Hey guys! This is the first spirit animals fanfic I have ever done, so it may not be the best. It would be a huge help if you reviewed each chapter to tell me stuff I need to improve for the next! If you enjoyed this chapter, please favorite or follow my account and the story!

Thanks again!

Leaf

Spirit of the Ice – Chapter 1

The Lost Beast:

Aria couldn't feel her hands. They were numb, she rubbed her hands together, trying to create some friction for warmth. The heavy snowfall had destroyed the crops she had so meticulously planted.

Aria picked out a few pitiful carrots, all that remained of the once blooming garden. "Aria!" a voice shouted, "Are there and potatoes left?" It was her father.

Aria lived in one of the poorest regions in Arctica, an already poor country. Here, life swung from a fragile spider's thread. One wrong choice, and you snap the string.

"No!" she shouted back, "I got some carrots though!" Aria's father cursed, "Damn it, we'll have to plant a new crop farm when spring comes around."

Aria cupped her hands in front of her mouth and huffed a few short breaths, warming up her freezing hands. "Come inside before you get frostbite!" he father called, "We can't afford treatment!"

Frostbite was not uncommon in Arctica, her father had already lost a toe to it. Criph, her father's arctic fox greeted her at the door. Aria's father had done something almost impossible in the lands of the ice, summoned a spirit animal.

"Hey Criph," Aria said half-heartedly, allowing the fox to lick her open palms. Aria's mother came up to her, "I'm going to the market," she smiled as she opened her hand to reveal three golden coins, "Found these buried in the snow."

"Be careful," Aria's father warned, joining them in the small dining area, "Crooks hang 'round there all the time. Take Criph with you." His brow crinkled in worry, "I heard once this little boy went to the market, never came home. Found his body buried in snow few months later. I reckon a robber got him."

Aria's mother rolled her eyes, "Dahu, I'll be fine." "Fine, but at least take Criph with you," Dahu pleaded. Criph grinned, as much as a fox could grin, his tongue lolling out of his mouth. He nuzzled Aria's mother's palm affectionately.

Aria knew why her father was so protective. A few years back, Dahu's younger sister, Rei, had been murdered at the town's market. Aria's mother seemed to realize this as well, and she nodded, "Fine. I'll be back at sunset with supper."

Dahu smiled wearily and gave his wife a quick kiss on the cheek, then he turned to his fox. "Take good care of Vencia, Criph, I trust you." Criph licked his hand reassuringly.

A few hours later, there was a knock at the door, three slow knocks and one fast one, Aria's family's secret code for entry. Dahu rushed to the old wooden door and swung it open.

Aria's mother stood there, a beaming smile painted across her face. Criph was beside her, doing his fox-grin. She was holding a large basket, woven from river grass.

Dahu helped her in and ruffled Criph's white fur. Aria's mother set down her basket, still smiling broadly, "Old Frasco had this wonderful deal. Each coin bought three chicken, and sixteen duck eggs! We'll have food for months!"

"Old Frasco?" Dahu frowned, "That old grump, offer a deal? He must've had a serious change of heart."

"Oh Dahu," Aria's mother said, "Who cares! We got food, which means we can survive." She pulled out a box of matches, and soon a fire had bloomed over the tinder, the flames crackling merrily.

Supper was better than Aria had ever remembered it being. They all shared a scrambled duck egg and two drumsticks.

That night, as Aria snuggled under her thin fraying blanket, her mother creaked open the door. She strode across the room and lit the candle, then she settled beside Aria on her small cot.

She bent down and gave Aria an affectionate kiss, "Good night," she whispered, standing up. "Wait!" Aria called, and her mother stopped and looked back, "Tell me a story." Vencia smiled, "Have I ever told you the legend of Arctica's lost beast?" Aria shook her head, "No." "Well," Vencia began, "A long, long time ago…"

There was a beautiful snow leopard, she was one of the Great Beasts, her name was Alda. All of Arctica loved and respected their only Great Beast patron. Unlike the other Great Beasts, mysterious and regal, Alda was kind and loving to all creatures.

She didn't want others to bow to her, she wanted everybody to feel they had a place in the world. But not everyone thought that way. A group of powerful hunters from the four main regions, Nilo, Amaya, Zhong, and Eura, made their goal to kill the Great Beast and skin her pelt.

They targeted her because they knew she would not strike back. They thought of an elaborate plan, and one fateful night, they struck.

Alda, was already aware of the hunter's malicious plan, but was not even angered by the slightest. When the hunters approached, hold swords and spears, she tried to convince them that violence was not the answer.

An eyoung woman just happened to be nearby, walking in the woods, minding her own business. One of the hunters, a particularly devious one, pointed his dragon-scale spear at the woman, "You think I won't kill you?" he taunted, "I'll prove to you that I can."

A few of his comrades were in on what their leader was doing, and readied their spears. They threw with deadly accuracy, the spears hurtled through the air, right towards the woman.

Caught by surprise, the woman tried to run, but stumbled on her dress and fell to the dusty ground. Petrified, she threw up her arms, a pitiful defense, preparing herself for the agony soon to follow. But it never came.

Instead, there was a roar of rage she had never heard before. One that shook the earth itself, true power. Alda had intercepted the spears with her own body. The six spears impaled her in different places. Two in the chest, one in the neck, and three in the head.

The Great Beast writhed in agony on the mountain path, her blood staining the dirt. For, dragon-scale was fatal to all it impaled. Though weak and dying, Alda created a mountain, which swallowed the evil men whole, trapping them forever in the earth.

"And that mountain is now called Mount Alda," Vencia finished, "In honor of how a Great Beast had risked her life for a commoner." Aria was quiet for a while, "Is that story true?"

Vencia laughed and brushed Aria's black hair behind her ear, "If Alda hadn't done what she did, you wouldn't be here right now. The woman she saved was your great-great-great-great grandmother."

Aria's jaw dropped, "How do you know?" she demanded, "Who told you?" Vencia laughed gently like the breeze, "It's been passed down, from generation to generation to generation…"