Chapter Ten – Erika and Icestorm
In the morning, Eclipse led everyone the rest of the way towards where they hoped to find Erika and Icestorm. The plan, as discussed last night, was for Prowlus and Ash to go first, hoping the former royals might recognize them from the visit to Moonlight Kingdom. Then, once they put Erika and Icestorm at ease, the rest of the travelers can reveal themselves.
Ash flipped through the scrapbook from his mother, and he groaned dishearteningly. "What's wrong, Ash?" Harper asked.
"We're nearly at the end of the scrapbook. We've already encountered so much from here." Ash said. "Where will we go next if the book can't guide us?"
"I've been thinking that we should go up to the mountain trolls." Harper suggested. "They have a history of helping grey trolls find their colors. Maybe they can help you."
"None of my family could help me." Ash pointed out. "Even the wing trolls couldn't help, and the royals had rainbow color magic. Besides, I want to do this myself. But I'll agree to go as a last resort."
"Sounds good." Harper agreed. "Maybe helping Erika and Icestorm will help you."
"You never know." Ash said.
Eclipse stopped them. "Through those trees, on the other side of a stream. Ash, Prowlus, go on ahead."
"Thanks, Eclipse." Ash said. "We'll take it from here." He and Prowlus journeyed on ahead while the others hid amongst the trees.
'I am a little worried, Ash.' Prowlus admitted as they walked. 'Erika and Icestorm ran away to escape their grandfathers' feud. What if they aren't happy to see us?'
"Why would they be unhappy to see us?"
'They may think we are trying to take them back.'
"Well, then we just have to explain that their families were worried. It's not like we're trying to force them to go back." Ash and Prowlus arrived at the edge of the stream, and they saw what Eclipse found: a small campsite. There was a fire pit and short log benches. A tree close by had a few holes that looked to be carved from blades, not beaks, complete with curtains of leaves in front of the holes like doors. Ash and Prowlus waded across the water and cautiously approached the camp. It looked deserted, and Ash had to wonder if Eclipse made a mistake. Peering into the holes, Prowlus found no one.
'Nobody home?' Prowlus looked confused.
"Hello?" Ash called. "Erika? Icestorm?"
No one answered.
'I sense someone.' Prowlus's ears twitched. 'We aren't alone.'
"They must be here." Ash glanced to the fire. "There are still embers in the fire pit." He spoke up louder. "Erika! Icestorm! I know you're still here! Maybe you don't remember us, but we're Ash and Prowlus! We're King—I mean, Emperor Branch's kids! Princess Rosie's siblings?"
Suddenly, a shadow passed over them. Prowlus and Ash tensed up as a snow phoenix landed before them. The phoenix hissed, but its rider pulled it back.
"Easy, Frosty!" The troll said. The troll had dark green skin, bright blue hair, and blue-grey eyes. He dressed only in a pair of weathered brown pants. The troll stared at Ash and Prowlus, squinting a little. His eyes widened. "As I live and breathe. It is you!"
"Prince Icestorm?" Ash guessed.
"No longer a prince, short stuff." Icestorm slid off Frosty and happily hugged Ash and Prowlus. He turned to the trees. "Erika! Phoenix! Come down! We have company!"
One troll flew down from above while another scurried down like a squirrel. The winged troll had purple skin and turquoise hair, her eyes cycling through the colors of the rainbow as she blinked. Her wings had feather designs. She wore a tank top and an ankle-length sarong skirt, both clothing pieces burgundy colored. The climber troll was only a child, about Ash's age. She had blue-grey eyes and dark green skin like Icestorm, and she had Erika's turquoise hair which she had in a messy, tangled braid down her back. She wore brown pants and a burgundy tank top, with a white feather poncho.
"It can't be." Erika breathed. "Prince Ash? And little Prowlus from Moonlight Kingdom?"
'It's good to see you again, Princess.' Ash translated Prowlus's words.
"It's rather nice to see you, as well." Erika said.
"Didn't think we'd ever see our old friends." Icestorm said.
"So these aren't the jerks who tried to break you guys up?" The child troll asked sassily.
"Nah, these guys are cool." Icestorm said. "Oh! This is Phoenix, by the way. She's our daughter."
"Call me 'Finny.'" The child said.
"Nice to meet you." Ash said with a warm smile.
"What are you two doing out here?" Erika asked.
"We're on a quest to find my colors." Ash said. "And we actually have more people with us, if you're okay with meeting them."
Icestorm and Erika exchanged looks. "Who is in your party?" Erika demanded.
"Prowlus's girlfriend Harper, his phoenix Ebony, my crocodile Steve, my friend Gris, my new friend Iris, my loyal knight Sir Tandeth, and..." Ash thought about it. "I think that's it. What do you say?"
Finally relaxed, Erika and Icestorm permitted Prowlus to fetch the others. Eclipse disappeared, allowing the others to work their magic and befriend the little family. Even the sight of Gris didn't bother them. Ebony and Frosty flew up to a tree branch, conversing the way only birds can. Steve curled up by the water, and everyone else gathered around the fire. Icestorm restarted the flames to make lunch, and stories were exchanged about what happened in the past decade.
"It's so nice to see you guys thrived out here." Harper said. "And you have such an adorable daughter!"
"Yeah, I know." Finny shrugged with a smirk.
'Rosie was very worried. She still talks about you guys, sometimes.' Prowlus signed.
"Princess Rosie." Erika sighed. "I remember her. She and my sister, especially, were very good friends."
"They're still good friends. They went to each other's weddings." Ash said. "And we actually met Ariana!"
"We were saved by the wing trolls after having a run-in with some nasty folks." Harper explained. "We stayed in the Wing Troll Kingdom for a few days."
"I met with your grandpa, King Cobalt." Ash told Erika. He noticed her tense up at her grandfather's name. "He really misses you. I bet your family misses you too, Icestorm. Cobalt was hoping you would go back."
"Not a chance." Icestorm scoffed. "The wing and mountain trolls won't accept us, so they'll not have us."
"Is that the real reason you're out here?" Erika demanded. "To take us back to the ones who tried to drive us apart?"
"Yeah, that won't happen." Finny said. "The wing trolls and mountain trolls will force my parents to split, and then I'll be cast out as an abomination."
"What's an abomination?" Ash asked.
"I am." Finny said. "I'm half mountain troll, half wing troll. I've got no hair power, no wings, and I'm kind of a twig."
"No one will accept her. They won't accept us." Icestorm said. "We won't go back to our kingdoms, and you can't tell anyone you found us."
"But your families are worried about you." Gris said.
"They aren't worried. They're mad at us and mad at themselves." Erika said.
"Besides, we do perfectly well on our own." Icestorm said. "Please, stay for lunch and rest for a bit. But you will not tell anyone where we are. Understood?"
With disappointment, everyone agreed. Iris helped Sir Tandeth feed Steve. Prowlus and Harper helped Erika and Icestorm with the dishes. Finny invited Ash and Gris to her favorite play spot in the forest, not too far from the camp.
"Just in case Mom and Dad call." Finny explained as they climbed a tree.
"Good for you for thinking about your parents, Finny." Gris said. "I bet they worry when you wander off."
"No, not really." Finny said.
"Oh." Ash exchanged a confused look with Gris. "So, you guys never thought to go back? Visit with the mountain or the wing trolls?"
"Mom and Dad said we can't." Finny said.
"You never wondered about the rest of your family?" Gris asked. "You can't say you like being on your own."
"We do like being on our own." Finny insisted. "We follow our own rules, do things our way."
We made a home within the trees
We do whatever we please
No worries and no cares out here
No need for a family
What's the point in going back
Why throw our life off the track?
We always knew, it was always clear
If they ever knew about me, there'd be an attack
We're on our own
In this place that we call home
We don't need anybody else
Out here I can just be myself
Can't do it back there
The kingdoms aren't very fair
So we'll stay here
On our own
While she sounded happy while she sang, Gris and Ash silently agreed that it sounded like a lonely life. Did Erika and Icestorm truly believe they'd never be accepted? How could they never imagine going home even for a little while? Just for a visit?
Prowlus and Harper shared a similar feeling when they heard Erika and Icestorm revel in their life of "freedom."
Out here, in the middle of nowhere
We can live the way we want without a care
Free from the past and all its flaws
This is the paradise we don't have to share
I got her, and she's got me
That's all we ever need
Everything is the way we want
Finally we can be free
Just us, on our own
No holding back, this is our home
Side by side, don't need any of them
They'll never tie us down again
Out here we do as we please
Happier now than we'll ever be
They can't break us apart anymore
We're on our own
Prowlus grimaced when Icestorm kissed Erika passionately. He nudged Harper to sign to her. 'Is it just me, or do those two seem rather...' He thought for a right word. 'Touchy-feely?'
'Yes, you're right.' Harper signed back so Icestorm and Erika couldn't understand them. Not that they would've noticed with all the kissing. 'They can't exactly keep their hands off each other.'
'Do you ever expect that from me?'
Harper giggled. 'No, of course not, my love.' She kissed his cheek.
Gris wasn't comfortable climbing much higher, so Ash kept with Finny as they went to the top of the tree and looked out over the land. They could see the mountains in the distance, far enough that they looked like ant mounds. Equal distance away were the dark trees of the Western Woods.
"Beautiful out here, isn't it?" Finny sighed.
"Yeah. Beautiful." Ash glanced to Finny worriedly. "I bet your family would love to see it for themselves. If Cobalt and Yuki got to know you—"
"They won't accept me." Finny insisted.
"How do you know?"
"Because Mom and Dad tell me so. They wouldn't lie to me, right?"
"No, I guess not. But grown-ups don't always know what they're talking about. I don't think you look weird."
"I'm still unnatural. My parents tell me so every time I bring up seeing the rest of my family. In fact, they don't think I'll outlive them. Something about 'compatibility of mountain and wing troll features' or whatever."
Ash frowned. "I don't think I like your parents."
"They're not perfect. But they do care about me. It can't be easy being so unsure about your child's future, knowing that she'll never be a normal troll." Finny shut her eyes peacefully as the breeze blew through her hair.
On our own
With only them to guide me
All alone
Without a friend who can see
No one sees me for who I am
Got to move on, even if I can't
That's what it means
No matter what life brings
Gotta do it on my own
Finny jumped when Ash wrapped his arms around her, and she shoved him off. "What are you doing?"
"Hugging you." Ash blinked in bewilderment. "Haven't you ever been hugged?"
"Well, yeah." Finny rubbed the back of her head. "I mean, it's been a while, I guess. I'm not used to being hugged out of the blue."
Ash hugged her again, gentler this time. Finny tentatively returned the embrace.
Surprisingly, Icestorm and Erika insisted the travelers stick around for supper. There was more talking and laughing, telling funny stories from their lives, and Ash completely forgot about his mission and where to go next. He did whatever he could to make Finny laugh and smile.
"Where will you go now?" Icestorm asked Ash.
"I don't know." Ash shrugged. "I think maybe towards the mountain trolls. Otherwise we're just wandering the forest running into other creatures."
"You're sure you don't want to revisit your family in the Wing or Mountain Troll Kingdoms?" Harper asked.
"They won't accept us." Erika insisted. "We will not be going back."
"If they will not accept their own family, perhaps it is wise for Erika, Icestorm, and Phoenix to remain out here." Iris suggested.
"You should've seen our grandfathers when they found out about us." Icestorm sighed. "They nearly killed each other."
"After Cobalt nearly killed you." Erika sighed.
"I can still hear your father, Emperor Branch, when he came to break up the fight." Icestorm said to Ash. "He was so mad, his voice came out like thunder."
A gentle rumble sounded in the air, and everyone glanced skyward. The clouds were dark, and not just from the sun heading for the horizon.
"I think we should take shelter." Icestorm suggested.
"What about me?" Gris gulped.
"We'll make you a shelter to hide in." Ash assured.
Prowlus stared off into the distance, his eyebrows furrowed. Harper put a hand on his shoulder. "Prowlus? What's wrong?"
Prowlus held up a hand to signal, "Wait a moment." He mounted Ebony and flew the bird up above the treetops. He looked towards the incoming storm and saw flashes of lightning. He saw clouds that looked suspiciously black. Except it wasn't clouds. It was smoke. Smoke from a wildfire headed right for them.
"A wildfire?" Ash repeated when Prowlus returned to warn them.
"We have to move!" Sir Tandeth urged. "We must outrun the blaze before it overtakes us!"
There was no point in putting out the campfire. The travelers grabbed their bags, and everyone took off into the forest. They didn't have a specific destination in mind, as long as they put distance between themselves and the blaze. For every yard they moved, the fire gained twice that much. When they all paused, exhausted, to catch their breaths, the fire was still a short distance away.
Ash quickly pulled out his map and compass. "Here! This lake right here! Come on, this way!" He led everyone on a more diagonal path, with the fire growing ever closer. They moved faster, desperately trying to outrun the flames. Even with the animals and Gris carrying the smaller creatures, the fire was faster. Embers began to fall around them like burning snow.
It all happened so quickly. First, Ebony and Frosty were knocked out of the air by a flock of birds fleeing the wildfire. Then, burning branches rained down from above. Finally, a few large trees, old and rotting and now on fire, fell towards the travelers.
When the ash settled, the entire group was separated.
A/N: Original song: "On Our Own"