Chapter 17 White-feathers: Snow:

Act 1: Kind hermit:

I felt comfort as a body pressed on my bare chest and a fire warmed the air I breathed, I felt around I was covered in a soft blanket. I opened my eyes and saw.

"Good morning, it's good your awake boy." a girl said, her head laid on my chest, as she looked me in my eyes, I saw small white feathers on the ends of her eyes.

I stood up from the bed as she slid to my lap, sitting on it. "Oh? your already strong enough to sit." She said curious as she stood up, she was only wearing a robe of white feathers, her body very human, her boobs bounced as she walked, both with no nipples.

As they where covered in white thick feathers, her whole human like body was the same, except for her neck, head, hands, feet. she was humming as she moved. I looked down and saw my rod was out I as kept it ever since I left the Fanged-ale clan. 

"Thank you kind swan." I told her as I already know of her ancestral spirit animal or in other words the earth animal analog her ancestors might have descended from.

"How polite! but don't be too thankful, I took you out from the snow cause I didn't want the forest to catch on fire." She talked as she fixed me a bowl of stew from the cauldron of clay, above the Embering fire of a hearth.

I tried standing up but, I felt the weight of my body forcing me to sit. "Your not strong enough to stand? here it might help you get back your strength." I took the stew from her, and saw it was brown thick stew with chunks of fish meat, red barriers and shredded green kelp.

I took seep of the soup and it was good, the tase of fish was prominent definitely fatty, the salt of the meat was tamed, probably caught in river. the vegetables balance the oiliness giving it a sweet aftertaste.

"This is good. . . My name's Abyss, kind one." I spoke to her, more in her mind than in her language, like every other race I have met. "And you can call me Swandra, as you noticed I'm from the White-feather people." She said as she showed me a rune tattoo on her shoulder hidden by her cloak.

It was a simplified curled feather much like the tattoos of those who worship Raptori, but unlike the riders and carters symbol her her tattoos feathers where curled and not designed to look like the tail feathers of the raptors. 

"I must admit my trade talk had rusted over the years because of it's unuse, but I'm relieved you can speak my language." She said looking at my trade-run tattoo on my left breast.

And then she looked at my others runes etched by the riders, using there gods magic, as I was among them as they told me that if I want to look and be more like a mortal, I should atleast have the tattoos of the runes I'm able to call upon.

"Impressive, I must admit, never had I seen one that took in more than one patron. there where legends told by the elders that talk about heroes that was guided by multiple gods, excepting there blessings, but I thoughts those where nothing but legends." She stopped and waited for me to speak, as she ate and drank her own stew.

"Your right I am kind of like those heroes, but mainly I'm a trader and traveler, Kind Swandra." I told her as finished my stew, she took the bowl from me and filled it up again.

"Tell me Swandra am I in your village? If I can ask or hire some of your people, to move my trade-wagon, I don't want it stolen." she looked at me oddly, as she passed me another round of steaming stew.

"You mean that small wooden house on wheels? don't worry about it, I hid it near my home, and no were not in my clan's settlement, but we are at the outskirt of my people's clan-land." Why would she live here then? is she a guard? like those who woman's the watch towers in the Honey-rose clan? 

"You look puzzled? does your people not exile there law breakers?" She asked me as she turned her back and showed me another runic tattoo, but this one did not feel like a connection to a god but a severance to something. . . from what she told me it might be her severance to her clan.

I touched it my hand warm, she let out a groan of pleasure as I did, which almost made me retreat, but I continued examining the new marking. It was like a human stick man but with a single red line over it. "This first time I've seen such a thing."

I told her my curiosity must have painted my words. as I felt amusement from her. "That's surprising to hear from a hero that travels and trade." She was teasing me in her way, but it did not stop my curiosity of her culture.

"Of course I've heard of the practice before, of law breakers being branded and forced out of there clans, turning to banditry to survive." I told her what I from the stories told to me in the places I've been.

"Banditry? some do become outlaws as there faith changes to suit there survival, but many like me, atleast with my people become hermits, and live in the outskirt of our clans." I heard sadness in her words.

"Tell me traveler why come this far north? your runes, tell me your from the summer people, most of your kind wouldn't try venturing this far, as many of the gods of the north peaks hate your people's gods." I knew the storm gods and sky gods where at war, a generation ago the news must have not yet reached here yet.

I bundled her long white hair gently, and placed back her cloak back covering her shoulders, as I let down her hair I told her of what I was about to confirm myself. "Have you not heard? the Storm-courts king and the 'Guardian-sun's' tribe had made peace."

I told her, as she turned back around, and we continued with our stew. "That's good to hear? but the gods of the north peaks aren't from the Storm-tribes but of the Winter-clans." I looked confuse as I looked at her.

She laughed at me. "Ha ha ha! you Sky-folks, do your people believe everyone that all those that lives in the snow capped north are part of the storm gang?" I nodded with a bitter smile. "The clan I was taught in told me it was so, the people of Nivoran thought that the winter gods where atleast kin, to the storm gods that slayed the 'Radiant-Sun'."

"I don't know of the other clans gods, but our chief-goddess, the 'Giver of pale cloaks' are not kin with the storm tribes, but was a descendant of a sky goddess, before she, our ancestors and the great spirits of the land built a holy winter-clan my people worship." They worship the powerful spirits of the land as gods? that's much like what those vulture people do.

"That's new thank you for the story. . .tell me what was your crime?" I asked her, as we long finished our stew, sitting on the bed speaking to each other like old friends, I hope her magic doesn't notice how hypnotics my words are.

"It was years ago, I bedded the wrong boy, and was exiled after making him an adulterer to his wives." I was shocked at that, I've read the laws of the riders, and at most if a woman was to do this to any married youth they would be fine at most one Hare-cattle to as low as two blacktail-chickens.

"Wow your laws are severe. Ha ha ha." I started laughing as how conservative and strict the people of this world was, as I remember past life where everyone on the pioneer fleets can fuck anyone they wanted they just needed to ask first.

I remember pushing two horny young peace officers sucking me off into a utility closet as a group of gene-children where running towards the isolated corridor the peace officers ambush me in. it took hours before they where satisfied enough that they can't stop me from leaving.

The thought must have stiffen me as my host looked down, her pale face turning red. "Well not all people are as lustful. . . as your people." She said her voice, drawling as I felt her want, her need. I placed my hand on her cheek, my hand warm as my other to the top of her head.

I was horny I don't know why but. I took her head and drag it to my dick, I felt her hot breath on it as I felt my tan skin blue. "What did you put in stew Swandra?." I felt her licking my dick from base to tip, as I asked my will firmed as I pulled her on inches away.

"Oh nothing much, just some fish, barriers and love kelp~" She sultrily purred as she pushed her head and swallowed the tip of my dick sucking as she pushed lower, ending at the halfway as she twirled her tongue.

"Ehgg. . . Stop, to much." She kept bobbing her head up and down, up and down and after what felt like an hour, I lost control. pushing her head all the way to the base. felt it as I heard her choke on the hard meat and love filling her throat.

I pushed her out and pinned her on the hide blanketed bed. "Smell, good, wet." I said in breathes as I found her flooded small pussy, I shoved it in filling every inch of her desperately stretching folds. 

I fucked her, used her like a toy, I saw her red lips smile her face tearing and reddening as she took me all in. "More! harder you animal!" I did grabbing her neck hugging her slender hips I pressed myself into her deeper, filling her snug hole.

We did it for what felt like hours, and as I came to myself finally able to think clearly, I was sitting on the bed with my dick still hard, and girl fucked drunk with blue milk flowing from her mouth and pussy.

I turned her around so she won't choke on her vomit. "Damn, I thought I made this body immune to poisons I guess not" me thinking about it made me smile as I remembered my past.

"To think an aphrodisiac made me lose my virginity in this world? well I did need to drug my girl the first time we fucked." Memories of Vivien surfaced the girl next door, a friend I had since pre-school we having our first time on a roof after I gave her a drink with a little ecstasy. and damn she was wild.

Act 2 Ivory:

after a few days of rest, sex, and talking. I was fully recovered as I stood at the entrance of a cave boarded with a wall with a door made of sticks. "Are sure you don't want to come with me?"

I asked Swandra as I finally wore the clothes I left on my wagon, and pulled out my banner-glaive and hanged it on my back. "The people here thinks me a witch, if they see me with you I don't think you can do much trading."

I laughed as she grinned mischievously as she said that. "I wonder if it's do to drugging people." countered as I took a small stone coin from the wagon.

"Here, if you ever get bored living alone and want to travel, put a drip of your blood on it, and I would take you with me." I tossed her the coin as I started walking dragging my wagon with me I waved her goodbye.

"Goodbye Abyss, the big dick hero!" She yelled to me, I felt redden by her, but I continued. "I'll see later!" I yelled back to her, my step turning the snow covered land into melted water and then steam.

I looked back after an hour of walking and saw the snow path I've made already covered with snow. "Good, better to not let bandits know where she is." I looked up it was snowing lightly but before the flakes of snow reach me they turned to steam.

I felt my Inner-flames less volatile and more controlled than before, wonder what made me more powerful. is it the exertion? or is the new ways I've been using psionics. "I wonder." the thoughts broke as I felt a pull.

I followed it and then I was lead to a small hill, a psionic call telling me to dig. so I did so. "Hello traveler, may this old spirit ask for a favor?" I looked up the small hill and saw a long tusked, gigantic furred beast with a trunk. her eyes looking down at me.

"Can you make some of my bones into a vessel for my ghost to reside in? I used to be a great beast spirit of these lands, but I have been slayed and don't want to go back to the great cycle, as I am." I stepped forwards as an Ivory tusk poke out from the snow I was digging.

I opened my shirt and showed her my Earth-rune and Trade-rune. "I can fashion your bones into treasures that I would trade, my question to you Snow Lady of the north peaks, do you want to become a object of war or peace?"

She was taken by my boldness or certainty, as she looked thoughtful to my question. "I still anger of those that killed me and scattered my herd but my people has always been peaceful please, I don't want to meet my descendants as a weapon." I nodded, and took a drum from my wagon and did a ritual taught to me.

With my song and drum, as I made her ghost possess the drum I was holding and made her rest. "Sleep well, old one, it would take me a time before I can give you a vessel you would want." I continued digging the snow and collecting the Ivory bones of the giant Mammoth spirit, placing each of them into my wagon that only looked small from the outside, but still as large as I built it, in the inside.

"Still don't know what made my wagon so small." I looked at the runes on it's sides it was new for me as it was the first I've seen it, and rune was giving off a power I can only describe as. . . roomie or spacious. I gave the runes some of my Inner flame, and it made my wagons inside larger.

"Is this like a Space-rune? weird symbol for it." it looked like a fancy bracket { } from the universal language. it felt odd as I used my senses to understand it but every time I did, I felt like I was swimming in the void.

I took it off my mind and rest atop of my wagon working on one of the smaller tusks making a large flute out of it. carving runes that represent harmony and burning my magic into it. "And there, one treasure that when played can make uplift peoples heart make them festive." I said as I started playing trying it out and it did what I willed it to become as the lesser spirits dance around my wagon.

Act 3 Swans:

It took me a few days of travelling slowly, before I finally reached the settlement Swandra told me about. it was her old white-feather clan, called Snow-wood clan. I saw the cooking plums before the wall of snow with wooden pikes.

As I walked out of the woods and on the frosted lake, I was immediately spotted by the ice fishers and herders of ducks feeding them winter forage in the other side of the lake closer to the snow fort.

There welcome was quick as I herd horns of alarm from the the ice fishers as they gathered, and saw few people from inside the snow fort fly outside meeting me, frozen river.

The fishers where holding wooden and bone clubs with a polished stone at it's head, there where already blood in some of them, they probably use them to bludgeon fish. I kept moving toward them waving my banner.

I added small golden bells on it with the wind rune, making sound clearer. The flying warriors came upon me first, they didn't went for violence but some did look ready for it. the girl in front probably there leader spoke. 

"Hail traveler, what is intention to come, to our land, foreigner?" She was intimidating in her stand and voice, like Swandra she was barely dress only wearing her feather cloak, and pieces of bone and leather as armor, I looked at there weapons they where using gold as there metal.

She spoke in trade talk, I was tempted to answer her in trade talk I have learned the language from the Honey-rose clan. but better to be safe. I spoke in her people's native tongue. as I showed her my Trade-rune. "I have come to trade with your people, offer me hospitality while I trade, that's all I ask." 

She looked taken aback with my answer, and she looked at her fellow warriors who where dressed similarly to her. "We cannot offer what you ask, please wait here as we speak to our leaders." I gave her a nod. "Of course I'll wait but I think it would be better for me to wait on the other side of the river." I pointed at the steaming river below me. she agreed her fellows flew back to there fort after speaking to the gathering fisherwomen.

I made a small camp on the other side of the river as I waited, I didn't need to wait too long as a delegation came out of the snow fort, they where twenty strong marching my way with some pulling sleds of trade goods, and others with those large cattle size ducks.

The leading woman was thicker than those I've met so far, she was leading the delegation. she was wearing her cloak but also a silk like dress wrapping her loosely. and golden bell earrings hanged on her pointed ears.

"Hello, trader I am Medrian a noble of the Snow-wood clan. we grant you our hospitality, please tell me what you offer and we would try to satisfy your price." I nodded, they didn't want me to trade in the fort but they didn't want to look poor in the eyes of there people so they sent a trade delegation. "And I am Abyss good to meet you." I gave her my hand to hold and she accepted.

I went inside my wagon and took out a couple of items. "This is Honey Kumis, a milk alcohol that gets you drunk happily." I first Placed a wooden stump in front of there leader setting out the things I can trade. "I'm willing to trade five pots of it." The pots of kumis was covered in cloth, they were still aging but it should be good enough.

And then I placed a bowl of oil burning in blue flames. "This is fire oil, it would burn for atleast a year when lit, set in a bowl like this atleast. I have two pots filled with this oil." I placed them on the stump.

And lastly I took out a the flute I made out of Ivory, it was about two meters thick and few feet thick. "This is a magical treasure when played by those who knows how to use instruments, it can uplift the hearts of people and spirits." I placed it down on the stump. 

The noble look contemplative as she looked at my wares, and then spoke to her companions, before speaking to me. "We are interested in all of them but I don't think we can give you anything of equal value to the things you offer." I nodded understanding her, appreciative of her honesty. "What can you offer?" 

She showed me finely made cloaks of white feathers, primitive Bone-craft, samples of food, and those large ducks. "What does your cattle eat?" I asked her. and she explained they mostly eat water plants, insects and fish. "Can they be trained to fight and or be ridden?" 

"No, the Snow-ducks are gentle daughters of the Great Snow-duck spirit beast. He had given them to us so we may take care of them and let them live safely in exchange we can eat some of there eggs and meat." I nodded, there much like the cattle of the rams and Nivoran folks.

"I'm interested in the cloaks how many can you give me?" I asked her and she spoke to what I now understood as the craftswomen of the clan as they seem to follow are talk. "We brought five but we have six more in storage, and I can one or two as fine as these one in a few days." The cloak maker told the noble.

"We can offer at most eleven cloaks now and twelve if your willing to wait for a few days." I nodded at her. I was ready to trade, but first I should prove my wears are real.

"I'm ready to trade, but first I can prove. . ." The noble held her hand up. "I've had kumis before and that does smell like the good the high quality stuff, and I know if the lid was taken of it'll spoil quickly." I nodded it was true, and she really was a trader.

"And you already proved that fire-oil and I myself feel a powerful mark of the Harmony-rune in that treasure and my shamans had asked the land spirits earlier and they told them you where using that treasure a few days ago." alright that's fair enough to make sure I was an honest trader.

"Alright I'm willing to trade all five of the Kumis for ten of your cloaks and a pot of fire oil for eight Snow-duck eggs, and two of them should be able to hatch." This alarmed them but after a round of talking they came back.

"All our Snow-duck eggs can be hatch it's just you need a Snow-duck to brood them." I nodded thanking them. "I still want eight then for one fire-oil pot." They talked again. "What can we offer you for the treasure Trader Abyss?"

I thought about it and then asked them. "Can you make a ritual so that I can meet your head goddess? it's either that or tell me five of your peoples sacred story." this shocked them.

"Trader you do know our stories would only give our people blessings right?" A young woman with one golden earing asked me she seemed the most taken aback by my price.

"I do, I would use what stories you offer me to trade to a younger clan of your people if ever meet them." I was half honest as I learned that even if I can't use the stories directly they can still tell me a lot about there gods and how I can find them myself even without there worshiper doing rituals.

Medrian smiled and nodded accepting my answer. "You are a true trader Abyss, already planning to sell something worthless to you, but most valuable for our people after they settle new lands." She instructed her people to go back and give message to other leaders.

"I cannot decide this alone, I have asked my people tell the other leaders of our clan, about your deal, I accept it and would be glad to tell you four of our peoples myths, in change for such a treasure to keep both our people and spirits happy." I nodded and then pulled a few small drinking bowls of black porcelain and a small clay pot of Black-ale.

"This is a ram drink from the Summerlantha-tribe let's a little as we wait for your people." I pour the many bowls of the place bubbly drink. "I know of the alcohol of the rams, but I've never heard this Summerlantha-tribe." She said and as he was about to drink one of her guards stopped her.

"Wait! Noble, let me drink it first." I felt she distrust me. but before I could accept her cation, Medrian slapped the spear warrior with her feathered fan. "Fool! we have given our hospitality! have you no shame!" She immediately gave the warrior lashing with both her words and fan. "Go back to the village!" 

The warrior did with another warrior escorting her away. "I apologize for the young warrior's rudeness, but you know what happens to youths if they don't travel they become block headed and disrespect traditions." I nodded as I drank the ale, I really did not like it's bitter taste, but still the bubbling sweetness is worth it.

"It is fine, here, there's enough for your delegation. " She looked taken by my words as she immediately order her people to prepare what looked like sushi with the kelp and freshly cut salmon like fish, they tried to trade with me, as we ate it, while we drank the ale, the warriors liked it but the crafters didn't the others just enjoyed the alcohol.

The warriors enjoyed it so much there leader spoke. "Do you have more of this drink trader? I am willing to trade a looted treasure for it, we don't know it's true value because we can't use it but where willing to part with it for ten of this Dark-ale." The leader was a little tipsy but I can feel she was serious.

"Wait! Fioran! you have the Wind-cloaks have the right to that treasure but you can't just." The warriors pounded there spears in unison and then the warrior leader spoke which now I know was named Fioran. "It is our right to do what, we want with it, especially because we had won it with our blood." Medrian did not have anything to counter with.

"Sorry warrior leader but I only have three barrels of the black-ale." I took it from my wagon and showed it too her. "This has about four pots worth of ale inside it." I said motioning for the pot we where drinking. "I'm willing to give you all three but it depends if your treasure is valuable enough." 

"I understand trader. You Swanna, go get that banner." a young warrior girl ran towards the fort. "Damn, those scaredy pricks we could have done this in the market, and not out here." one of the warriors said under her breath. 

As we waited and drank I talked about the places I've been they where enthralled. I saw another delegation coming this way. "Oh yeah before I forget here it's called Call-stone, you can use it to send a message to me or I send a message to you." I placed a stone necklace on the stump, Medrian examine it with her crafters.

"How does it work?" I smiled and pulled out a hand size rock from pocket and then, I lit it on fire with my magic. A small flame erupted on the necklace, I whispered to rock I was holding. "You need to lit it on fire and feed it magic and anything you say would transfer to my rock." 

The show of magic impressed them. "And this is a gift?" Fioran the warrior asked. "Yes, I would call you if I find something your people might be interested in, or you can call me if you find something I could be interested in." Medrian immediately accepted the gift.

Whispering to her companions how valuable my gift was. As the second delegation came I saw more nobles in them, and I prepared myself to barter with them so I get as much value on the treasure I'm trading in.

Act 4 Southwards:

I was given five stories instead of the four I originally asked they told me the extra one was a gift for visiting them first, I said thank you and asked them how I can visit there kin without them being alarmed.

They laughed at that as there people was naturally cautious but they said if I wore there cloak they're kin would see me as a friend of there people. and they did, I was let inside the other Swannii settlements easily and I was able to trade more of my goods, for what I wanted.

Mostly I got more of there feathers and few more snow-duck eggs, and bulks of food I can preserve using magic. but I did gone through all my porcelain and Ebony wooden goods.

And another treasure to get all the rest of the stories from the oldest Swannii clan, and figured out I was on a large plateau in the northern peaks, they call it the Snow-feather hills. 

There was only Swannii clans living in this part of the hills, as they told me in there north lives the giants of white furs, and Small women of stone. and on the east was a Forests filled with powerful spirit beasts, and west where occupied by the storm worshipers and the south was where the summer people live.

I got excited when they told me about the summer people, as that might be the place I was looking for. as I was walking towards the south I felt the coin in my pocket warm. I smiled as Swandra decided to travel.

I turned and headed to her cave home, I tried recruiting companions at the settlements but those I want to come along with me wasn't interested and those who wanted too where to weak to survive traveling with me.

I went to the most powerful Swannii clan and give them the offer to worship me as a god of Harmony and trade. they accepted, building a simple altar to sacrifice there best work too, granting those who sacrifice the ability to communicate with foreigners and create flames that burns away fear for a few years.

The blessing was something I made by changing a lesser spirit and placing her into my altar, I gave her a spark of my inner flames, and taught her to how to give my blessing to those that sacrifice to the altar, she was connected to me and I can feed her psionics through our connection.

Sadly she was barely sentient, only responding to my feeding and the things I thought her. . .she was like a very dumb artificial intelligence, and so I named her A1 I think if I get better at changing lesser spirits I can turn them to higher spirits like I did for Nightingale.

Those thoughts where dashed as I felt I was being surrounded, huh. . .I honestly thought I would get hit by bandits earlier. I stopped my walking as I saw a group in front of me they where definitely White-feather people but there faces where hidden by there feathered hoods.

I stepped away from my wagon and with a smile and my banner on hand I stood in front of those showing themselves as others hid behind the small pile of snow and evergreen trees. "Are you cute little girls bandits?" 

I asked the ones in front. "And if we are? are you give us your goods peacefully trader?" The voice sounded off, but I kept to it. "Well let's see if you can beat me!" I rushed in towards them, they moved quickly there feet barely touching the snow, those hidden charged flanking me.

With a swing of my glaive an arc of fire bursted forth, burning those to slow move with fire that did not burn them, but made them feel agony. "Hiiaa! Hiiia! Hiaaa!" three screamed writhing in pain. as two others injured burns on there legs.

They where battle dancing with the wind spirits, as they came and cut at me and retreated before I can counter, I felt my arms and back cut and stabbed by there bone spears.

This is bad. I thought as my wounds where piling, I yelled. "Let us be in my sea of fire!" the land bursted in blue flames they where fast enough to dodge my flames, but it did what I wanted as my wounds heal, forcing them all to fly above me.

"In the sea of flames, a mountain of gold shall blind your faith!" I pushed my banner upward as a blinding light replace the regular light of the sun, as it bounce from the white snow. Scorching those in the skies. 

They fell one by one slowly as I caught them, and started placing them near my wagon and the ones that fainted because of the pain, I healed them with flames quickly removing there pain blindness. "What was that Swandra? you know you could have just joined me normally." 

I said to Swandra as pulled of her hood. she was grinning as at me. "Well your the one who attacked us!" I gave her the look. "Yeah because you where acting like bandits. sigh. . . I'm gonna hall you girls on my wagon and where marching south." 

I did as I told them, as I carried them two a time inside my wagon, and started dragging it south, I wonder if summer-people from Nivoran or another batch of survivor from a different city-state before there empire fell.