text: [Themes: family friendly]
  
  You had a depressing feeling that simply kept getting stronger. It was hard to just leave your 9 year old sister go alone, so you decided that for now you'll secretly follow her. Knowing that leaving the village without permission and going to help your sister under punishment is against the rules, you still couldn't remain silently sitting. Quickly you pack some extra clothes, dry foods, water, thick sleepbag, fire starter, and two daggers. Dressed in your warmest animal skin jacket, boots, and gloves; you trace Moonlight's steps. It wasn't snowing, so her boot prints were as clear as day. After a good long jog, you sister is finally in your view. She was setting her camp as the night was creeping closer.
  
  Wrapped in your cozy and thick sleepbag, you watched as Moonlight went into her tent after lighting a small fire. Behind a close by tree, you go to sleep with relief calming your heart. The next day began for you at the break of dawn. Even though the sun had just began rising into the darkish blue sky, sitting up you Moonlight was already packed up and about to head out. As fast as you can you try to get out of your sleepbag, but then you fall face forward into the freezing cold snow covering the land. To your surprise, your legs did not move. They were numb from cold. You hadn't made a fire because of the fear of being discovered, however, that proved to be a big mistake. Now you sister will travel further, and you'll lose her track before being able to move again. Suddenly a roar of a wild beast fills you ears. In a fluster you push yourself up with your arms only to see Silky change her expression from an angry beast ready to pounce, to that of a calm animal. She recognized you.
  
  "Who knew that you'd follow me," laughed Moonlight in delight.
  
  "Of course I did! I'm your older sibling, and I care about you," you nervously reply.
  
  "Why are you laid there on the ground, half in the sleepbag?"
  
  "Well, my legs are numb due to the cold. I also didn't light a warm fire last night," was your honest answer.
  
  "Alright then, let me help you. I have a menti leafs ointment that can warm your legs up if I apply it to your toes," said Moonlight while taking out an ointment from her pack.
  
  Though the morning crisp air blew around you bare toes at first, it soon had no effect. After your sister put some ointment on your toes, both your legs brimmed with heat. You felt as though your leg muscles and bones within began burning. A sensation that lasted for five minutes felt like ten instead. Putting your socks back on, you wondered how Moonlight plans to find a Barrier Stone.
  
  "So where exactly are we heading next, Moonlight?"
  
  "I'm planning to go to the Ancient Lake!" she answers with enthusiasm.
  
  "The Ancient Lake? Isn't that from our villages old fantasy books?" you ask with confusion.
  
  "Oh, you know? Well those fantasies written in some of our old books are the only clues I have available," she replies.
  
  "If we reach the Ancient Lake and don't find the legendary wish granter, don't be too disappointed little sister,"
  
  "No worries. If we don't start somewhere, we'll never get anywhere!"
  
  You siblings continue heading up the mountain in search of the Ancient Lake. It is written in an old book that the Ancient Lake lies on the biggest mountain, shimmering like many jewels. There're guardians that guard the wish granter too. After 5 days of travel up the mountain cloaked in snow and spotted with trees, it seemed that the ;and stopped slopping upward. It was midday, and up ahead seemed like an open area where the trees are not dense anymore. Gleaming with joy, Moonlight runs ahead along with Silky into that opening. It wasn't too long till you caught up with them, but what awaited you indescribable! It was a frozen lake as huge as the sea. Silver white and glimmering like a field of gems under the sunlight. It was all surrounded by a circular mountain range acting a natural barrier. The view before you was spectacular like no other you've seen in your life. Exactly across of the lake in front of you is what seems like a pile of brown stones. Your little sister also takes notice of those. Despite it being the Winter Continent, there are rocks not covered by snow. Thinking that some barrier and Barrier Stones exist around the brown snowless stones, you siblings decided to walk around the frozen lake to get them. Barely halfway to those stones you both stop in your tracks. The Fanged Wolves howls began echoing around. In mere seconds you were all running away from a full horde of Fanged Wolves. Moonlight tripped on a tree root slightly above the ground. Though a Fanged Wolf jumped on her, she was able to take out 2 of her knives and use them to fend off his mouth. You run back and kick the wolf off your sister. Quickly pulling her up as Silky fends off the near by wolves, you then continued running until the Fanged Wolves chased you no more. As night was nearing, and you were all out of breath; you decided to set camp where you were. A place surrounded by many trees as coverage.
  
  After the fire and tent were set, you tended to Silky's injuries from the chance. Moonlight looked a little out of it. Even though you received no injuries, both Silky And Moonlight were full of scratches. Without warning Moonlight collapsed! You call to her, without use. She doesn't answer or open her eyes. That's when you notice a remarkable red trail behind Moonlight. Both her arms had big scratches, bleeding. Panic takes over mind. You wonder if some bad bacteria got into the injury.
  
  > find nearest town for a doctor
  It would be really bad if some harmful bacteria entered your sisters blood from the unclean claws of Fanged Wolves. Especially since there are big scratches on her arms. The best option is to get a doctor from the nearest town. However, the nearest town (Market Town) is 4 and a half days walk. A brilliant idea just came to you! You thought that making a long sled will help get you to the town faster since your already above a sloping mountain. Then you broke off a couple long branches from near by trees. Removing excess parts of the branches with your dagger, then tying about 6 of them together with a rope; you made a simple sled. With your bag on your back, you held both Moonlight (who was wrapped in a blanket) and her bag between your arms. Next, you gave Silky the guiding rope for the sled and she was able to pull you both. Knowing where she came from, your younger sister's wild cat ran at full speed. It's fascinating how animals understand such situations of emergency. However, now with one arm tightly holding Moonlight, the other arm was barely able to keep hold of the sled. Silky was very, fast. Too fast in fact! The cold wind embedded with snowflakes was smacking strongly against your scarf covered face.
  
  Fortunately you reached Market Town within 2 days. Despite the wild cat being exhausted from her endless run, she followed you as you carried Moonlight looking for a doctor's pharmacy. Not long after you began searching did you find a pharmacy. Flustered you took your little sister inside asking for a doctor to tend her. A white bearded man came through a door behind the counter that was in front of you. As he was checking your sister's pulse and severity of her scratches, you told him the story of being chased by the Fanged Wolves while traveling the mountain. He then replied to you by saying your little sister is barely alive now. Then he went to get some medicine for the scratches. You felt a tug on your sleeve, and look to see Moonlight's eyes barely open.
  
  "Please help find another Barrier Stone. Our village will have no protection when the storm season comes," speaks Moonlight with weak voice. "Also, sorry to have been a burden to you, sorry. Please find happiness..."
  
  Tears well up in your eyes,"Don't say that Moonlight. You were my precious family!"
  
  As hot tears stream down your winter cold cheeks, Moonlight passes away. Her injury was open for too long, it was too late to have her treated now after 2 days.
  
  You never went back to that frozen lake. It was where your empty misery began after all. Staying in Market Town, you searched for rumors about Barrier Stones. You were met with no luck. Then you decided to start working a precious stones merchant, where you would have more luck hearing anything about Barrier Stones. A month and half later, some shocking news came to your ears. The Snowy Village was hit with a strong ice blizzard. Since their full barrier was incomplete, they made a smaller one to protect as much as they can. However, in return, half the village was ruined under the ice blizzard. You felt sad and hopeless after hearing those news. Even though you never went back to your village, you kept living on. You stayed a precious stone merchant for the rest of your life, but never got your hands on a Barrier Stone. It's very rare, after all. Once a decision was made, you cannot go back in time.