Adam and Thomas

Chapter 23

Miro startled them. He leaped out of the nest and raced toward the interior of the forest. Tensely they watched him run. Every few steps he would stand still, stretch out his head, listen, and sniff.

“Miro has sensed something. He wouldn’t leap away for nothing,” said Adam.

After an hour of scouting, he came back and stood next to the tree. Adam climbed down and carried him back up, rubbed his legs, and pressed him to his chest. Gradually warmth returned to Miro’s body. “What happened, Miro? The cold outside is biting. Don’t run any risks,” Adam said to him. “Miro is different from us,” he said to Thomas. “Sounds and smells come to him before they reach us.”

“Did you learn anything from Miro’s behavior in the past few days?” asked Thomas.

“It seems to me he’s annoyed with himself because he can’t catch the signs that come to him from far away.”

“What should we do?” Thomas asked softly.

“If the snow keeps falling, and the cold gets stronger, we won’t have any choice except to climb down and light a fire to keep warm.”

“Won’t the fire give us away?”

“We’ll do it cautiously.”

That night Adam heard his mother’s trembling voice speaking to him. “My Adam, we have arrived. Don’t be afraid. You know our forest very well, and everything that’s in it. I’ll try very hard to come in the evening.”

Her voice was clear, as if she hadn’t spoken months ago, but just now. Adam wakened from his slumber. Heavy snowflakes fell from the sky and filled the dark with gray whiteness. Thomas was sleeping deeply. Adam was afraid the cold would trap him in its web, and he woke him. Thomas asked, “What’s the matter?”

“Nothing. Aren’t you cold?”

“No.”

“Try to move your toes.”

“It’s hard.”

“Let’s rub them so they won’t freeze. Your toes can freeze easily when you’re asleep.”