Expectations

The trees were bare, their shiny brown arms reaching to the grey sky. A few snowflakes still fell. It wasn’t that cold, but it was damp and the damp made her feet ache. The leaves from all of the trees covered the ground and those were lightly dusted with snow. The contours of the land we clearly defined. She felt like she was looking at the bones of her world.

“Well,” he said impatiently.

“You’re sure you want to go south?”

“Gods above and below woman! You don’t speak at all and when I need directions all you can do is ask questions?”

She shrugged. “We can go south.”

“Good!”

“It will get difficult.”

It was his turn to shrug. “This whole thing has been difficult,” he said shifting in his saddle.

She nodded and looked at the horse she was standing next to. She awkwardly patted it on the neck.

“Which way?” he asked.

She looked at him and then at the path. It wove between the trees and was clearly defined, covered by more snow than the surrounding ground. Could he not see it? She took the reins of her horse and walked up the path, not looking back, expecting that he would follow.