Work Text:
Fur piled on top of fur. Blankets and pillows mixed into the piles that scattered around the caves. It’d been lexinoths of staying inside. Waking only when necessary to eat once, maybe twice, a day. The Great Sleep was a long standing tradition within the clan. Some of the newer banished were experiencing it for the first time. Those with a lycanthropic form typically utilized it for warmth and convenience. The remaining clan members wrapped up in blankets and pillows. Groups cuddled together to sleep and wake up in shifts.
The seasoned members found it easier to settle in and sleep when required, while some of the newer members tended to struggle. Even those of species that typically underwent this kind of hibernation found it difficult as it was the opposite of their usual rhythm. The clan slept through Suncrest and most of Amberfall then would come out of the caves in time to celebrate the Eve of Frostcreep. A holiday with traditions and celebrations lasting a whole week.
Halvar sat on the edge of the cave looking out at the sunsetting. This was his first Great Sleep since being banished from the place he’d called home his whole life. At this point it was his group’s turn to be awake and make sure everything was sorted for the clan as a whole.
“It’s not typical to be this far from the inner rooms,” a female voice hummed from behind him.
Halvar pivoted slightly to see who stood behind him. “Need me to do something, Vyolkala?” he asked flatly.
Vyolkala sat down next to him. “Nothing at the moment,” she replied. She sighed and looked him over. “What brings you out here?”
He exhaled loudly and leaned back on his hands. The icy floor of the cave stung, but he didn’t react to it. “I was born in the sun,” he said. “It’s where I’ve lived my whole life. Sun and warmth. And now…now I’m living in a place that celebrates the opposite.” He paused and surveyed the last bits of sun before dusk took over the sky. “I’ll get used to it, but not today.”
Vyolkala let some silence hang before speaking. “You’re not the first with this struggle, Halvar,” she started, “But very few of them have picked up our ways as quickly. Your hard work has not gone unnoticed.”
“I do what is needed to survive. Always have. It’s the only reason I’ve made it this far in life.” He groaned as he got to his feet. “What needs to be done next?”
Vyolkala rose to stand. “The Great Sleep ends tonight,” she answered. “We’ll use the next couple of hours to set up for the celebration for it’s now the Eve of Frostcreep.” She explained the feast they started the celebrations with that some were already working to prepare. As the pair walked back into the cave, she talked over games and superstitions shared by the clan on this holiday.
Vyolkala went into detail about how this became so important to her people, and Halvar listened. He learned, and he did what was asked of him. Halvar enjoyed the celebrations and found himself among like-minded people. Though his guard remained up in order to survive, he made connections and found allies among the clan who finally stopped calling him “Farlander”.