Children Of Frost (Book 1: Spirit Tales)

Chapter Six- Seasonal River

The Seasonal River, also known as the Death River. It was a mystery to anyone who knew about it. Anyone who knew about the lives it had taken.

"There's no one here," River said looking at the six people in front of her. She was standing in front of the frozen lake of water, ice that looked thick until one tried to cross it.

"Of course," Autumn said. They had to leave quickly, each one carrying a bag. They would need to find their own food on the way, but he was sure that they would be fine, after all. They had him, Summer and Winter. "I don't think many came here, I also think barely anyone leaves the village during this time."

"That's because no one's mad enough to," Winter said looking at the male next to her. She was making sure to stay away from Summer, so she was standing next to Luna and Autumn.

"That and everyone's asleep," River said a smile on her face. Winter might have thought her glares were scary, but when her checks were a soft pink. She looked as cute as a kitten. "You remember everything I've told you."

"Of course Grandmother," Spring said a smile on her face. They had to go west, towards the Mountain tribe, then go into the unknown land. They didn't know much about it, but they were sure that they'd ran into someone who did.

"We've gone over the plan," Luna said. They did have one, she thought it would be silly to go into the unknown without some kind of plan, or a few. "Don't worry Grandma, I'll make sure that Winter is told."

"Wait. Winter doesn't know?" Spring asked. She was sure that she had told the girl, but then again, if they way Winter is, she might not have listened or she was asleep. "But I told her... I think."

"Spring you didn't," River told her. Her granddaughter forgot things at times, she had Summer and Autumn watch over the girl, since they were strong enough to stop Hunter if he did come over. "And I'm sure both Summer and Autumn would've talked about anything else. I think you might have talked about it a little too much."

"But I wanted to make sure that everyone knew what was going on."

"Granddaughter, that can be your biggest down fall."

"Why?"

"Elder River," Autumn said. He didn't want to hear how Spring being a control freak was going to be her downfall, but most of the time it only made sense to her. "Maybe we should go over some of it? What do we tell others?"

"Yes, you can't tell them you're from the Seasonal Tribe," River said thinking about it. She had one, but she needed to find away to fit their ages into it, she thought that Winter would be older when they left, but things never work out to for her. "While Winter might be taken in, being exiled. You lot might just be sent back, and your old enough to have the death sentence."

"True. We can't tell them that we ran away," Luna said. They would need to tell them something, since most people were born in a clan. "We also can't tell the reason why Winter had to leave the Tribe. You know how things are, if she ended up in Animal Tribe area, they would want to rage war with us."

"Why not?" Winter asked. She wouldn't mind if the Animal Tribe asked Hunter what was going on, or killing him if that was the case. "Wouldn't they ask first?"

"No, Winter."

"Talking about that," River said a smile on her face. One that made everyone worry. "Everyone is going to have to lie about their cycle. Luna, Spring you're from the forgotten Wind Tribe."

"The forgotten Wind Tribe," Spring asked a smile on her face. River only smiled at her, they didn't know how forgotten the Wind Tribe was, it happened cycles ago. "How old are we?"

"Both of you are sisters," River said. She had to think about cycles carefully, they had to make sense. "Luna your in your Twenty-Ninth cycle, while Spring you're in your Twenty-Fifth cycle. Both of you are sisters, but had to flee when you were attacked."

"Okay, grandma," Luna said smiling at Winter, who was looking at her with worry in her eyes.

"Summer, Autumn you two will be cousins," River told the two boys and when they nodded, she continued. "Neither of you remember what Tribe you came from. But you might Luna and Spring on their travels. Autumn you're in your Twenty-Ninth Cycle, while Summer you're in your Twenty-Fourth Cycle."

"What about Winter?" Spring asked pointing to said girl. Winter only glared at her, if River told her that she was in her Twenty-something cycle, she knew no one would believe it, no one believed her when she told them she in her fourteenth. "I don't think anyone would believe she's an adult."

"If they knew you. They would barely believe you were one either," Winter said. She didn't look at her the girl, but now wasn't the time for people to remind her that she didn't know what cycle she was in.

"Winter you're in your sixth cycle," River said ignoring both Spring's and Winter's argument. "Luna, Autumn you're her parents. Both of you wanted to settle down, because you have a child. You worry that she's going to be killed, since she almost got killed a few times. Any more questions?"

"What are you going to tell everyone?" Summer asked. Not that he cared what people thought about him, but he would either know. That and he was sure that everyone else was curious. "The story works."

"So I'm am aunt?" Spring asked smiling at Winter. She could know get away with messing with her darling 'niece' and no one could stop her.

"Don't worry about that Summer. You just worry about your own story," River told him. She was going to put both Dylan and Hunter in hot water. "They won't come after you, not if I have my way."

Winter didn't like the look that Spring was giving her. She had a feeling she wasn't going to like this, not one bit. She also had a feeling that it wasn't going to be as easy as River made it sound like. Found an object and the world will be back to 'normal'. But to her normal was the ground covered in snow all cycle long. So anything was going to take awhile to get used to.

It would take a few bell rings to get out of Seasonal Tribe area, but how where they going to know one bell ring from another? It wasn't like they could use the sun, this entire time it barely moved an ince, going closer and closer to the mountains in the east. "How are we going to tell when a bell ring has ended?"

"Very good question Winter," River said while pointing at Winter's bag, which went on on of her shoulders, while it rested on her hip. "You'll find in your bag, a little glass with sand. It put it on the side, but that'll tell you when a bell as been rang."

"Grandma, is there any warnings you would like to give us?" Luna asked looking at Winter's bag. Sure anything, sewed to the side was a little glass with sand. It looked like it would tip once the top was empty. "Or any advice?"

"Don't go on the ice," River said looking at Winter and Spring. "Also don't push someone on the ice. While one of you can get away with it, no one else can. Remember you're mature adults. Also, try to get their before the darkness returns."

"Wait... aren't you coming?" Spring asked. She thought her grandmother was coming, sure she remembered that they had to west.

"Spring, I'm too old," River told her, a smile on her face. They would be fine, she had to believe they would be fine. "You'll have to forgive this women."