Then a day came when she felt a foreign presence as she crafted a hailstorm. A creature of flame had entered her land. It was a Phoenix, flying through the cold wind, even as it weakened with each icy breath along its wings. Rising to meet it she spoke,
'Turn back, you will die if you continue.'
Screeching defiance, the Phoenix fought on, even as the hail battered at its weary wings, striving to reach an unknown destination. The goddess turned away, for should the creature wish to continue, it would die through no fault but its own. She would not force it, nor take its choice away. It was not her place.
As the storm raged on, she guided its path, ensuring that her people did not suffer the brunt of the storm, and yet, her thoughts turned once again to the Phoenix. It had landed and had not moved, although its flames still burned strong. Curious, the goddess sought it out once more.
The Phoenix was near a snowdrift, covering something with its wings. As the goddess approached, she saw, it was another Phoenix! The other firebird was barely alive, its flames too weak to command the goddesses attention, and between them lay an egg, its flame as weak as the other Phoenixes.
As she neared, the defiant Phoenix screeched a cry, no, a plea.
Defiant one, I cannot aid you. My power is over the winter, of ice and snow, and you are a creature of fire. My touch will do more harm than good. Go home, your mate and child cannot be saved.
Still the Phoenix called to her, yet she could do nothing, and so she turned away after banishing the melted snow around them. It was all she could do. Three days the Phoenix called, the North Wind bringing his cries to her ears. Three days she replied in kind. On the fourth day, she realized she could no longer feel his flames. Returning to the snowdrift, she saw that he was near death, his flames no longer able to sustain his mate and child along with him. The snow had returned, the water from the melted snow sizzled around the three.
The Phoenix looked up at her approach, begging with his eyes for he no longer had the strength to call. The goddess was touched but still her reply remained.
My power is of ice and snow, I cannot aid you.
Yet, this time, she could not help reaching out to touch the brave bird, tears of ice falling from her eyes. Then a miracle happened, for where she touched, blue flames sprang, and where her tears fell, orange feathers turned to the white of snow. The flames spread to the egg and mate, catching them in the change and when she removed her hand, there stood two Phoenixes with flames as cold as ice. They were the first Ice Phoenixes
The goddess made these new Phoenixes her companions, giving them control over the winter storms, guiding their path when she wished to rest, teaching and watching her people. They are with her still, even now as their children spread across the tundra, aiding her in maintaining the balance of winter, reminding her of miracles beyond even the ken of gods.
A/N: This was going to be another Remy's adventure thing but I like this version better... Spoilers below is an alternate ending that I wrote and ended up... Well, I just didn't want it to end that way but please give me opinions on which you prefer?
Spoiler
Yet, this time, she could not help reaching out to touch the brave bird, tears of pity falling from her eyes as its flame gave out, and the three, mother, father and child, finally succumb to the bitter cold. In honor of his courage, the goddess crafted a flame made from the heart of winter. She wove into the flame, the memories of the great bird, and the flame took the shape of the Phoenixes, yet where red flame once laced, there was the blue flame of ice and cold and the orange body had become one of white snow.
The goddess made these new Phoenixes her companions, who controlled the winter storms, guiding their path when she wished to rest, teaching and watching her people, and always telling them of the brave Phoenix from whose memory they were born.
The goddess made these new Phoenixes her companions, who controlled the winter storms, guiding their path when she wished to rest, teaching and watching her people, and always telling them of the brave Phoenix from whose memory they were born.
