Snowstorms blanketed the icy valley, stripping the tundra of its vegetation. Several young animals with thick fur rolled in the thick snow, using their small horns to dig up the frosty soil, trying to find some greenery.
Not far from the small beasts stood two Freljord men, carrying leather whips and dressed in thick clothes.
She breathed on her palm, the white mist turning into water vapor that filled her hand. Frost Kre narrowed her emerald eyes and said to the boy in front of her, "Little Krena, keep an eye on those calves. I'm going to go over there and scout things out. A merchant happened to be visiting the tribe today."
"Okay, Sister Kre." The gray-haired boy nodded, and Kre hung the leather whip in her hand around her waist.
She climbed the frozen ground and headed towards her tribe. Sure enough, just as Kre had expected, she could see a group of Freljord people carrying packs lined up in the distance between two huge hills and in front of the Rift.
Those guys are traveling merchants from Freljord. They come to Avarosa every year before Avarosa to trade for supplies.
Winters in Avarosa are not as harsh as those in most other tribes, because Ashe, the Warmother of the Avarosan Tribe, is a wise and powerful leader who opened up the land, reformed and innovated, and proposed that the tribe engage in agriculture.
Every spring, the Avarosa people draw water from the glacial lake to irrigate their fields. When the weather is less cold, Avarosa plant various crops.
Although grain production was not high, with the addition of fishing, hunting, and animal husbandry, Avarosa gradually became wealthy and began to accept the allegiance of neighboring tribes. Gradually, Avarosa grew from just Ashe and a few scattered members to become the largest tribe in Freljord.
Unlike the tyranny and brutality of the Winter's Claw, merchants trusted Avarosa, which is why Avarosa was also a gathering place for merchants.
Ashe will also protect these itinerant merchants, providing them with a place to live when they are in trouble.
In return for their kindness, these merchants gradually came to regard Avarosa as their sacred place.
Or rather, it wasn't just the merchants, but everyone who heard the name Avarosa and the legends of Ashe, yearned for Avarosa and regarded Avarosa as a holy place.
As Kre approached, she heard the voices of the merchants.
"Is it possible for us to see Warmother Ashe today? If so, I'd like to go to Rakelstake. I've heard there's a giant ice sculpture of Avarosa there, over fifty meters tall."
"Don't think about it. Today is a celebration. Warmother Ashe is definitely receiving the Warmother of various tribes. I heard that the Snow Chaser tribe just joined Avarosa not long ago. Didn't news just come out a few days ago that Warmother Ashe is traveling to various tribes to improve relations between them?"
"The Snowchaser Tribe's Warmother, Hild, is truly powerful. The ruined town we passed through before was the place where the Snowchaser Tribe was wiped out. I never expected that the Warmother would take her in and forgive her."
Kre listened to these conversations without saying a word, but instead whistled as she entered the tribe.
Avarosa is a huge town where they have established themselves, and a new civilization is being born in this generation.
The Rakelstake that the merchants mentioned was a sacred site in Avarosa. However, despite being a sacred site, it did not prohibit outsiders from entering. Every follower of Ashe could go to Rakelstake to see the statue of the Warmother.
The Snowchaser Tribe they mentioned is a powerful tribe that recently Avarosa.
With the arrival of winter, the Winter's Claw expanded its hunting grounds and prepared food supplies. The Snowchaser Tribe's original stronghold was also in the north, but they were no match for the Winter's Claw, not even a single branch of the Winter's Claw.
Therefore, Hild, the Warmother of the Snowchaser Tribe, chose to head south. Along the way, in order to survive, the Snowchaser Tribe plundered the surrounding villages, which were under the protection of Avarosa.
Therefore, Warmother her people to hunt down the Snowchaser Tribe, the Snowchaser Tribe was utterly insignificant in the face of the powerful Avarosa.
But who could have imagined that after escaping several Snowchaser Tribe, Hild would one morning lead her people to Avarosa, where the tall Iceborn knelt before Ashe and handed Ashe her True Ice Axe.
The woman intended to trade her life for Avarosa's forgiveness, pleading with Ashe to take in her people after killing her, so they could survive the winter.
Kre remembered that the Warmother had taken the axe and raised it, but in the end, Ashe only slowed down and gently tapped the axe on Silco's shoulder. Then, her voice, under the influence of magic, resounded across the icy plains.
"Stand up, Hild."
"The Snowchaser Tribe owes me a blood debt; they are my enemies."
"But right here and now, you have shown humility and repentance. You are no longer members of the Snowchaser Tribe. From this day forward, you are Avarosa people. That is to say, we are one family. My bow will not be pointed at family. You no longer need to fear me, sister."
Looking back now, it's as if Warmother Ashe was bathed in a radiant glow. Everyone knelt before Ashe at that moment, offering Warmother most loyal tribute and believing Ashe words.
Ashe is Avarosa.
All Avarosa believe this, including Kre from the Red Frost Tree Tribe. Unfortunately, she doesn't know magic, isn't Iceborn, and can't become a warrior under the Warmother. She can only be a livestock herder.
Even so, no one in the tribe looked down on her.
Avarosa is a large family where there is no hierarchy, only the elderly, young men, and women.
Just as Kre was about to ask the merchants about the Winter's Claw, a piercing whistle rang out.
Upon hearing this, the Avarosa warriors on either side, carrying longbows and clad in armor, cheered. One of them took out a worn-out horn and blew it loudly.
"The Warmother is back!"
"Quickly, notify them! Warmother is back!"
"Tell Lord Tryndamere to come and greet our Warmother!"
Kre's eyes lit up with joy. She immediately put aside her inquiry about the merchant and ran to the Rift to greet the Warmother.
Every winter, Avarosa fights the Winter's Claw. The reason is simple: Avarosa is wealthy, while the Winter's Claw are poor. And it seems that the Winter's Claw's Warmother and their own Warmother are old acquaintances?
In short, Avarosa fights defensive battles every year. The Warmother is especially busy in winter. Only when winter is halfway over and the weather is so bad that humans and beasts can no longer walk will Ashe return to the tribe.
This time, winter was just beginning, but his Warmother had already returned.
What does this mean?
This means that Avarosa may have already fought Winter's Claw, and her own Warmother likely won!
Thinking of this, Kre couldn't help but want to cheer.
The Avarosa people around her clearly thought the same thing as Kre, their faces beaming with joy.
But when a black dot appeared in the distance, and then the black dot got closer and closer, until Kre could see a huge white and blue ice crystal longbow, the Warmother's stunning face was revealed.
The blue cloak rustled in the wind, and Ashe wore a scarf around her chin. She was dressed very lightly, with a blue ranger lining underneath for ease of movement.
Two snow-white arms were exposed, their hands clad in blue leather armor, and their gloved left hand held the reins of a white wolf. Behind them was a huge blue ice bow, the holy bow of Avarosa.
She rushed to the front of the crowd, which numbered about 1,500 people.
As they drew closer, the group slowed down, and Kre saw her Warmother's expression.
It doesn't look very good.
The Warmother looked particularly serious.
Ashe rode her white wolf and charged into the town, Ashe closely by several leaders of the Avarosa branch, while most of the soldiers scattered on the spot.
A dozen minutes later--
In the heart of Avarosa, in the enormous house, at a long table in the living room, Ashe had removed her cloak.
Her eyes, sharp as ice crystals, shone brightly. Her snow-white hands rested on the long table as she looked at the group of people gathered on the other side of the table. Most of them were women, but there were also some men. These people had all been the Warmother and leaders of their respective tribes.
Ashe looked at them and said:
"I know what you want to ask. We've investigated the Winter's Claw. They haven't left their hunting grounds this winter, which is strange. But that's all we can find out; we can't go any further."
"Warmother, are they planning to ambush us? Sejuani can't possibly stay out of trouble during winter," Siddle said in a deep voice, carrying the Frost Axe.
"I think Hidel is right. Sejuani definitely up to something. Over the years, she's gone further and further than ever. Before, she was just hunting in our hunting grounds. But since last year, they've been directly invading our villages, plundering our food and people," said the muscular woman with red markings on her face, who was short in stature.
"No, winter is here, Sejuani can't possibly move around in winter," Ashe thought for a moment and rejected everyone's idea.
She looked at the table, reached out her hand, and saw a map sandbox on the table, covered with countless small chess pieces. The blue ones were Avarosa, and the red ones were Winter's Claw. Ashe pointed to a spot where there was a river.
"I know her, I know her better than any of you. Her inner self is different from her outward appearance." Ashe first said something that no one present understood, but Ashe didn't explain it. Instead, she continued:
"This is Nerazag." Ashe pointed to a gray chess piece, which was Nerazag, a neutral town in Freljord, and continued:
"And the Winter's Claw has a branch hunting ground here." She picked up a red chess piece and placed it in front of Nerazag's gray chess piece.
"This is where we're patrolling this time." Ashe picked up the blue chess piece and placed it on the Glacial River. This river stretches across Freljord, passing through Avarosa, Winter's Claw, and Frostguard Citadel, and its end is the Frozen Sea.
"If Sejuani were to send people to invade us this winter, we should be able to find members of the Winter's Claw in this area during our patrols. However, we asked merchants and villagers along the way, and they all said they hadn't seen Winter's Claw during this period."
Ashe made her judgment and said, "Therefore, she won't invade us this winter."
"Let our warriors who are guarding the border return; they haven't participated in the celebrations in a long time," Ashe ordered.
"This is not right," Hild said anxiously. She had just Avarosa, and although she admired Ashe and was determined to give her life to protect everything in Avarosa, she thought Ashe's decision was too hasty.
To assume the Winter's Claw won't invade based on only one side of the story and to call the warriors back is futile. What if the Winter's Claw suddenly invade?
Winter campaigns will inevitably result in many deaths, but aside from Avarosa, which tribe doesn't suffer casualties in winter?
Hidel understood what Ashe meant, but that was Sejuani! A cruel and ruthless conqueror!
Would she care about the lives of her own people?
Ashe looked calmly at Siddle, a faint smile appearing on her lips, and said softly, "Trust me, sister, I won't be wrong."
"I know her better than any of you. I've said it before, she's different from what you've heard or seen. She cares more about her tribe and every life of the Winter's Claw than anyone else."
"Warmother, why are you so sure?" Hidel asked, puzzled.
"Because she and I are childhood sweethearts. We've known each other since we were little, for twenty years. After Kalkia died, I'm the person in this world who knows her best," Ashe replied.
Then, she clapped her hands and said, "Okay, next thing."
Hidel hesitated, then nodded.
"While exploring the north, we learned that another tribe there had been wiped out," Ashe said.
"Was it done by the Winter's Claw?" a member of the tribe interjected.
This kind of extermination of human races happened in the north, so it was probably done by the Winter's Claw, with another 20% – 15% by Frostguard Citadel and the remaining 50% by the Snowchaser Tribe.
However, the Snowchaser Tribe has already joined Avarosa.
As for Frostguard Citadel, they rarely venture out, appearing only once or twice a year at most, staying put in their own territory. Therefore, this person guessed that Sejuani was behind it.
Perhaps it's because she wiped out a tribe that the Winter's Claw have enough food to survive the winter, which is why Sejuani won't attack Avarosa this winter?
Yes, she felt she was right!
Ashe shook her head and said, "No, that place is a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood, with bodies and limbs everywhere. Sejuani would never do something to humiliate a warrior like that. This is very strange."
"According to the hunters in the vicinity, the tribe was wiped out in a single day. During that time, the hunters in the surrounding area didn't even hear any sounds of fighting, but they said they vaguely saw a huge shadow, like an evil spirit."
"Bang!"
Suddenly, the brazier flew out from behind the curtain, and grayish-white ash rolled onto the ground. With the cold wind blowing, it reignited the embers, leaving sparks on the carpet and emitting a pungent, acrid smell.
A disheveled man pushed open the curtain with one hand, revealing a pale and terrifying face, twisted and grotesque, with blood trickling from the corner of his lips.
Ashe stared blankly at him, completely unexpected that this barbarian, whom she had used as a shield and who was always silent, would have such a side to him.
"Tryndamere, you..." Ashe murmured, her body involuntarily taking a step back.
Ashe felt a flicker of fear emanating from this barbarian. Was she afraid of Tryndamere?
A man fearing the annihilation of his tribe and becoming a displaced person?
On Tryndamere's ferocious face, his red eyes stared at Ashe. He held a big knife in his other hand, and his rickety body gradually stood upright.
Tell me, where is it?
He roared, like a wild beast about to break free of its cage.