For a second I completely forgot holding my breath, I quickly stepped back before letting out a large blue cloud of frost. But this time something was different, unlike before it didn't freeze the air but the frost slowly sunk to the floor before quickly dissipating across the snow filled floor.

What has changed?

  Without me noticing the small bird had slowly stubbed its way over to me leaving small V-Shape tracks across the fresh snow. Before I knew it he was already at my front leg. Its soft coo filled the surroundings slowly brushing its head against my leg then flicking its wings a couple times. Like a small child…

  Looking over to my other side I quickly let out a couple deep breaths. The frost quickly formed then dropped to the floor and dissipated once again nothing changed…

Glancing down at the small bird, its small eyes quickly locked eyes with mine before letting out a small coo like hum. Like it wanted something.

  “What do you need buddy?” Slightly pushing my leg against his head quickly quickly pushed back letting out another coo.

“~Mana~” Hundreds of voices echoed through my skull. Bouncing off everything shaking my mind before becoming dead silent. My mind rang; it felt like millions of needles probing my brain. With a shock I quickly shook my head. Closing my eyes, Everything felt… fuzzy

I quickly realized some of my stored mana to the surroundings. I couldn't even think straight. Within the next second the air felt suffocating and the once heavily mana filled air felt hollow and rotten. It took me a second to even move. It was such a shock. Glancing down at the small white bird he happily sat with his mouth open, Two small symbols sat by each corner of his beak faintly glowing a translucent green.

  The feeling of the mana being sucked from the air… was this small bird? Without a seconds delay he quickly closed his beak and the faint symbols slowly flashed out of sight before it let out a small burp, giggling and fluttering its wings.

  The air quickly filled with mana once again. Like an ocean crashing down, pressure soon followed, almost throwing me clean to the floor before calming down like a gentle current. The snow violently flung to the surrounding piles leaving a 4 feet wide clean circle around us.

Stammering to my feet I quickly gave the bird a one over again walking around it and everything, There was nothing out of the ordinary. Silently, I laid down and thought about what just happened playing it over in my head… There was no other explanation besides the bird. Quietly flicking its wings it stepped closer to be before its beak was just barely away from my nose.

It's cold breath pressing against my nose… cold breath?

Wait, that's it! Jumping to my feet I quickly looked down at the small bird who was now starttled by my sudden movement, stepping back and looking up at me with confusion he gently tilted his head.

“Your ice spirits, right?”

The bird's head shifted straight before gently nodding its head and cooing a couple times in a low hum.

  That explains everything. Looking back at the cliff side the first sun was just barely peeking over the crest of the mountain… I've been here most of the day and night, the others are probably worried. Standing to my feet I breathed one more heavy sigh, the cloud of frost filled the air before crashing to the floor. It should be fine now. Glancing down at the same bird I quietly asked.

“Will you all follow me down the mountain?”

The spirits sat still for a second before looking up at me, Shallow static breaths filled the air.

“We follow the Prince.”

In Unison the voices erupted in agreement. Each of their words carried what felt like heavy vows. I felt excited?

  Taking one more glance back at the mountain top we slowly headed down the mountain trail that I previously moved through. It was completely covered in a large blanket of mesmerizing blue snow. It wasn't any harder to walk than a normal walk, looking behind me unlike before both the spirits and I barely made any trace of where we were walking. As if we were weightless…

  Pushing my paw a bit into the snow it left a large paw imprint in the snow. Walking a couple feet then turning around… there was nothing, just the same large paw print I left in the snow just a couple seconds ago.

  The spirits let out a small cooing before flying on to my back and laying down. Slowly closing its eyes. After walking for a couple minutes I finally came down the base of the mountain. The blue snow even reached small banks of snow that littered the surrounding. Turning down the mountain side I quickly headed for the entrance of the Den.

After walking a good distance from the mountain pass entrance the spirits began to shout its coos became that of a man screaming startling me at first it immediately raised my guard and hurried back to the Den. the shrilling grew louder. Walking out of the tree line the cave entrance was just barely in sight, the spirit fell silent.

Stopping in my tracks I quickly glanced around the outside of the den. Quiet and still. Just like normal. After walking a couple feet to the entrance of the den the warm billowed from the mouth of the cave.

“ Fang is that you.”

Winter's voice echoed through the cave. Soon everyone's voices filled after getting closer. Until finally appearing from the depths of the cave. One after the other.

Dawn came running. Quickly followed by Mearie and Brue

“Where'd you go last night? I couldn't find you anywhere?”

Stepping closer Dawn quickly backed up, shaking her body before staring back at me.

“Why is it so cold? Did the fire go out again?” Peering back into the depths of the cave a small flicking light danced on the cave walls.

*Cooo

The Spirts woke up, moving around sluggishly on my back. They gently kicked out their wings before yawning and slowly crawling down my back and moving to my side.

Both Dusk and Winter had stepped closer by the time the spirits had entered. Within the split second they both bowed leaning there front legs to the floor they both quickly looked to the floor before shouting for Dusk to do the same.

“Oh, spirits, have we angered you in some way.” Dusk's voice shook like I had never heard it before while still raspy. It was quite as if he had to silence himself so as to not anger a powerful being.

The cooing had silenced. Before the small bird jump to the top of my head. In unison the spirts began to speak. Almost broken and repeating itself it echoed through the cave as if a caged lion roared.

“The family of the prince can do no harm.~ Stand wolf kin.”

The room became silent for what felt like a long time before they all stood. Without me noticing Alex had come back to the mouth of the cave with some firewood and watched it all without a word. Before slowly walking past respectively saying hello and moving further into the cave.

“Well…” I spoke to try to brake the awkward silence.

“Sorry for leaving for so long. I was sleeping on the mountain and this guy found me.” peeking up at the Spirts who still proudly sat at the top of my head.

Walking closer, Dawn quickly looking at the bird before looking back at me.

“Can I touch it?”

Dusk quickly shouted from the side before being silenced by Winter with a quickly paw to the nose.

“I don't th..”

“ Spirts.. I need a better name but… Can you come down so dawn can touch you?”

Once again they spoke.

“If its the princes wish.” within the next second it quickly fluttered down to the floor before me. Dawn, who didn't know what to do, slowly approached the small bird before pushing her paw against it.

“Cold like… Snow.” gently rubbing back the spirits cooed back before gently rubbing its head against her leg.

Snow, huh.

“Spirts.”

Quickly turning around they fell silent.

“ Yes, prince.”

“Are you alright with the name Snow?”

Everyone fell silent. Before hundreds of voices echoed barely anything was tangible just broken speech some dead some new. Before within the next second thing went still. Not even the fire at the back of the cave echoed. The world felt… black and white.

Thousands of lights once again started floating from the floor before me… this time something was different.

Each one's light lit up before me in unions thousands of voices filled my thoughts, some old, some young. All agreeing before silently floating back there from the once warm room was now filled with a bitter cold chill that soon subsided into a gentle frost.

The blank faces of the other quickly panned from Snow to I who just sat silently. Could they not hear him?

“ They said there okay with Snow for a name.” looking back at Dusk who had slowly stood back up and moved back to the fire, Winter quickly followed after saying a couple words welcoming me back.

Looking down at Snow who was now slowly making its way over to Dawn. quickly flapping its wings and slowly landed on top of Dawn's head.

The voices echoed through the cave once more this time in a softer gentler tone like that of a grandma or grandpa talking to their grandchild.

“Princess.”

Dawn's face grew a small happy smiles.

“Fang Fang Snow called me princess!”

“Yes, I heard.”

[Status]

Shit still two days remaining. Slowly walking to the back of the cave Dawn and Snow quickly followed. Not far behind was Meaire and Brue who were gently trying to pet Snow who shifted onto Dawn's back as we walked.

  Dusk Winter and Alex quietly sat by the fire chatting. Laying down next to the fire the others quickly followed. After sitting by the fire and chatting with everyone for a couple minutes, Alex who had been getting firewood consistently to keep the fire going tapped my shoulder and asked me to help him.

Following him he was rather quite most the way out the den. After exiting the den he quickly spun around.

“Are you thinking of going into the village?”

“Well yes soon. why?”

Well I have been thinking about heading there since I first saw the town. I want to see how this world works…

“... I don't think that's such a good idea. You're more than likely gonna be attacked no matter how you go there. Being such a large Wolf and all.”

“ We'll all think about something for that. Before I go.”

  He quickly interrupted.” But you don't know anything about the town you'll be lost and quickly takin if your not careful.”

“ All will be fine, Before I go.” giving him a quickly look up and down.

“ All have you told me everything I need to know.”

With a small smile Alex quickly turned around and walked deeper into the woods. Picking up any leftover branches and twigs he can find. Grabbing a few branches in my mouth I couldn't hold many but… wait.

  I quietly sat for a second and slowly tired Pushing a slim line of mana out from my forehead and pooling it into a small circle a few feet in front of me. I could feel it, A condensed spot of my mana was collected just a few feet in front of me.

Tossing the three sticks I had they fell right on stop.

There was no thud..

 

  Solidly floating in the air where three small branches were held in the air by mana taking a small step forward they were quickly propelled into the floor with a loud crash and splintering into hundreds of pieces. Spreading out across the forest floor.

Taking a couple steps back I looked at the shattered branches. What's with the high speeds?

Grabbing a couple more branches in my mouth I quickly tired again a small thin stream of mana poured from my forehead once again and slowly began to form a ball a few feet above me just a foot in front of me. I quickly tossed the sticks up into the small circle… They didn't move once again. This time I quickly took a step back. Within the second I moved the sticks were launched into the air with remarkable speeds before arching back down… back down…

Quickly jumping back as far as I could even using my leap skill.

*thud

*THud

 

*THUD

The last one landing just inches away from me I could barely catch my breath. I was almost taken out by a piece of wood… let alone it was something I shot. Got to be more careful. Gently shaking my head I grabbed a the remainder of the wood I could find and quickly hurried back to the cave entrance.

Alex was patiently waiting…

“ Where'd you run off to again? I thought we lost ya for another night.”

Well you might have if I wasn't quick enough…

“ I was just having trouble finding dry wood…. Make sure to tell me everything about the town when we get inside it better be prepared.”

Quickly hurrying inside we were greeted by the over quietly chatting with Snow using Dawn as a interrupter… When was she able to talk to them so well?

Tossing a couple sticks onto the fire it quietly crackles and sizzles before small puffs of smoke filled the cave ceiling before being pulled out the mouth of the entrance.

Shadows danced across the cave walls as we talked and moved about the room, some danced, some laughed but each never left. Only silenced.

…

..

.

Two days later...

 

*Ping

My eyes felt heavy, slowly opening my eyes the blue screen flashed before me a quite unfamiliar scene the blurriness in my vision quickly subsided. At first I was quite in shock but its been two days huh… Besides the first few days nothing has been interesting running about getting firewood or hunting besides that just sleeping and having Alex tell me everything he can remember about the town.

Everything's been… slow.

How ya feeling Aki, it's good to see you again.

Reading through the notifications my mouth quickly dropped. Whose soul? How can that be a gift? And when did I claim any territory?