Powers Unite, The Ice Ninja

                                                             *Short story* Powers Unite 

                                                                        The Ice Ninja

         A snow storm began to shift as grey clouds loomed over the snow infested terrain, and wind raged, threatening to collapse a small pieced-together shelter. A small six year old Ice Pixie screamed when one of the shelters' ice walls collapsed, shattering from the impact of the wind, snow and cold wind poured into the shelter, and the mother, who was huddled over her daughter, began to reform the ice wall with her ability.  "Shh! Shh!" The mother hushed in a gentle tone, "It's going to be alright" she hugged the child, then picked her up, "now lets see that cut" the mother told her, noticing the small cut on her daughter's right arm from the shattered ice. She set her daughter on a small cushion, made from fur, and walked over to a bag that contained the little bit of medical supplies that the mother was able to trade since the last Trading Day. If only this blizzard would go away, the mother thought as she brought a bandage to her daughter, if it continues like this for the rest of the week I won't be able to check the traps. They are probably destroyed by now anyway, she thought, kissing the girl on the cheek after cleaning her cut, and giving her a comforting hug as her daughter wiped away a tear. I hope he didn't get caught in the blizzard, the mother worried, remembering her husband leaving for Trading Day the day before. She looked into her daughters wide, tear rimmed eyes, and tried to be brave for her. Oh Iris, she thought sadly, I hope our food lasts for the rest of the week.

                        2 Years Later...

           "Winter! It's happening!" Iris heard her mother call, and her father rushed into the room. Iris didn't quite understand, she was in her small bed area with her ice doll when her mother began yelling and screaming, and she could hear her father comforting her. Iris was eight years old and as far as she knew she wasn't going to be an only child for long, because the rush and panic of her parents was enough to freak her out, and it didn't take long for her to put two and two together. But, when everything quieted down and her parents still hadn't called her in, Iris began to get curious, and set down her doll, walking over two the small room connected to their shelter. Iris peered in, and she saw a small baby girl in her mother's arms. "Somethings not right" her father, Winter, said with his hand over his forehead, looking a bit confused. "Why, what do you mean!? She's a perfectly healthy baby, and quite beautiful if you ask me, look, she has your eyes," Iris's mother said, admiring the small bundle in her arms. "No, somethings wrong" Winter said, and made a small ice star in the palm of his hand with his ability, and gave it to the baby, "you can't say that about her!" Iris's mother said, defensively, "not about our daughter! You- you can't!" "You can't tell me you don't feel it!" Winter yelled back, and the baby began to sniffle, which quickly became a loud cry in no sooner then a few seconds. "How could you!" The mother said to him, trying to quiet the baby, but gasped when the ice star dissolved in the baby's small hands as her cry became louder. "I knew it! She's it!" Winter said, jumping back. "I can't believe you! You've been so nervous all the time since that day, besides that was years ago! And she's our daughter!" Iris's mother yelled at him in defence, holding her daughter closer. "I can't do this" Winter muttered, and Iris hid behind one of the small boxes as her father stormed out of the room. When he passed, Iris peeked her head back into the room, and her mother noticed, beckoning her over. Iris hesitantly walked into the room and peered at the baby, "Iris" her mother said, "say hello to your little sister, Icelyn." Icelyn quieted down and looked at Iris, and sense the first time they both locked eyes, Iris made a silent vow to protect her sister, whatever it took.

                         5 Years Later

            "Mother!" Iris called, carrying a small basket through the door way of their shelter, she pushed her ice blue pigtail off of her shoulder and walked through the animal fur blocking her small room from the kitchen. Their kitchen wasn't much, just enough to prepare the food without having to do it outside. "It's all gone" she said as she approached her mother, showing the nearly empty basket, "the mice must have eaten them" Iris continued, showing the mostly eaten, tubular vegetables. Her mother sighed, leaning against the counter and shaking her head. "I guess we won't have vegetables today, I was really hoping that garden would work" she sighed again before continuing "can you tell Icelyn dinners almost done." "Yes mother" Iris responded "good girl" her mother said, kissing Iris on the cheek. Iris walked outside, treading through the thick snow, her thin shoes had no affect against the cold snow beneath them, for they were very poor and couldn't afford much. Fortunately, being an Ice Pixie, the frigid temperatures of the Ice Pixie's home land had no affect on her. She walked behind their snow and ice covered shelter-like house, and saw a small girl, about five years old, crouched by a tiny, grey creature. "Icelyn! What are you doing!?" Iris asked, pulling her sister away from the mouse. Icelyn looked up at Iris innocently, her light, ice blue eyes shown with childlike wonder, but also with a bit of guilt from Iris's sudden outburst. "It looked hungry, so I gave it some crumbs" Icelyn whispered, wrapping her little arms around Iris's legs and laying her head against her stomach. Iris peered down at the creature, if she had an opinion, she'd say the mouse looked pretty plump. Greedy little mouse, probably content from having a fest of our garden! However Iris wouldn't dare say that in front of her sister, so instead she acknowledged "You have always been an animal lover, haven't you?" She looked down at Icelyn and smiled, Icelyn smiled back. "Now come along, mother said it's almost time to eat, we need to get you cleaned up" she scooted Icelyn along and her little sister giggled, and skipped through the snow toward the entryway. Iris glared at the tiny grey mouse. I could get rid of you now and she wouldn't even know, Iris thought, watching the mouse scratch itself in the ear, completely ignoring Iris as she crouched down and grasped it between her frozen fingers. Of course that doesn't seem right, she thought to herself, this creature, even if it did just had a lovely meal of our vegetables, it's not too different from us. We also have to scavenge for our meals, even if it's not in the same way as these creatures do. Iris reached the edge of the forest, it wasn't too far from their home, so this took little time. She placed the mouse next to a round bush, powdered with snow, and stared at it, and it stared back. "Go, get out of here before I change my mind" Iris warned and the creature skittered away.

           "Icelyn, stop playing with your food" Iris heard her mother say, she pushed through the animal fur and sat down in her chair by the table, which was set with food. "Where were you?" Iris's mother asked, "just taking care of something" Iris responded, her mother nodded. "I found a mouse earlier" Icelyn said, looking at her mom, "did you now?" Mother replied, looking at Iris, who let out a small cough "I, uh, made sure it was brought back to it's home" Iris told her, reassuring Icelyn. "Alright then" Mother said, and they continued to eat. "Tomorrow is trading day, I assume you remember" Mother reminded Iris, who nodded. "Good, we don't have too much to offer, but I'm sure we can get something out of it" Mother continued, the dish ware clanking as she cut her meal, taking a bite. "Can I be excused?" Icelyn asked, "I want to play before it gets too dark," "no dear, finish your dinner. The sun will come back tomorrow." Icelyn pouted but didn't disobey her mother, and finished her plate. Iris finished hers as well, and asked Mother "can I be excused? I still have some chores to do" "Yes, but make sure to come back in before dark, I don't want you out for too long." "Yes mother, I know" Iris said, and her mother kissed her on the cheek, "you too Icelyn, you may be excused now." "Yay!" Icelyn hoped off her seat and followed Iris to wash her dish.

          * * * 

          The next day Iris's mother woke them up early in the morning, Mother had gathered some belongings into a bag the night before, and with a sleeping Icelyn in her arms, they set off for the village. Trading Day was a day most of the three lowest ranks highly relied on, even if you didn't have money, if you had something worthwhile for someone else, you could trade it for other supplies. The village wasn't too far from Iris's home, but it wasn't very close either, they had to walk there, and they had to get up before the sun rose, so they could get to the village when Trading Day started. 

          Talking could be heard, mixed in with the bustle of traders and pixies beckoning from trading posts. "Fresh fish! Get it while it's in stock!" Iris heard, along with calls for meat, traps, gemstones and other items, everyone trying to get their call into the crowd. "Let me guess, crops didn't work again?" A white haired ice pixie said as they approached the stall, Mother sighed and the pixie laughed, "oh I'm just joking! Don't look so blue" he said before adding "I'm sure you'll get it to work some day. But until then it does me some good" he chuckled "what can I get'cha?" The pixie bent over, leaning on his elbows as Iris watched her mother pull out a long piece of jewelry, "I'm sure you could make something off of this" she said, "if not I'm sure Snowflake would like it." The pixie reached out and took the pendant, looking at it thoughtfully, "this sure is a good charm" he said, Iris watched him place the necklace into his pocket "were'd you get such a shiny thing?" "That's not important" Mother replied, "ah yes, straight to business as usual" he said, then showed the displayed vegetables, "you can take three." "Three?" Mother exclaimed, looking at the vegetables "that necklace is worth at least four!" "Mom" Icelyn interrupted, pulling on Mother's white cloak. "Yes, go play with Peri" Mother said, knowing what Icelyn was about to ask, "don't let her wonder off" she told Iris as Icelyn cheered, Iris nodded in response before following her sister. Peri was Icelyn's friend, her full name is Periwinkle, but her family and friends all called her Peri. She was the girl Icelyn played with while Mother traded, and Iris got to watch, make sure they didn't wonder off. Iris walked through the crowd, pulling her hood over her head, "Icelyn!" Peri said, she was sitting next to her mother's stand, who was selling home made shoes. "Hello Icelyn, hello Iris" Mrs. Snow greeted, "hello Mrs. Snow" Iris greeted, she watched as Icelyn and Peri began chatting away. "How's your mother doing?" Mrs. Snow asked, watching a customer walk off with new shoes. "She's doing good" Iris answered, looking at the busy traders. Not long after Mother approached them, saying hello to Mrs. Snow before telling Iris and Icelyn "come along, it's time to go" "But we haven't been here that long" Iris said in between Icelyn's "aww." "Yes, I know, but we have to head back, there's not much else to do here" Mother answered, "but can't we stay a little longer!" Icelyn asked, looking at Peri, "no, we're leaving, now say bye to Periwinkle and Mrs. Snow." They gave their goodbyes, and then set off through the thick snow, with dark clouds looming above them, threatening to make their travel difficult.

            "I'm heading off!" Mother called over her shoulder as she did so every morning, Iris didn't know why they left so soon the day before, Mother never left like that, and she was only getting vegetables, she would normally get more then that. "Ok" Iris replied, She walked over and placed the large wooden plank on the entrance after her mother walked out the door, something they did when their mother left the house for a while. It was supposed to keep them safe in case a creature from the forest were to try to break in, but if you asked Iris, she didn't think it did much. Not that they'd ever had a creature try to break in, but it was just a little extra safety, nothing wrong with that. "Iris, can you play with me? I'm bored" Icelyn asked, "yeah, not much to do in here isn't there?" Iris said, laying her head on her fist when she sat down next to Icelyn.