Autumn Of Ice

1

Land of Autumn

Bruna panted as she leaped over a moss-covered stump in the middle of the otherwise clear path in the Autumnlands forest. Padded footsteps stomped behind her, coming closer and closer. She turned sharply from the beaten path into the thickness of the woods, ducking and darting around branches until she came upon a large Everfall maple tree, with leaves the color of orange and gold that sparkled in the sun like gems as they fell to the ground. She tried to stop, but slid on the wet leaves underfoot and fell, spinning her longbow in one direction and her arrow in another.

Bruna sprang back up to her feet, retrieved her bow, and slung it over her shoulder. Grabbing onto a low-hanging branch, she hoisted herself up into the tree and climbed. Higher and higher she went until she was sure she was high enough to be hidden. 

The footsteps came to a stop. Bruna peered down through the leaves, but couldn’t see clearly from her position. A loud whistle sang out as the footsteps moved away. She waited.

When she was sure her pursuer was gone, she gingerly stepped one foot, then another, onto the lowest limb and jumped, landing softly on a heaping pile of leaves. She turned and darted back the way she came, but didn’t get very far. She collided with what felt like a boulder.

Bruna fell backward into the wet leaves as she squeezed her eyes shut and moaned. She opened her eyes to see a pair of large brown ones staring right at her. A warm wet tongue dragged across her face, bringing back what little sense she had left. She had run into Ember, their war fox. Even though he was still just a puppy, he was bigger than the biggest hound and as solid as iron, as her throbbing body well knew.

Roaring laughter echoed from behind as her older cousin Daxx hurried over to her.

Ember is as big as a horse. How could you not see him standing there? Daxx bent down, scooped her up in his broad arms, and stood her on her feet. Are you okay? He still had a grin on his handsome face and a twinkle in his almond-shaped ebony eyes.

I’m okay, I think, Bruna said as she pulled leaves and twigs out her long chestnut curls and noticeably filthy clothing. She still couldn’t figure out why Daxx insisted their official practice uniforms were to be all white.

Ember came to her and snuggled his large head on her chest as if asking the same question. She reached up and rubbed his red cottony fur.

I’m okay, Ember.

The war fox whimpered and licked her face again.

It’s okay, Ember, it’s not your fault your cousin Bruna is a klutz, Daxx said, rubbing Ember’s neck and snickering. It took very little to make Daxx laugh, so when something happened that he deemed funny, he could laugh about it all day long.

I almost got away from you this time. I’m getting faster.

You’re getting clumsier. His giggle was silly and infectious and could brighten even the darkest of moods.

Bruna and Daxx had gotten up early to practice their archery before breakfast, as they did most days. Although they would start out practicing, it would always turn into a game of ‘hide and seek,’ or ‘catch me if you can.’ It was the thing she enjoyed most about her days. At least for a little while, she could forget about her troubles.

I think we should practice twice a day from now on, Bruna said.

Daxx nodded. The academy tryouts are in a few weeks. There’s no way we won’t make it in if we practice all we can.

Bruna’s sadness came rushing back as she remembered her first attempt at tryouts. She and her sister Rayna had tried out for the Autumnlands Royal Academy of Archery together only a few months before. Rayna made the team, but Bruna didn’t. How could she have failed? She came from a long line of generational archers, and archery should be in her blood. She’d completely tarnished her family’s name, and worst of all, she’d had to say goodbye to Rayna.

You’ll get in this time, Daxx said, as if understanding what his innocent comment had done to her mood. Just believe you’re good enough, and you will be. And besides, you have me to help you now, and you know I’m the very best at everything. He brushed his hand through his short straight black hair and winked.

Bruna smiled. How could she not? Daxx had been so kind to her since the day she came to live with him and her aunt. He went out of his way to teach her techniques with the longbow he’d learned from his travels throughout the Autumnlands. He was the best person she knew, and he had become her best friend.

THE PATH THROUGH THE forest stopped at the tree line, which opened into a flower garden maze. The red and yellow roses grew on tall copper trellises that had tarnished to green in most places. The scent of the flowers enveloped them as dozens of orange and black monarch butterflies fluttered around, landing on delicate petals to drink up their sweet nectar.

In the center of the maze stood a grand red leaf Everfall maple tree shimmering with morning dew like it was made of stained glass. The continuously falling leaves glistened in the morning sun, appearing like fire raining down from heaven. No matter which way one walked through the maze, they would have to pass underneath the tree and get showered with its ever-falling foliage.

Near the tree stood the old groundskeeper Ben, who gave them a nod as he raked the leaves into a tattered rusty wheelbarrow. This particular Everfall maple was so big and healthy, it would shed leaves and grow them back all within the same day. It had to be the biggest, most beautiful tree in all the Autumnlands, maybe even in all the Four Lands.

Let’s stop under the tree for a little while. We can work on our dance, Bruna said.

Bruna held out her hands to Daxx, but all he did was shake his head. She couldn’t understand why he was so reluctant for her to teach him how to waltz. She was a natural at it, as he well knew from all the evenings she and Aunt Marla would dance around the house with one another, attempting to show him how it’s done.

Your sixteenth birthday ball is in a few weeks. You’ll be expected to lead the first dance. Do you want to look like a lame bull clip-clopping around the dance floor?

Daxx frowned at her but finally took her by the hand and they began to dance.

And ... one, two, three ... two, two, three ... Now spin me around.

Daxx was doing so much better. She felt as light as a feather in his arms. He was going to be the talk of all the young ladies in town. No doubt they would be happy to finally see him again. He spent most of his days running around in the woods with Bruna instead of socializing like other teenagers his age.

Come on, Ember, let’s see what you got! Bruna shouted over her shoulder at the fox sitting under the tree, watching with his head slightly tilted.

Ember stood and began walking in a circle, slowly chasing his white-tipped tail. He always somehow understood exactly what was being said to him, and Bruna loved that about him.

Great job! We’re going to make you the special guest of the ball.

Ember gave her a loud yelp in response.

Daxx giggled. He took Bruna by the hands and they spun each other around and around. Ember even sped up his tail-chasing and howled with glee.

They finally stopped spinning and plopped down on the ground from dizziness. Ember lay beside Bruna and put his head in her lap and looked at her with soft eyes. She rubbed his long snout and assured him she was okay. Bruna could tell Ember still felt bad about their earlier collision. He was such a sweet and gentle kit.

How much bigger do you think Ember will grow? Bruna asked. She still couldn’t believe how much bigger he had gotten in just a few months.

I’m not sure. I’ve never seen a grownup war fox before. He was so tiny when I found him, I thought he was just a regular autumn red fox.

Bruna couldn’t imagine Ember ever being tiny considering how huge he was now. His existence wasn’t supposed to be possible at all. Everyone thought war foxes had gone extinct a thousand years ago, after the great war of the Four Lands. How did he show up in the Autumnlands forest all alone? Daxx never seemed to wonder about it the way she did. 

Daxx reached over and ruffled the thick fur on the fox’s head, and spoke to him in a baby voice as if he were talking to a small kitten. Ember whimpered in response and snuggled himself even closer to Bruna.

Soon he’ll be big enough for you to ride like they did in the great war, Bruna said.

Just thinking about it excited Bruna. She imagined Ember running full speed through the autumn woods with Daxx straddling his back, holding on tightly with one hand and a bow and arrow in the other hand. What a sight that would be!

I don’t think they get that big anymore, if they ever did. It was probably just a tale someone made up. Daxx crossed his arms. I mean, think about it. Who knows what really happened thousands of years ago?

Yet there Ember was, a relic of a fantastic time, long ago. If the history books were right about war foxes existing, then they were probably right about them being ridden into battle.

Bruna shrugged. Normally, she would state her opinion about the matter, which would cause them to have a wonderful debate about who was right and who was wrong. Daxx was one of the smartest, most spirited conversationalists she had ever known besides her father, and she rarely passed up an opportunity to go a few mental rounds with him, but she decided not to. She tried to convince herself that it was the dizzying spin that took away her spunk that morning, but deep down inside, she knew it was because of her troubling memories of failure.

Bruna sat and listened to Daxx chat away for a while as she watched the leaves float to the ground all around them. Soon, hunger overtook the conversation, so they finished walking the maze. 

2

Dream Lover

Bruna and Daxx finally reached the sprawling red-brick mansion. The front of the three-story house had so many arched windows that it appeared more glass than brick. Ember ran ahead and scratched at the ornate double cherry wood doors, which were opened right away by the head housekeeper dressed in all black with her ratty brown hair pulled up in a tight bun. She quickly greeted Daxx and Ember before scurrying off down the hall. Good riddance. Bruna never liked her very much. She would always order Bruna around and talk down to her. That was until Aunt Marla overheard her one day and threatened to throw her out in the streets if she ever spoke that way to her again. Now, whenever she saw Bruna, she would just give her a dirty look and leave the area as quickly as possible.

The morning sun spilled through the great windows, making the already bright yellow foyer even brighter. They set their bows and quivers down in a large pine box by the door that had been put there specifically for their archery gear. Aunt Marla got tired of seeing them lying around in random places throughout the house, so she had it built with the name Maple Leaf Archery engraved on the side of it.

Bruna brushed the front of her pants off again so as to not track dirt all the way to her room. She looked up at Daxx, waiting for him to say another sly remark about her earlier mishap, but he was far too busy plucking maple leaves from Ember’s thick fur.

Bruna turned and scampered across the polished white marble floor to the broad redwood staircase. She sat on the bottom step and unlaced her muddy shoes as she stared up at a beautiful painting of the golden sands and emerald waters that could only be found in the Summerlands.

How wonderful it would be to live in eternal summer. She most likely would have been born into a generational sword-wielding family like most of the well-named Summerlands folks. Perhaps she would have been a world-renowned swordsman, traveling throughout the Four Lands just to show off her skill. Her father would have been so proud of her.

But Bruna wasn’t a world-renowned swordsman, and her father was anything but proud. All she’d managed to do was disappoint everyone and tarnish her family's perfect record at the Autumnlands Academy. Her father, not being able to stand the embarrassment, had shipped her off to live with his younger sister as soon as Rayna left to live at the academy.

Tears stung her eyes and then fell, creating a pathway of shattered dreams down her face as she climbed the stairs to her room. Don’t cry! Just work harder and make it into the academy and that will solve everything. And with that thought, she wiped her nose with the back of her hand, straightened her posture, and picked up her pace, feeling a new determination to be strong.

She arrived at her room in half the usual time and stopped short upon opening her door.

There, lounging on her tousled pink bedding, flipping through a book, was Amber, the curly redheaded girl who lived in the nearest house to Maple Leaf Manor, which wasn’t very near at all.

Amber looked up, tossed the book aside, and jumped to her feet. She threw her arms out in front of her and tipped-tapped across the hardwood floor to Bruna, her long green satin dress swishing back and forth. She flung her arms around Bruna and gave her a tight squeeze.

Oh, Bruna, I’m so glad you’re here! I’ve been waiting for you half the day, Amber said in a flustered voice. She always spoke as if every word out of her mouth was of the utmost importance, even though nothing she ever said was really important at all. I have something important to tell you! She released her tight grip and backed away a little, searching Bruna’s face. Why are you crying?

I’m just a little homesick. Bruna didn’t want to tell Amber the real reason she was so sad. It was just too shameful. She wiped her face again, feeling ashamed that someone had seen her crying. She hid her tears from everyone, as she was convinced they made her look even weaker than she felt.

I’ll tell you a little secret my mother told me when we first moved here from the Springlands, Amber said, then took a deep breath. As long as you have self-love, you’ll always be with someone who loves you.

Bruna rarely knew what Amber was talking about, and this time was no different.

What does that mean?

I have no idea, Amber said as she scrunched up her pretty, heart-shaped face.

Bruna shook her head and giggled.

See! It helped already. Amber smiled, then sashayed over to the bed and plopped back down.

Bruna went and sat down beside Amber. Perhaps it wasn’t so bad that she’d showed up unannounced so early in the morning. She did, somehow, make Bruna feel a bit better. What did you have to tell me?

I’ve discovered something wonderful, yet terrifying! Amber said, revving up her dramatics once again.

"Wonderful, yet terrifying?"

Exactly! Amber said, widening her eyes and nodding, as if Bruna repeating what she’d said was a declaration of understanding. I had a dream last night that showed me something utterly astonishing.

What kind of dream? What did it show you? Bruna became intrigued.

It was a dream that showed me where I am to find true happiness. It showed me my very future! But I don’t know what I should do about it. Amber jumped up from the bed and paced the floor, all the while wringing her hands.

If the dream showed you being happy, where does the terrifying part come in? Bruna asked as calmly as she could, trying hard not to get caught up in Amber’s high-strung theatrics.

Amber finally stopped pacing and sat back down, taking Bruna’s hand. The thing I have to tell you is ... is ...

Amber sighed, stood up, and walked over to the window to stare out of it longingly as if waiting for a lover to return.

Bruna sighed and went to her closet, taking out a blue dress to change into. She decided to give Amber the time she needed to explain whatever nonsense she had concocted in her head. The girl acted more and more ridiculous every time she came around.

Amber whirled around with her fists clutched to her bosom.

I’m in love with Daxx! she shrieked.

Bruna stood staring with her mouth agape. Nothing could have prepared her for those words coming out of Amber’s mouth.

Daxx didn’t like Amber. She always seemed to grate on his nerves with her over-the-top ways.