It took a few minutes for her to gather her wits and not let fear overwhelm her. Her heart pounded furiously in her chest and her breathing came rapidly. She had to calm herself and think what to do. Her breath caught when she recalled that Tarass had called out to her just before she had fallen and she had been able to yell out to him.
She tried calling out to him again, but she barely had a breath to whisper his name. She had to calm herself. She had to let Tarass know where she was.
Her head shot up, thinking she had heard something, but wasn’t sure. She needed to get her breath back. She needed to be able to let Tarass know she needed help.
Tarass’s heart rammed against his chest when he got no answer. Even the wind couldn’t hide the fright he had heard in the way Snow had screamed his name. Blind and alone in a snowstorm. He should have never left her. He should have led her back to the cottage and made sure she was safe before he took off. But the pup had sensed something and so had he and he hadn’t wanted to lose the trail. He kept alert to the sounds around him, knowing that something lurked in the storm. He’d seen signs of it and so had Thaw.
He called out to her again and was once again met with silence. How would he ever find her in this raging snowstorm? He didn’t even know which direction to go in.
“Tarass!”
Thaw didn’t wait, he took off at the sound of Snow’s frightened scream, barking as he went, and Tarass followed.
The pup hopped and bolted through the snow, not letting anything stop him, his anxiousness apparent in his speed. Tarass kept pace, feeling the same apprehension as Snow called out both their names continually to let them know where she was.
Thaw stopped suddenly and so did Tarass, and he realized why. They were at the top of the glen that ran near the cottage all the way to his land.
Snow had fallen down it.
“Snow!” he shouted.
“I’m here, down here,” she called out with effort.
From the sound of her voice, she hadn’t fallen to the bottom and into the icy water that waited there. That meant she had somehow managed to stop her fall.
“I can’t hold on much longer,” she yelled.
Cupping his hands around his mouth so that his voice would carry with more volume, Tarass called out to her. “I’m coming to get you.”
Thaw had turned silent while Tarass and Snow talked, now he was barking and inching closer to the edge as if getting ready to jump.
“Stay, Thaw,” Tarass ordered firmly.
He paid Tarass no heed. He was worried about Snow and if he didn’t do something the pup would dive over the side after her.
Tarass bent down and ordered sharply, “Quiet! I’m going to get Snow and bring her back to you.”
The pup sat and gave him a growl as if warning him to keep his word.
Tarass was accustomed to challenges in the cold and the snow. His mother’s people had taught him well and he didn’t hesitate to go over the side of the glen, axe in hand, to make his descent to Snow.
“Snow!” he shouted as he dug his axe into the snow-covered glen wall to skillfully make his way down.
“Tarass,” she called out eager for him to reach her, to be there with her, something she never thought she would ever feel for the insufferable man.
“Call out often so I can make out where you are,” he yelled over the howling wind.
Her side hurt and her breathing was a challenge, the swirling snow and wind quickly robbing her of breath when she spoke. But she fought back against the storm, remembering why her mum had named her Snow. She had told her the delicate snow was also a force that could conquer the strongest of men.
“Tarass!” she called out again and did so again and again until it echoed in her head like a litany. She was about to call out his name again when she realized he’d been silent and fear soared in her and had her yelling out, “Tarass, are you there? Tarass?”
“I’m here,” he called out, sounding closer to her.
“Don’t leave me,” she said, for only herself to hear and feeling foolish for sounding so cowardly. But with the terrifying fall and her precarious hold on the sapling, and not able to see anything, she silently admitted that she needed Tarass. Without him, she wouldn’t survive.
“Never would I leave you,” came the strong voice and a solid arm coiled tightly around her waist. “Put your arms around my neck.”
His warm breath fanned her neck and a tingle of relief washed through her. She didn’t hesitate, didn’t think to argue, didn’t think it might be unwise to do as he said. She did something unexpected… she trusted him.