Icemaiden Druid (Northern Alliance)

The Icemaiden brought the little girl outside. It was freezing cold, but she knew the 9-year-old pupil would be up to the test. She made her march outside towards the mountains. The wind kept on punishing the both of them with cold penetrating their lungs like nails. They arrived in front of a small cave and the girl was ordered to stop.

"What are we doing here?", she asked in a tired manner. "I'm cold and hungry."

"This land isn't fit for those that feel cold," responded the elder sister without bothering to look at her, "nor does it have any sympathy for those who cannot provide for themselves."

"But you told me you are going to show me something!"

"Indeed," responded the Icemaiden. "Inside the cave is a wolf I tracked down. I want you to deal with it!", and by saying that she took out her horn and blew it.

The 9-year-old was paralyzed and was at the edge of tears, when she received a slap across her face.

"Remember what you have been tought! You are on your own." The Icemaiden pushed her forward while she distanced herself, always blowing at the horn. "You better hope the wolf comes out otherwise I might have to kick you inside the cave instead!"

And so the wolf did appear from the entrance extremely aggresive, saw the girl and charged the little intruder immediately. The 9-year-old raised her hand instictively and a huge arm was formed from the snow between them, pushing the wolf aside. She mumbled mystic words she had been tought from the Lore of Ice and icicles sprung out of the ground at an amazing speed. The Icemaiden was waiting for the little girl to defend herself and kill the animal but to her surprise the pupil was calmly guiding the icicle formation into what seemed to be a cage. Little by little, the wolf got captured.

"Why didn't you kill it?", asked the Icemaiden.

"That's because the wolf has 3 cubs inside the cave," answered the gifted girl, "I know because I can sense it from her." And she pointed at the animal who had now stopped fighting to get out and was looking at her with -what seemed to be- respect! The girl mumbled words the Icemaiden had not heard before and she couldn't imagine where the youngster had heard them from. To top her surprise, the 9-year-old dissolved all the icicles back into water with a small gest. The wolf was free. It slowly came close to her, encircled her with gratitude and made her way back to her cubs.  

"The day you become stronger my small Druid," thought the Icemaiden, "will be a sad day for the enemies of the Northern Alliance. A very sad day indeed..."

Shieldmaiden Cronicles from the Books of the Ice City.