The group bolted through the market, their books picking up loose snow, and sliding on ice underneath.
The streets of Frosthelm became a blur of colors, as Thalos ran past the market, and out onto the open path. But there was no mistaking the sounds behind him. The hunters had joined in, and they had spotted them.
Frostfoxes darted ahead, their silver silhouettes weaving between buildings. Moving past the group to cut them off.
"Split up!" Brynn yelled.
Already turning, and running down a side alley, Garrick followed, their laughter fading as they disappeared from sight.
Thalos, Orin, and Elara weren't so lucky. Frostfoxes cut off their path, they went to turn. Only to be cut off again by two hunters that had caught up.
One of the hunters stepped forward, his Frostfox catching up to him and walking beside him.
"Where are the other two?" It was clear by his voice, he was not impressed. "Well," the other started, shaking his head at the group. "Why doesn't this surprise me"
Thalos glanced at Orin, his face had gone pale, His hands deep in his pockets. Elara, on the other hand, stood tall. Her arms crossed looking straight ahead.
"Where are the others?" The man asked again, slowly pronouncing every word, clearly trying to intimidate the children.
Elara tilted her head up slightly at the man. "We lost them in the market… They ran before we even saw where they went"
Thalos was feeling a small knot in his stomach, but there was no chance any of them would give up Brynn and Orin. Not that it mattered much. Everyone already knew that this was the work of Brynn.
The other hunter gave a sarcastic "Hah" "Well it doesn't matter. We are going to take you to the Great Hall"
The other hunter looked at Thalos "And you, Your father will hear about this again."
Thalos didn't say anything, he just looked down at his feet. He wasn't going to argue with a hunter.
Orin let out a small groan, it almost sounded like a pained whimper.
Elara rolled her eyes. Her head stayed up high. But she didn't say anything further.
As the hunters started to escort them away, Thalos looked once more at the direction of Brynn and Garrick. They were probably hiding back there, watching and laughing at their escape.
Walking down the main path the group remained silent.
There was no chance of escape, the Frostfoxes walked beside them.
The hunters were watching them. They marched straight to the Great Hall.
The hunters didn't say a word, they pushed open the doors to the Hall, several elders turned their heads, talking among themselves about the ones who had just arrived.
A stern-looking woman near the center of the hall, tapped her cane against the floor making a sharp "Click".
"Enough" Her voice said the words sharply. "Bring them forward."
Thalos's stomach twisted, Marta was the last elder he wanted to see here.
She always wore a light red woven dress that complimented her short silver hair. She was about Garrick's height, but most of the time she was hunched over ever so slightly.
The Great Hall seemed dimmer than normal, The lights were still flickering nearby but Thalos felt a tightness in his chess that seemed to dim his view.
The hunters pushed them forward to the center of the hall, eyes tracking the groups every move.
"Again?" She hissed, her eyes narrowed at the group.
One of the hunters folded his arms. "Brynn and Garrick got away. They were found disturbing one of the storage sheds"
Marta pinched the bridge of her nose. "Of course they did."
A man beside her sighed. "And again these three stand before us. Do we even need to ask who's to blame this time?"
Marta started tapping her cane lightly on the stone floor. "That accursed girl, something needs to be done about her"
An older man spoke up, he had deep wrinkles in his face, though it was mostly covered by a thick grey beard, his body was still that of a hunter, defined muscles, toned shape, age was the only thing holding him back.
Elder Haldor walked up beside Marta, softly grinning as he spoke. "So tell me, what was it this time?"
Elara lifted her chin. "We didn't do anything. We were just standing by the path. Is that a crime?"
"Oh? Then tell me," Marta took another step toward the group. "Why did you run?"
Elara narrowed her eyes, thinking of something to say. She stayed quite a moment too long.
"Well? Do you have nothing to say? A bunch of trouble makers, that is what you lot are!"
Elara went to open her mouth, but Marta cut her off.
"The rules exist for a reason, this is not a game. So you think this is how you should be acting, when everyone in Frosthelm risks their lives to keep you safe."
Her voice was becoming slowed, the ends of her words were starting to hiss.
No one replied to Marta, she knew they wouldn't, she started to smile. "Perhaps you need to learn the meaning of discipline. If it were up to me…"
The doors slammed open. Brynn and Garrick bursted in the room, both out of breath, both grinning.
"Looking for us?" Brynn had a victorious smirk on her face.
They walked right in as if nothing happened. Brynn brushed nonexistent snow from her shoulders with the tips of her fingers. While Garrick still out of breath leaned up against the door giving a lopsided smirk.
Marta turned on them instantly. "Oh wonderful. Now the whole troublemaking lot is here"
But unfortunately for Marta, while she could scare the others, she couldn't keep up with Brynn, her arm holding the cane started to shake ever so slightly, a sign that she was not happy of her arrival.
Brynn clapped her hands together once. One loud clap that echoed across the entire hall.
"You didn't think that I'd let everyone else have all the glory did you?"
Marta's hand tightened around her cane harder. "Glory? Is that what this is for you? Stealing from Frosthelm. Leading the hunters on a chase through the village whe…"
"Well actually," Garrick interrupted her, pointing a finger upwards waving it, while his gaze followed. "If I remember correctly, we didn't actually steal anything."
"And if you really think about it," Brynn started to stroke an imaginary beard.
"We weren't the ones the hunters were chasing," She pointed a finger at Thalos. "So I think we are innocent."
Thalos was shocked. "Me? You were the one that got caught!"
"That's not true!" Brynn gasped, dramatically clutching her chest. "How could you say that!? It was obviously Orin!"
Orin instantly looked down at the floor. "Th..that's not true. I didn't even want to…"
Brynn interrupted. "Actually you were the one picking the lock"
Orin looked up in surprise. "No! I… I didn't. Garrick laughed softly. "You kind of did"
One of the hunters near the back almost chuckled, An elder near Marta started to smirk watching their exchange. Marta shot him a venomous glare. "This is not a joke!"
Brynn stepped closer to Marta. "It's not." Brynn agreed, all humor in her voice was gone.
"It's a masterpiece gone wrong, a tragic tale. Filled with heartbreak and betrayal"
Garrick followed Brynn. And got down on one knee facing the group.
"We have left you. Please forgive us!" Garrick said with large flourishes of his hand.
Thalos and Elara were both shaking their heads at Garrick.
And that was it. The room's tension vanished.
The hunter near the back started to chuckle louder, and it caught on even despite themselves.
A lot of the elders, as strict as they were, always found it amusing how Brynn would stand up to Marta.
Marta slammed her cane back on the stone floor "CLICK" "That's enough! Enough of this!"
Jorren, an experienced hunter in his 40's who was still smirking, walked up beside Marta and gestured toward Brynn.
"Marta, look at them. They're still kids, we were just as reckless at their age"
"Those were different times" She didn't even look toward him.
Brynn saw the opportunity. "See? We're just doing what anyone else would do!"
Marta pinched the bridge of her nose, she was getting tired of this charade.
Elder Haldor stepped forward. "That's enough. Surely we can just.."
Just as Haldor was going to issue the usual halfhearted reprimand and send them on their way. With just a warning. The doors of the Great Hall swung open.
The warmth left the Hall. The laughing stopped.
Hunters straightened and stepped aside, Elders stopped grinning.
Above them, the antler hanging from the ceiling flickered, its light dimmed.
The leader of the hunters stepped inside…