The cold black water tugged them away. Mariel grasped wildly at the torrents to steady herself only to spin and be tossed in the river. Blue paddled past her with ease keeping his nose above water. The gray wolf lapped at the water with fervor making his way over to the all-unhappy cougar growling by her mate, Kai. Mariel slapped at Blue and heard Varren protest before her motion spun her to the unhappy face of her mother. Koda blasted past with reluctant Gunther at his heels.

“I mean it Mariel,” her mother coughed up water, “if, anything, happens,”

“Mom, save your energy and concentrate on swimming or you will drown yourself. Gunter will watch Koda.” Mariel swam harder to put distance between her and her mother.

“He is your father you should not call him that.” Blythe spat before more water rushed into her mouth. She slapped at the water and pulled herself high enough to spit it out.

“I mean it mom, be careful.”

“Get back here.” Kai pulled sweetie back. The cat growled a warning and paddled harder for the shore. Kai took a swing on Blue, and the wolf retreated back. “Varren, will you keep your mutt back.”

“He is as pure as the Viv.” Varren replied. “Get over here Blue.” Mariel watched as the wolf went back to Varren. She heard a mischievous chuckle from Varren, and he whispered to Blue. She looked up at the star filled night wishing Bright-eyes would appear above. Digger the panicking Badger swam past next. His eyes were so wide she could see the whites inside his little black mask.

“Wasn’t that the fork in the river?” Kai yelled over the rushing water.

Mariel searched the darkness and saw the willow tree that the river split around. “We have to paddle for the bank and cross to the other side of the island.” Mariel swam for the peninsula that the river split around.

“We are going too fast.” Her mother protested.

The rushing water pushed them further into the center. Mariel struggled against it to no avail. Debris began to fill in around them and smack into them in the wild current. Mariel heard her mother begin to descend into a furious rant. Sweetie sprang from the water with roar. Varren smashed into Mariel and grabbed a log to steady himself. “Grab on.” He said. Mariel took his hand, and he tugged her to the log. She pulled herself higher in the water and looked across to see Gunter had placed Koda up on a floating trunk.

“Fine stupid cat. Just keep up.” Kai called back to Sweetie. He swam over to help Mariel’s mom who had tangled up in floating vines.

“We have to get to the bank. We are going the wrong way.” Mariel shouted to whoever could hear her.

“The river is too high,” Varren responded, “It is going too fast. We have to wait until we get into the Aurai Plains.”

“We are going down the wrong side of the mountain.” Mariel shook her head. “We are going to end up beyond the Parched Plateau.”

Varren looked down river and she saw the fear sink in. “Swim for the bank.” He shouted to everyone. He pushed away from the log sending Mariel into a spin. Mariel shoved off the log and began to swim after him, but she was not fast enough to get out of the spin before the log came back around and slapped her in the back of the head. Her vision went black, and sprinkles of light danced before her eyes. She felt herself slip below the surface of the water and felt a hand wrap around hers. Varren had turned back and grabbed her. She tried to kick to help pull herself back to the surface, but she was still weak from the blow. He pulled hard at her wrist, and she broke through the surface with a gasp. She wiped her face and turned to thank Varren to find herself face to face with Kai. She blushed being so close she could feel his breath. “Sorry.” She said then chided herself, sorry? “I mean thank you.”

“Varren.” Kai yelled toward the bank. “You nearly drown Mariel, you fool.” He turned back to her, and she pushed her vines back over the back of her head off her face. She stared at the single short vine that lay across his brow and considered pushing it aside with her finger, but her heart raced at the thought of it. “Are you alright?” He studied her. “You look a little pale.”

“I’m fine.” Mariel said softly breaking his hypnotic gaze. She glared over at Varren who was clawing at the bank and beginning to pull himself from the raging river. Sweetie rushed over and swatted his hand with her claw before hissing at Blue. Varren tumbled back into the water with a curse and come back up, holding his bleeding hand.

“Your cat scratched me.” Varren yelled at Kai.

Sweetie batted at Blue a few times and the wolf retreated back from the bank as well.

“Serves you well.” Kai laughed.

“We have to get to the bank.” Mariel screamed again.

“It’s too late.” Gunter yelled back to her. He pointed at the pine trees. “We would have to cross the ravines.”

Mariel watched as the pine tree rushed past them. She gritted her teeth wishing her father wasn’t right. Tempted to cross them anyway in spite of him. It might be a good place to lose him. She thought. Before he finds out. She wondered how eager he would be to turn her in now. If he knew. She pulled the leather bag tighter to her body and reached down to feel the stone through the leather.

Everything went black. The sound of the rushing river stopped. The shouting stopped. The smell of wet animals disappeared. She was standing alone. Silence engulfed her and she found herself standing in a.. nothing. There was no ground. No sky. No trees or river. Just darkness. Yet she stood. A man stood before her. A man with a black hat. He had long vines hanging out from the hat. He was Viv. He walked toward her, and his long black coat pulled to the side from a breeze unfelt. His feet made no sound as he walked. She searched his shadow covered face for his eyes. He stopped before her. “Where are you taking my stone.” His voice was like cracking rocks. She sucked in a breath startled. He didn’t move, he just stared at her, waiting.

“I am taking it to the Aurai, to bargain.”

“What bargain.” He croaked and she searched his face for the movement of his jaw.

“To ask them not to carry out the command of HaShem.” She stammered. “I want to ask them not to bring the snow.” She waited counting her heart beats for him to speak again, steeling her nerves for the terrifying sound of his voice. He looked upward as if he were pondering her response.

“You do not trust the words of HaShem?” He asked after a long pause. “You will not destroy the stone?”

“The stone is our whole life.” Mariel said. “I will not lose it I will get it back from the Aurai when the spring comes if I have to steal it myself. Have mercy on me.” She knelt in the nothingness.

The dark man turned his back to her. “Do as you will then.” He walked off silent as he came in. She watched after him until the darkness had completely swallowed him up. Would he be angry with the Viv?

She woke up on her back in the sand coughing up water. The warm sun was in her eyes, and she could hear her mother fretting off to her right. “Are you alright?” Varren asked. She blinked and held her hand up to cover the sun so she could see Varren and Kai squatted over her.

“Look Blythe.” Gunter spoke to his wife in his low grunts. He always reminded Mariel of a bear when he spoke and when he was angry with her. “She is fine.”

“Look what I found.” Koda exclaimed. “It’s so shiny ma, look it.”

“Not now.” Blythe answered. “Mariel what has gotten into you.” Gunter grunted. “What on Lumiterra could possess you to jump into a dark river in the middle of the night. Do you know how far we are from our home now?”

Mariel rolled over with a moan. “Your home ma, I’m banished remember.”

“The chief was just upset with you Mariel. You have been so much trouble this past few summers and you were mumbling about HaShem. You had a fever you know. We thought you were truly sick. We had to take you to him.” Blythe carried on rubbing her knuckles.

“It’s so neat dad, look it.” Koda said. Gunter grunted again and tried to soothe his wife by soft strokes of her arms as he stood behind her.

Yea turn me into the chief dad. Mariel thought with disgust. She struggled to her feet. She patted her side for the stone. It was gone.

“Daad.” Koda whined. “Look.”

Mariel and Gunter turned and looked at the same time. There lay Mariel’s leather sack open on the bank. The stone of worship lay in the sand. Mariel held her breath.

“Mariel.” Gunter dropped his voice to the scolding tone she knew so well from youth. “What is this?”

Blythe stopped rattling on. Varren and Kai stood looking as guilty as thieves on either side of Mariel.

“Isn’t it neat dad.” Koda pointed at it.

Blue howled behind her, and she knew he had Sweetie up a tree again. Kai didn’t even flinch. He stood barely breathing looking at Gunter.

“What did you do Mariel?” Gunter growled.

“Oh my.” Blythe covered her mouth.

“Did you touch it.” Gunter demanded. “Did any of you touch it?” His jaw muscles began to twitch and the vines on his head stood up. “Talk!”

Mariel shivered. Varren shook his head. “No sir.” Kai spoke. He looked over at Mariel. “She used the sack to pick it up.”

“What are you doing with it?” Gunter leveled his eyes at Mariel.

Mariel swallowed hard. “I have to trade it, for time. HaShem said he is bringing a terrible snow to the Viv. I have to get to the Aurai to stop it. I need the stone.”

“You are not going to the Aurai with that stone, Mariel.” He tone was as firm and final as she had ever heard.

Her heart sank in her chest as he reached down and grabbed the stone with the leather sack. He let the stone fall back into the pouch and tied the flap back down over it. He always does this. She clenched her teeth. So loyal to the chief even over his own daughter. He would see her burned as a sacrifice before he would listen to her. Her breath came in hot short pants in her chest. He never defends me. Coward. He can’t even stand up for me against ma. Her upper lip curled up in a snarl. “I have to take the stone to the Aurai. Gunter.” She glared at him and stomped her foot.

He stomped over until he was standing over her. “I forbid it.” He growled so low only she heard it. They scowled at one another for several breaths. Kai and Varren crept back from them quiet as mice. “We are taking this stone back to the chief and we will beg him to have mercy on you. Perhaps you can live at the base of the mountain. Right here beside the Parched Plateau.” He said with neither one of them breaking eye contact. Then he pushed past her and began to walk up the mountain.

“I have never seen him that angry.” Varren whispered as they began walking again.

“That was a crazy idea.” Kai whispered. “What were you thinking. The Aurai?”

“It’s not over.” Mariel whispered back.

“Your dad found the stone.” Varren pointed as if she didn’t notice the leather pack in her father’s fist. “Your plan won’t work without the stone.”

“I stole it once.” Mariel looked from Varren to Kai. She clenched her teeth and watched the pouch as her father walked ahead of her. “Be ready.”