Submission (#5541) Approved

Mio was almost asleep, laying on a blanket near the fireplace. It was evening and the sun was setting, filling the room with vibrant golden colors. He could hear Cinder and Shimmer  trying to get the kittoms together to get them to sleep.
Not an easy task.
The furry little beans were all still hyped from the snowball fight they had in the afternoon and the big dinner half an hour ago - no one thought about going to sleep.

“A story!” “Story!” “We wanna hear a story!” “Please-!” “About Strynhalde!” “Yeah yeah!” “A spooky story!” “A cool one!” “With a princess!” “AND A DRAGON!”
Dozens of little voices blended into a chattering mess, and he could hear footsteps that came running towards him.
//Oh no…-// And suddenly Mio was buried under a pile of kittoms.

“Mio!” “Big Brother!" “We’re gonna hear a story!”
“We’re not brothers.”
“MIOOO!” “Story time, story time, story time!” “Let’s goooo!”

His protest was buried just like he was - no one could stop the force that was a bunch of excited kittoms.
“Ughhhhhh…” He groaned and stuffed his face into a pillow, while he could feel the kittoms jumping around on him and Cinder coming closer, settling near him and getting ready to tell a story. The soft laughter of the older adult filled the room, and Cinder gently called the kittoms to get them to settle down a little bit.

“Alright now, small ones… listen. Listen closely and remember, whatever you may hear today, you are safe … This is the story about a mighty ice dragon, who lived in Strynhalde many many centuries ago, back when the Eldertrees were still little seedlings.. that’s how long it has been… And yet, the landscape of Strynhalde has barely changed. Let me settle the scenery for you little ones, who have never been outside of Iorumund.”

Cinders voice became serene, and as the kittoms settled, it was filling the room entirely. The soft sounds of the fire and wood crackling in the fireplace accompanied his story of long forgotten wonders. He began telling them about a young hero, who was set out to meet the icy dragon who was living on top of the giant mountains.

“... In the frozen winter landscape, a breathtaking scene unfolded in front of our hero, painting a picture of beauty and eternal stillness. The land was cloaked in a pristine blanket of glistening white snow, creating a soft and untouched canvas as far as the eye could see. The forest stood tall and majestic, its towering white trees laden with heavy layers of snow. Each branch and  leaf was delicately adorned with a frosty embrace, transforming the forest into a deadly fairy tale.The snow-laden boughs bent under their weight, occasionally releasing a gentle flurry as the snow cascaded downward. The forest hushed, the silence broken only by the occasional creak of branches and the muffled sound of our heros footsteps. The snow-covered ground stretched out in undulating waves, a vast expanse of untouched purity. Each footstep left behind a deep impression, disturbing the smoothness of the snow.

As our hero ventured further, they came across a frozen lake, its surface like a vast mirror, reflecting the wintry sky above. The lake was frozen solid, like everything else..., its shimmering ice stretching to the distant horizon. Along its edges, delicate patterns of frost weaved intricate designs. It reminded the hero of their childhood, when they went ice fishing with their parents near their village. But those days were long gone...

A chilling breeze whispers through the landscape, carrying icy winds. The air was crisp and sharp, invigorating the senses and reminding all who witnessed it of the raw power of winter's embrace. The wind swept across the frozen lake, creating a haunting melody as it howled through the icy reeds and rushes.
Our hero wondered… and waited - was it just the wind they heard? Or was there something more? Something… that would disguise itself as wind? They searched the sky, looking for a silhouette of something… bigger.

Sunlight filtered through the overcast sky, casting a pale, diffused glow over the winter wonderland. The soft light danced off the snowflakes, creating a mesmerizing sparkle that seemed to breathe life into the frozen landscape. The world appeared suspended in time, frozen in a moment of tranquil beauty.”

And as Cinder kept describing the frozen world outside, Mio noticed he was getting more relaxed and eventually he dozed off, before he could hear the end of the story. But he dreamt of a hero, exploring the icy vast lands of Strynhalde and eventually finding the majestic ice dragon.