Chapter 1

Summary

• The protagonist is hunting in a snow-covered forest, far from home due to desperation driven by hunger.
• With winter limiting food sources, the animals retreat deeper into the woods, leaving the protagonist to hunt the few stragglers.
• Due to heavy snowfall, visibility is low and hunting conditions are poor.
• The protagonist is wary of giant wolves and mysterious, potentially dangerous, faerie folk rumored to be in the forest.
• The protagonist’s family is out of food, further emphasizing the urgency of a successful hunt.
• While hunting, the protagonist contemplates the hardship of life and fleeting moments of beauty in the midst of struggle.
• A sense of nostalgia and longing for a better life is underscored by the bleakness of the current situation.
• Lying in wait near a promising hunting spot, the protagonist reflects on the dire need for food and the absence of charity in the village.
• A doe appears in a clearing, offering a chance for the protagonist to secure food for the family.
• The protagonist is distracted by a wolf, ominously stealthy and large, possibly a magical faerie creature.
• Deciding to risk everything, the protagonist uses a special arrow made from mountain ash and iron to potentially kill the wolf.
• The wolf is struck by the arrow and, showing intelligence, looks towards the protagonist before being hit by a second arrow.
• The wolf dies, and the protagonist takes a moment to lament the harsh realities of survival in the forest during winter.
• In a practical decision, the protagonist skins the wolf and covers the doe's wounds with its pelt to prevent attracting other predators on the way home.
• The chapter closes with the protagonist carrying the doe home, exhibiting no remorse for the dead wolf, a testament to the brutal necessities of life in this harsh environment.