The Arctic Lake

Long ago, there was a clan named The Skulks, that lived deep in the arctic mountains. It is said they were the guardians of not just the mountain, but of winter itself. When there is snow on the ground and the sky is crystal blue without a single cloud in sight, the clan is calm and at peace. When the snow is light and fluffy, the clan is happy and playful, but when there is a storm with pitch blackness surrounding you, the clan is angry and grieving. Though, when snow is falling down and the sun is shining, the clan is sad and crying.

Legend says the clan is made of seven members, A mother and her six children. Each child represents and controls a different aspect of winter. One is the cold, while one is the ice, one is the guardians of the animals, one is the wind, one is the warmth of winter, and one is the snow. While the mother is the seeker, she is the wise one of them all, and guardian of the mountain itself. She keeps her children and home safe from all with a blackened heart.

And with the clan in the mountains, winter in the arctic village has been at peace and safe. Not a single blizzard in a thousand years that was until the accident.

One Day Ago

BANG!!! “FATHER NO!!!” BANG!!! A flock of black ravens screeched into the sky as the deafening fire of the gun echoes in the air. A deadly silence cuts the air in a pure sickening tension. “Father, what have you done?” ‘Silence child I just caught us din-.’ There on the frozen lake of the arctic mountain lies a beautiful woman with silver hair naked as the day she was born. She lays there in her own blood, with eyes wide open staring at the sky above. ‘Oh my- -’ “Father?” The man's eyes widen in horror as realization sinks into his bones on what he has done. “What do we do now, father?” As the man opened his mouth to answer, a shrieking ring pierced the mountain's air. “Is-is that the blizzard bell?” ‘I-it can’t be, there hasn’t been a blizzard in a thousand years.’ “Father, the lady was she?” ‘NO! She can’t be, it's a wisetale. She was, it was an accident.’ The bell rings again as the sky darkens into a pitch black void and a grieving scream echoes in the mountain. The pain in the scream could be felt in the bones of every living creature in the mountain top. “Father, I’m scared.” ‘Come child we must hurry down the mountain and never speak of this again.’ “Father NO, we can’t leave her here.” ‘There’s nothing we can do, child!! Let’s go!!’ “But Father!!” ‘Now Lisica!! Move!!’ “Father, no we can’t leave her!!”

Lisica's father pulls her down the path as she tries with all her might to escape his grasp and go back to the woman he left dead in the open. Lisica twisted her body to the woman stretching out her arm towards her in the hopes that by some type of magic, she would be back by the woman again. Struggling against her father as he takes her down a mountain muttering to himself, Lisica finally breaks free and rushes back to the woman ‘LISICA!!’ “I’M SORRY FATHER, BUT SHE CAN’T BE LEFT ALONE, HER SPIRIT NEEDS TO REST!!”

With that being said Lisica pushes her body to run faster back to the woman before the blizzard darkens the sky in pitch blackness. She breaks through the brushes in panting mess, but right in front of her eyes is a beautiful and horrible scene. Surrounding the beautiful woman on the lake were six pure white foxes. Each one having tears streaming down their faces, “Oh, you poor things, I’m sorry so sorry.” Okay, Lisica you can’t leave the poor woman there she needs to be put to rest. So, very very carefully step across the ice and get her to the willow across the lake and put her to rest under the willow, where she will be protected and safe.

Lisica takes a step on the ice and ever so carefully walks towards the woman surrounded by the foxes. With the final step Lisica finally reaches the foxes and woman “He-hello little ones.” Screech lets out the scared pups as they try their hardest to protect the woman, their mother. Lisica carefully takes a step back and raises her hands in surrender “I’m not gonna hurt you, I swear. I-I just want to put her to rest where she would be safe and guarded.” Lisica turns and points to the weeping willow across the lake, “there she would be protected and safe. There under the weeping willow the souls are laid to rest. The willow stores the memories and love from their loved ones which keeps their spirits pure and safe. That’s where she must go.” Lisica turns back to the foxes and shows them a small smile “That is if you will help bring her to willow that is. I know it sounds crazy and everyone in my village thinks what I say is crazy, but I believe in the legends. For legends ring with truth you know.” The foxes stare at Lisica with amazement, they look at the woman then at each other and nod at one another, then finally back at Lisica nodding at her that they will help.

Lisica laughs nervously “okay, I’m totally just gonna go with the fact that six wild foxes nodded at me like they knew what I was saying. Lisica you’re totally not losing her mind in this freezing cold.” Lisica takes a deep breath lifting her foot to step forward when the sound of her father's voice shouting ‘LISICA!! LISCA!!’ rips through air startling her in fright, and making her lose her balance. “FATHER!!” Lisica’s body plunges through the ice of frozen lake, ‘LISICA!!’

Lisica's body floats slowly down the black icy water, as she struggles to reach for the opening in the ice. Lisica's body couldn't battle the cold anymore and started to succumb to the darkness, with final words she let out “Father, I’m sorry father.” Before her eyes fully closed and her last breath was taken Lisica sees a beautiful white light moving towards her. Engulfing her in warmth, so warm it was as if she was wrapped in the sun's soft rays.

“DEEP IN THE MOUNTAIN, WHERE LAND MEETS THE SKY

IS WHERE WINTER LAYS

DEEP IN THE MOUNTAIN, WHERE THE GUARDIANS ROAM

IS WHERE THE MOTHER CALLS HOMES

DEEP IN THE MOUNTAIN, WHERE THE WILLOW CRIES

IS WHERE THE MOTHER SAYS GOODBYE

DEEP IN THE VILLAGE DOWN BELOW, WHERE THE LIGHT GLOWS

IS WHERE THE NEW MOTHER SPIRIT LIES”