The air inside the Great Carving Hall buzzed - old magic mixed with raw excitement, like frost meeting spring. Light bounced off smooth ice walls, scattering bright shards that flickered around the room. Artists, skilled and steady, shaped giant chunks of clear ice, chisels humming under sure hooves. Tomorrow marked the start of the Great Stag Run, when winter spills loose over Veilheim each year. A deep hush filled the place, sharper and richer than cold morning air. Aries stood there, eyes big, taking it all in - her coat, a mix of silver, blue, and frosty light, sparkled like snow just fallen. Warmth hummed inside her chest, tied to old earth powers waking up. The scrape of the carving tool, then soft magic words - it pulled her closer to what Veilheim truly was. Not ceremony, but life breathing slowly. Winter wasn’t cold here; it sang, and she leaned into its song. Beside her stood Mirage, his frame lean and sharp under a mottled coat of silver, blue, and shadow - like moonlight on storm clouds. He stayed close, as usual, quiet, watching without words. His plumes, normally loose and flowing, pulled in slightly, closer to his body. Though his look stayed gentle, a hint of tiredness showed behind his dark stare. Feeding energy into those giant ice creatures took a heavy toll - it felt dazzling, sure, yet wild, almost slipping out of control. Iris darted through the hall, a blur of deep blue and black splotches flickering like liquid rainbows. Light bounced off her in jagged shards while magic sparked at her edges. She almost shouted, “Wow - this much strength!” yet flinched slightly, nerves twitching beneath excitement. Ideas raced - endless enchantments - but then came doubt: What if someone reshapes the land overnight? Or freezes every inch of Skyvale solid? Jumpiness kept her stuck between awe and disaster. A short ways off, propped up by an icy stone column, was Eryx. His bright fur - a mix of reds and creams with speckled patterns - stood out like firelight in the freezing room; meanwhile, his plumed wings stayed pulled close, almost hugging himself against the chill. He exhaled loudly on purpose, one shaky breath vanishing fast into the frosty air. “Seriously,” he muttered while twitching an ear, “do they have to go overboard? All this drama just cranks up the cold.”. My hair’s freezing up badly. Eryx didn’t mind looking out for others, yet he sure hated the Great Stag Run. Warm spots and sunny places were more his thing - this event just rubbed him wrong. When the last spells took shape, silence dropped into the room. Electricity hummed in the space between breaths. With glowing hooves charged by icy power, an artist shaped one final detail - on a giant male deer standing close to five meters tall, its horns curling up like frozen vines toward the arched roof. At once, using a deep voice, she poured cold energy mixed with spirit right into its core. A ripple moved across the frozen surface. The stag twitched, then drew a deep, careful breath. Its eyes - once dull like solid ice - lit up with a soft blue glow, while its breath spilled out in heavy, curling fog. People watching sucked in air at once. A little ways off, another deer - about the size of a strong horse - hopped lightly, its shiny feet catching the light, full of bouncy charm from the start. One after another, others started moving too, different shapes and heights, shaking off stillness like morning dew, coming alive with bright flickers that wouldn't last. Aries froze, hit by a sudden rush of wonder. Like Veilheim itself exhaled - cold, deep, alive. Her magic hummed, tied now to the stags, feeding off their steady pulse through the soil beneath. “Wow… look at them,” she said, barely louder than the wind in the leaves. Eyes locked onto the biggest one - the way it stood spoke of old times, older reasons. Eryx just shook once more. "Sure, it’s impressive," he admitted, "only way too cold for comfort - besides, snow’s already piling up on my feathers. Seriously, getting this fur clean later? That’ll cost a fortune." Even while complaining, a tiny grin tugged at his lips seeing how thrilled Aries was. Cold bothered him no end - but her joy? That suited him fine. Iris drifted near a medium deer, stomping and shifting on the edge of the clearing, watching close - her bright gaze tracing the hidden magic tangled in its shape. "This kind of wild spellforce," she whispered, curiosity sparking behind slyness in her stare. "Think what tricks you’d learn peeling that apart! Then again," she said, lips curling sideways, teeth showing faintly, "picture the mess if it wandered into the baker’s champion gingerbread hut after a little push." Mirage, always watching out, let his breath go slow. Not from fright - but from how much power those beasts carried inside. Through trees they’d thunder, forging fresh trails on frozen ground, changing everything around them. What weighed on him was less danger, more wonder at what chaos might follow. “Strong,” he admitted quietly, yet filled with awe - “also kind of breathtaking. Yet what about the tiny beings, or how the quiet ground stays just right? They cause a big shift, this much is true.” His bird-like wings moved slightly, hinting without words he'd keep watch. When the big deer stepped out of the building, a tiny one bouncing behind, Aries practically buzzed with energy. "Hurry up!" she called, dashing ahead toward the door, hooves skimming the icy ground. "Let’s watch them say hello to everything outside!" Eryx let out a heavy breath, yet shoved away from the pillar - a tiny glow, warm and shaky, sparking to life around his form. "Fine, take us straight into freezing misery," he grumbled under his breath; still, his glance stayed locked on Aries, gentle and fond. They stepped into the fresh-covered land, breathing sharp, lively air. Outside the building, everything slowly started to shift. Thin lace-like frost spread over still tree limbs while soft snowflakes floated down without hurry. Soon enough, they spotted a young male deer out in nature. About as high as a big riding horse, it darted around - dodging between frost-covered pine trees, sending sparkles of snow flying. Each time it snorted, warm air burst out like a tiny storm. The animal’s cold coat glowed faintly from within, pulsing with raw, lively force. Aries moved forward, curious - her ears up, eyes bright with expectation. She chirped, “Hey you, big guy!” Her tone bubbled with pure joy. The stag stopped, glancing her way with bright eyes. Not threatening - just curious - it dipped its head slowly, tapping the earth using a shimmering hoof, almost like asking for a quick run together. Energy hummed under its skin, shifting subtly. Aries felt her pulse race - she just had to go. With a bright snort, she shot ahead, her power gripping the slick ice like it was solid ground. Sunlight flickered across her silvery fur as she raced beside the deer, a flash of wild joy in the spreading snow, her giggles floating through the sharp breeze. The creature surged faster, a sleek whirl of frost and spark, while Aries kept up without slowing, step after steady step.