P ROLOGUE
B LOOD ON I CE
A LBIN TOOK THE LEATHER SATCHEL FROM HIS back and kneeled down beside a small patch of dirt and rock peeking through the ice. Gently, he began to work the rock free, careful not to damage what might be beneath.
As a young boy, Albin had learned the ways of the ice. He knew that the sun would heat the exposed rocks. And that around and underneath the warmed rocks, moss, lichen, and other plants would grow. His father and others could take these mosses and make them into medicine. He had seen wounded men, sick children, and frost-weary travelers restored to health by these plants.And he had felt their healing powers for himself — a few years ago, a deadly fever had threatened his life. The moss medicine saved him.
It was Albin’s first time collecting without the elders, and he was determined not to come home empty-handed. He started in right away, pulling up stones as he went and surveying the ground below. Albin’s cousin, Oskie, walked nearby, kicking roughly at the occasional rock and checking hastily underneath it. But Albin was too focused on his own task to notice.
Underneath one of the larger stones, Albin found something. The bright green lichen on the underside of the rock was among the rarest. The medicine it made was strong — one plant would be able to save many lives.
“Over here!” Albin called to his cousin.
“What is it?” Oskie asked lazily. He was lying on his back nearby, watching the long, wispy clouds in the sky.
“Look at this!” Albin pointed to what he had found. “A healing herb.”
Oskie got up slowly and came over. Together, the boys carefully pulled the lichen from the rock. It came off in long strips that they rolled into tight coils. When they finished with that stone, they turned over another, larger one.
Under the next rock was even more of the healing herb. The boys worked quickly. It was already late in the afternoon, and they would have to return to their village before it got too dark.
As he adjusted to the rhythm of the work — overturning rocks, pulling up the moss, and storing it in the satchel — Albin forgot to stay aware of his surroundings. The first rule of the ice is to always know where you are and what is around you.
Suddenly alarmed, Albin looked up from the rock. He surveyed the hard, icy landscape stretching out into the distance, glimmering under theburnt orange of the setting sun. Satisfied that things were safe, he went back to work.
Finishing with that rock, he moved to the next.
“Oskie, help me turn this stone,” he said to his cousin. But there was no reply. “Oskie?”
Albin turned around to see what Oskie was doing. Expecting to see his cousin daydreaming again, he was surprised to find him standing with a rigid, terrified look on his face.
“What is it, Oskie?” Albin asked.
“There! In the distance —” Oskie stammered, fear in his voice.
On the horizon, drawing near, was a towering creature. Its shaggy fur was thick and dark, and stood out against the white of the icy plains. Blood-red eyes glared at the boys, and its huge, curving claws sliced through the air. Drooling jaws snapped open to reveal stained, yellow fangs.
Albin was too scared even to scream. He slowly backed away, pulling his cousin with him. Dragginghis eyes away from the monster’s jaws, Albin saw it wore a glowing collar around its neck. The fur there had been clawed away to reveal raw pink flesh.
The monster stamped one massive paw down on the ice. Sparks seemed to dance around it, and the shockwave jarred every bone in Albin’s body. The cousins tried to scramble away, but the ice was cracking all around them. Huge gaps began to open as the boys tried desperately to get away from the roaring Beast.
Albin was too slow. The monster’s claws swiped against his side, tearing through his thick clothes. He gripped his side in pain and fell to the ground. But the Beast wasn’t finished with him yet. The next blow sent Albin sliding
B LOOD ON I CE
A LBIN TOOK THE LEATHER SATCHEL FROM HIS back and kneeled down beside a small patch of dirt and rock peeking through the ice. Gently, he began to work the rock free, careful not to damage what might be beneath.
As a young boy, Albin had learned the ways of the ice. He knew that the sun would heat the exposed rocks. And that around and underneath the warmed rocks, moss, lichen, and other plants would grow. His father and others could take these mosses and make them into medicine. He had seen wounded men, sick children, and frost-weary travelers restored to health by these plants.And he had felt their healing powers for himself — a few years ago, a deadly fever had threatened his life. The moss medicine saved him.
It was Albin’s first time collecting without the elders, and he was determined not to come home empty-handed. He started in right away, pulling up stones as he went and surveying the ground below. Albin’s cousin, Oskie, walked nearby, kicking roughly at the occasional rock and checking hastily underneath it. But Albin was too focused on his own task to notice.
Underneath one of the larger stones, Albin found something. The bright green lichen on the underside of the rock was among the rarest. The medicine it made was strong — one plant would be able to save many lives.
“Over here!” Albin called to his cousin.
“What is it?” Oskie asked lazily. He was lying on his back nearby, watching the long, wispy clouds in the sky.
“Look at this!” Albin pointed to what he had found. “A healing herb.”
Oskie got up slowly and came over. Together, the boys carefully pulled the lichen from the rock. It came off in long strips that they rolled into tight coils. When they finished with that stone, they turned over another, larger one.
Under the next rock was even more of the healing herb. The boys worked quickly. It was already late in the afternoon, and they would have to return to their village before it got too dark.
As he adjusted to the rhythm of the work — overturning rocks, pulling up the moss, and storing it in the satchel — Albin forgot to stay aware of his surroundings. The first rule of the ice is to always know where you are and what is around you.
Suddenly alarmed, Albin looked up from the rock. He surveyed the hard, icy landscape stretching out into the distance, glimmering under theburnt orange of the setting sun. Satisfied that things were safe, he went back to work.
Finishing with that rock, he moved to the next.
“Oskie, help me turn this stone,” he said to his cousin. But there was no reply. “Oskie?”
Albin turned around to see what Oskie was doing. Expecting to see his cousin daydreaming again, he was surprised to find him standing with a rigid, terrified look on his face.
“What is it, Oskie?” Albin asked.
“There! In the distance —” Oskie stammered, fear in his voice.
On the horizon, drawing near, was a towering creature. Its shaggy fur was thick and dark, and stood out against the white of the icy plains. Blood-red eyes glared at the boys, and its huge, curving claws sliced through the air. Drooling jaws snapped open to reveal stained, yellow fangs.
Albin was too scared even to scream. He slowly backed away, pulling his cousin with him. Dragginghis eyes away from the monster’s jaws, Albin saw it wore a glowing collar around its neck. The fur there had been clawed away to reveal raw pink flesh.
The monster stamped one massive paw down on the ice. Sparks seemed to dance around it, and the shockwave jarred every bone in Albin’s body. The cousins tried to scramble away, but the ice was cracking all around them. Huge gaps began to open as the boys tried desperately to get away from the roaring Beast.
Albin was too slow. The monster’s claws swiped against his side, tearing through his thick clothes. He gripped his side in pain and fell to the ground. But the Beast wasn’t finished with him yet. The next blow sent Albin sliding
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