Modern Kristanna 2

Kristoff

"Here, Granite, take the pick and see if you can find another ledge." It was getting colder now, and Amethyst didn't anticipate such a storm. Cliff was still in the corner of the shallow cave, curled in a ball, shivering. As much as she hated him, she knew it her's and Granite's responsibility to get him home. Grand pabbie loved the man, and of course, Bulda did.

Amethyst couldn't understand how Bulda could put up with the terrible man. Bulda was so understanding and kind and funny while Cliff was an old, unfriendly and stingy geiser. Cliff always brightened around Bulda though, and would play with his son Igneous, around her, tell him stories. He didn't really seem to like Amethyst however, and kind of just, ignored her. Bulda made up for this, however, as she was Amethyst' mother.

Thus, why Cliff doesn't really act as a father to Amethyst. She was confortable with him, but she never thought of him as her dad. The only real father character to Amethyst was Grand pabbie, her grandfather. Amethyst had a lonley childhood up until she was about ten. Igneous wasn't born until Amethyst was fourteen. She loved him, and he loved her, but, he wasn't much of someone to talk to, and one could only have a conversation with your old mother and grandfather for so long, she needed someone her age. She was lonley... until Kristoff and Granite came.

Amethyst could remember it like it was yesterday. She was ten, almost eleven. It was the snowiest day she had ever had to sit through, Grand pabbie and Cliff had been working hard to patch up the roof and keep it from collapsing.

Amethyst was sitting, scared, shaking in her mothers arms, when Grand pabbie started to hollar. It wasn't a strong hollar, it was a desperate hollar for help. Bulda immediatly understood. She turned to Amethyst, putting her strong hands on the small girls shoulders. "Honey bear, you need to be brave okay? Don't go outside, just stay in here near the fire. I'll be back."

Amethyst had nodded, to scared to say anything. She looked after her mother, who was shoving on her boots and quickly wrapping a jacket about herself. Amethyst wanted to help, there had to be something she could do. She certaintly wasn't the person to just wait till her mother came back.

Her chance came soon when she suddenly heard a petrified wail. It wasn't from any of the adults, no, it sounded like a lost puppy, strayed from it's mother. But, this wasn't a puppy, this was a child. Amethyst jumped up so quickly she stumbled as she went to the cabin door. She threw on a jacket and a pair of mis-matched boots. She swung open the door, and the anticipated cold wind and snow hit her hard.

She breathed in the cold air that burned her lungs. She held her parka together with a tight, white-knuckled grip. She felt like she was going to freeze to death, and that coming out here was all for not, when she heard the wail again.

It was close, and it didn't take much more stumbling through the snow to find a small boy with a little furry puppy next to him. It turned out it was the puppy who had been wailing, and the child was trying to keep it's muzzle shut. Amethyst didn't exactly know what to do, she just stood there, until the kid finally looked up at her. He showed no emotion. "Are you... ok?" The wind had died down a bit, but Amethyst' hair still whipped in front of her face.

The kid looked up sharply. "Would you like to come to my home? Maybe warm up?" The kid looked down slowly, his eyes downcast, sad. His hands were still on the puppy, who had stopped wailing and was looking desperately at Amethyst. The kids hair was kind of generically blonde, unkempt, whipping in the wind. He certainly wasn't wearing proper clothes for the cold weather, with an obviously thin jacket and gloves that didn't cover the whole of his hand.

He finally looked back up at her, got up painfully, and half-mumbled an "okay." They skittered back to the cabin, and inside, Bulda was waiting for her. She looked angry, but her face softened to bewilderment at the young boy. Behind her, Cliff was leaning heavily on Grand pabbie. A make-shift bandage made out of Grand pabbie's scarf was wrapped right around Cliff's ankle.

"Who's this?" Bulda asked. It took Amethyst a moment to contemplate who the kid really was.

"Well, I don't know, I found him outside with his dog-"

"Wolf," the kid corrected her.

"Wolf. Anyway, they looked cold, so I invited him in, maybe to rest up, get some food and be on his way when the weather clears up."

"If, the weather clears up." Grand pabbie was almost never serious, but as Amethyst looked at his sharp dark eyes she knew he meant business. "The spirits are angry." Bulda looked over her shoulder at the old man, and nodded, turning back to Amethyst.

"He may stay as long as he wants Amethyst, but you must take care of him." Amethyst looked back at the kid.

"Kristoff," he said bluntly.