The Raven and the Reindeer

by T. Kingfisher

The smell of other reindeer had grown stronger. She could make out individuals now—calf and cow, bull and matriarch. The echoes of their clicking hooves rang in her ears. When the first one touched her, shoulder to shoulder, she was neither surprised nor frightened. Of course, of course, there they are, here we are, we are running… Sight was the last sense to waken, but when it did she turned her head and saw them: the sea of antlers, the white backs, the ones who walked the reindeer road. She was part of a herd and the herd was around her. She was not alone. While she was with the herd, she would never be alone. Parts of her that were born lonely, as all humans are born lonely, were suddenly gathered up and loved and made one with the herd. There were few human souls who could have stood against that. Surrounded by the ghosts of reindeer, Gerta lowered her head and ran on, through the glowing threads of light.