Far away, in a northern iceland, there existed two animals. Neither of these animals understood how they came to be there, but they did manage to understand at least one fact. They were very unlucky. This northern iceland seemed almost completely deserted with no food or shelter to offer, only its bone-numbing ice. Furthermore, these two animals were a skunk and a hen, animals hardly suited for such an environment. This land was even dangerous for animals naturally gifted to resist starvation and the cold.


Zikhen, the hen, was particularly worried about his fate. Unlike Meseif, the skunk, Zikhen did not fully want to wait for God to save him, which Meseif had always managed to convince him was most definitely the best way of solving one's problems. It was not that he did not believe in God; he just was unsure that God would want him to simply do nothing and not determine his own future. Meseif disliked the idea of work and had always waited for God, no matter what the situation was. It seemed to Zikhen that God had not always come. In fact, it seemed that God had never come. Zikhen needed food and shelter. Otherwise, he would die.


So, Zikhen came to Meseif and told him that he would find food and shelter. ""No!" Meseif quickly rambled, "Do not give up or God will not come. God will not listen to only my prayers; he needs both yours and mine. Besides, God may have been too busy in the past with our trivial matters, but he will come now, in the moment where we are weakest and most desperate. Do not leave me alone or I will die when we both could live! You do not want to have murder on your conscience, do you? "


Zikhen thought about what Meseif had said and Zikhen realized that, once again, Meseif was correct. God was too busy then, but will listen now he thought. Zikhen said to himself, if he leaves, God will be angry and will not pay attention to Meseif. God would leave Meseif to die.


Days passed and Zikhen was beginning to starve and freeze. All the worse, Zikhen didn't know how to end his pain without bringing even more pain to Meseif. Meseif had a special condition, or so he said. If he ever became the least bit hungry or cold, he would die in excruciating pain and Zikhen would be responsible. So, Zikhen had to give Meself the little food that he did have, collected from years past, after Meself ate all of his own. Zikhen also warmed Meseif with his feathers. These he tore off himself so that Meseif would have a beautiful new coat for such treacherous weather. This, although painful, made Zikhen proud, as Zikhen knew he was not a murderer and that God would look down upon him well.


However, eventually, Zikhen could no longer bear waiting. Zikhen quickly limped to Meseif and asked when God would come. Meseif said he was unsure, but that God would come soon. Meseif was just about to push Zikhen away when he smiled. He whispered with a grin that he knew a way to make it easier for God to see their pain and come to their aid. He said that Zikhen had to climb the frightening, heavily sloped, peak ahead and call to God. Also, of course, while he was at the top of the mountain, he would find food and locate shelter for Meseif, which Meseif now agreed he needed. Meseif might soon become hungry. "Why don't you come with me?" Zikhen blubbered in fear, as he looked at the treacherous path ahead. Meseif told him that, because of his special condition, such high altitudes would kill him. He explained that obviously Zikhen did not want to be a murderer, which he would most definitely be if he forced Meseif to climb to his potential inevitable death. Zikhen immediately agreed, as he summoned all of the courage within him for his upcoming relentless trudge up the tall, windy peak.

As Zikhen climbed to the top of the mountain, Zikhen began to fade. But, he did not want to be a murderer, as Meseif would die without him. Nor did Zikhen want to die himself. Meseif told him that, once Zikhen reached the top of the mountain and brought down whatever food he might find there, God would come to save them both. Zikhen trudged onward. Finally, after many hours, Zikhen had reached the top, but he was not unscathed. One of Zikhen's legs was broken and his right wing was dislocated. Zikhen knew that if God did not come soon he would perish. Zikhen had to bring the little food he had managed to trap on the top of the mountain and the information of the shelter he had located back to Meseif as soon as possible. Zikhen desperately threw the food down the slope to Meseif with a piece of paper attached, which had the location of the shelter he had found printed on it. Then, Zikhen crawled into a cave with the last of his energy. Now, Zikhen had thought to himself, while he was facing death and Meseif might soon as well, God would come. But, God never came.