then broke through the wooden door. ‘…For the last time, No.’

Young Sigmund rushed out of his chair and peeked through the kitchen window that was half open. His father was a good ten or so meters from the front door. Carrying a large bundle of firewood on his broad shoulder. A tall man with a large beard, his axe hung over a shoulder.

He was talking to a man and a woman, the woman had long robes and long blonde hair and the man had dark eyes and a trench coat, with a scruffy beard, scars and medium length hair. ‘Please Robert, we need you. You know these woods better than anyone. It must be fate for us to meet again after so long. For old time’s sake?’  The woman said, her voice was gentle.

Pa dropped the firewood and ran his large hand over his face. ‘I can’t, my family needs me. I’m retired.’ ‘Look, we’re all fucking retired Robert, I have my own troubles too eh? I’m here though aren’t I. You know how she is, when she needs something done its important right.’  The man with the scars pointed to the woman, she had a young face but it was serious and looking right at Pa.

‘It’s hard to imagine Captain Blackwater at home with pups and knitting.’

Pa said, running his fingers through his beard. The other man smiled.

‘Come here you two.’

Pa then picks them both up in a large hug. Before setting them down. ‘I’m not fighting though, I’m just guiding you two is that understood? If anything happens we get out of there. You agree to this and I’m your man.’

Pa looked scared, it confused Sigmund. ‘ Things don’t always have to end up like before Robert, I’m sorry I should ha…’  The woman said but Pa raised his hand

. ‘It’s my fault, I told you all I could hold the door but…’ ‘Right, enough of that’  the dark man with a funny accent said. ‘Let’s get moving.’ ‘Sure, let me just check on the wife and kid. You two need anything to eat?’ ‘Nah, we’re good. You go on in and do what you need to do. We’ll wait.’

Sigmund ran back to the table and sat down as his father came in. ‘Sigmund my boy! Come here!’

He never waited for Sigmund to come to him, walking up and picking him up with one arm.

Sigmund pouts. Pa pinches his chubby cheek.

‘My boy, papa needs to go for a little bit. I need you to be a big strong man and keep mummy safe all right?’ Sigmund looks away and gives a short grunt

. ‘Come on now, show me your war face.’  Sigmund frowns.

Then Pa does his snarling face, his beard almost curling up with his lips.

Little Sigmund then snarls, like a little bear cub.

‘That’s my boy! You just show them that war face! I need to talk to mummy now.

’ Pa then takes mother aside, she nods and looks down. Before hugging him.

…

He wasn’t back in the morning. Sigmund waited in the afternoon. He didn’t come back then either. By evening Sigmund stormed off to the lake. Looking up at Mount Hotenow he picks up a rock larger than he ever could before, gives a little bear cub roar and tosses it.Then another, and a third. He slips and falls.

Looking at his reflection in the perfectly still lake. He looks up and across the lake there was a deer. It was a beautiful sight. A young deer with large dark eyes, drinking from the lake.

Then  something came out of the trees, the deer was gone.

A trail of blood leaking into the lake and leading into the forests. A loud unearthly shriek as the leaves shook.

He forgets his trusty branch and runs back to the cabin. His little feet carrying him as fast as they could. As he reaches the cabin the rose bushes were on fire, then he noticed the cabin was as well. Little Sigmund ran through the fire and smoke. ‘Mummy!’  He calls out, his bear cub roar gone.

He then tries to open the door but can’t, he throws his little body against the door.

Once. ‘Ahh!’  He growls and snarls

. Twice. ‘MOTHER!’  He grits his teeth and clenches his fists.

Three times. The door stands fast. He runs back a few meters, readies himself for a sprint.

Then the wooden frame holding the door collapses.

Little Sigmund falls to his knees. Then he feels something sharp stab him in the side.

An unearthly predatory cackle, a clicking. Blood dripped from the creature’s jaws onto his shoulder.

He looked up and saw darkness. He then hears a woman yell and a bright light.

‘Mother?’  Little Sigmund says as long blonde hair covers his face.

The woman in the robes cradling him in her arms.

Her lips chanting Celestial as a bright light shines through the forest canopy.

… For the next year or so Sigmund didn’t say a single word. He tried to block out most of what happened on that night. He now lived in an orphanage and spent his time either in class mostly silently or out playing by himself in the woods. Being raised in the Orphanage with Mother Lisa. The other children made fun of his size and silence. He never snarled back. He did enjoy religious studies though because they reminded a sub-conscious part of him of his mother’s piety. He didn’t try throwing rocks anymore though. Sometimes, he was just numb.

He did have a fondness for cookies and pastries, he looked forward to that at least.

‘Oi, chubby siggy give me your cookie.’  One of the older boys said to him.

Sigmund didn’t care anymore, he just gave them if they asked.

The next day, he saw a new boy. A scrawny looking thing with a scarred eye.

‘Careful of this one, he’ll stab you in your sleep.’  Laughed an older girl.

‘This scrawny thing? Pfa! Just a little rat.’  He pushed the boy the ground

. Sigmund snarled and ran up, clenching his fists. ‘Leave him alone!’

The older boys kicked Sigmund’s ass easily. …

A few days pass, and as usual in class  ‘Hey siggy, give me my cookie.’  And he did.

Then, as the older boy was about to leave the scrawny one bumped into him.

He then sits next to Sigmund and slides him the cookie back under the table with a wink.

‘Um, thanks…’  Sigmund said.

‘No thank you for helping me that day. I’m Adrian by the way, want to be friends?’

Adrian would get angry quickly and got in trouble with a lot of the other kids.

He would even throw glass and other dangerous objects at other kids.

But Sigmund always protected him. Sometimes even looked the other way when he stole a few things.

As Sigmund grew larger, people new better and he never gave away another one of his cookies

. The last one who tried to push the two of them around ended up with a broken arm.