The 4th of winter was always an interesting one here in Echo town. With gigantic piles of snow and ice covering the festival grounds, everyone eagerly for the signal to get started on today's festival. Everyone chatted away with the person next to them. Hana; an old but sweet woman, smiled and laughed with another woman who wore a plain white apron with apples splattered all over it.
Wading through the noisy crowd, Dunhill; mayor of Echo town, causally made his way towards a large wooden platform in the middle of the enormous snow covered festival grounds. Dunhill's large leather boots loudly hit the floorboards, causing them to creak and groan under the sudden shift in weight. One by one, the sound of voices grew quieter and quieter and by the time Dunhill turned to face the crowd, everyone had fallen completely silent.
Dunhill coughed once, clearing his throat and then began to explain the festival to the newcomers that hadn't had an opportunity to participate last time; Amir, Sanjay, Olivia, and Michelle. The explanation was short and right to point as he shifted the spotlight over to a young woman with bright red hair tied up in a bun and dark blue eyes.
The old man smiled down at everyone, "Arianna will be the one giving instructions! Don't worry; I'm sure we can create a fantastic ice sculpture if we all work together!" immediately everyone erupted into cheers as Dunhill hopped off the platform, and walked over to the young redhead.
Arianna, a rancher for Echo town simply smiled at the old man as everyone crowded around her. Amir, her husband merely stood by her side, like always, and listened to the instructions given to each individual person. The children, Niko, Hina, and Toni were nowhere to be seen. Arianna smiled. She knew they'd all be tossing snowballs at one another for fun.
And just like that, Arianna felt something cold and wet as it shocked her senses for just a second. Turning around on a dime, Arianna could see a very smug looking Toni holding a newly created snowball in his hand.
Someone laughed in the background, most likely Amir since everyone else was busy gathering enough snow and ice and carrying out her instructions.
Toni, with a smug grin on his face, stuck his tongue out at her, daring the rancher to come and get her. And so she did. Kneeling down, allowing her knee to touch the cold snow, Arianna used her blue gloved hand to scoop up a fair bit of snow. With the help of her second hand, she molded the wet compactable snow into a somewhat round looking snowball.
Rising from the cold wet snow, Arianna stared blankly at Toni while wondering if he was going to bolt right away or just take the hit.
Taking a chance, she threw it.
Toni ran out of the way, flinging his snowball haphazardly towards Arianna. Both his and Arianna's snowball ended up in the snow having missed their intended targets. The mischievous little boy was in the lead, and winning.
"Toni! What have I told you about throwing snowballs!" Amir, Toni, and Arianna turned their attention to a tall dark skinned woman wearing a green bandana stomping over to their location. Toni didn't have time to either run or respond, as his mother's hand latched onto his wrist and pulled him away from the young couple standing in the snow together. In the distance, Toni's protests were loud and noisy.
Amir and Arianna erupted into laughter as snowflakes began to descend upon them, adding to the piles and piles of snow already all around them.
"Do you do this often with the kids?" He asked, glancing over to Hina and Niko who were busily making their own little snowballs and stacking them up into tiny little mounds. Arianna laughed as she saw them preparing for their snowball fight.
With a smile and blue eyes sparkling, she replied, "I do it every year. They love it and I get something to do while everyone gets the snow ready to be molded and crafted into a masterpiece." Her husband smiled, leaned forward, and placed a kiss upon her cheek under the fluffy snow.
"Mind if I join you this year? Although, I'm afraid I don't know how to make a snowball so you'll have to show me." Arianna practically sprang into life all of a sudden. "Of course you can join us! And yes, I'll try and show you how to make snowballs!"
Amir smiled warmly at his wife just as the other townspeople crowded around them again with large amounts of snow in their arms. By the end of the day, everyone had managed to make a snow shrine, the biggest one they had ever made since they started this festival two years ago.
And after their work was done Niko, Toni, Hina, and Arianna set up their snow forts and began their large scale snowball fight. This time, they had an extra member join them, Amir.