frozenfoes

they huddled around the roaring warmth as closely as they could
the flames licked their hands until their skin smelled like burnt wood
they tried not to exchange glances
casting their eyes to the ground
but every now and then they took their chances
to take a sneaky look around

carcasses of their enemies
piled up like frozen logs
the only refuge from the pounding seas
and the howling growling dogs
on the wind a cacaphony of lonely mountain cries
wilderness calls from those alone
to the deaf ear of the arctic skies...