Fire and Ice

A poetic story with elements of fantasy combined. Just in case you noticed, the leopard in the story is a tiger. Sorry about the confusion...but leopards just seem more 'ice-like' than tigers.

 

 

The phoenix, a creature of fire and warmth.

The leopard, a creature of ice and pride.

Colliding in a circle of fiery might.

They think that only one can survive this night.

 

But with the other, they are entwined.

For in every phoenix's heart there's ice.

For in every leopard's heart there's fire.

They are together, no matter how much strife.

 

But to unite the two elements.

That's a whole new task.

To stop a millennium of fighting.

For peace, you must ask.

 

For without fire and ice.

It's impossible to defeat.

The enemy, a creature stronger.

Any one element he can beat.

 

The phoenix's tune of bravery.

The leopard's snarl of might.

Could bring this war to a final end.

On this fateful night.

 

A flash of gold, the phoenix appears.

By it the leopard, as white as snow.

Without another sound, they pounce and fight.

Two energies combine, heat and cold.

 

A deadly dance, of fire and ice.

A duet of death, a music of claws.

Claws against talons, fire against ice.

There is nothing we can do to stop this fight.

 

Fight, little creatures. Fight all you want.

For when you fight me, you shall see how strong I am.

And then you'll realize your mistakes.

Oh, poor creatures, I'm patient, I'll wait.

 

A flash of fire, the phoenix is no more.

A boy stands in its place, in his hand a sword.

A flash of silver, the leopard now goes.

A girl in its place, in her hand a bow.

 

Their eyes, silver and gold.

Looking in them was deadly, I was told.

The girl and the boy, weapons in hand.

They continued fighting, across the golden sand.

 

The boy, the phoenix, he leapt towards the girl.

Sword in hand, fire swirled.

The girl raced into the tree.

Arrows came whistling, by twos and threes.

 

The boy, undaunted, deflected them all.

His voice was as deadly as the phoenix's call.

He launched himself skywards, jumping higher than the sky.

Lashing himself onto the branches, his eyes full of might.

 

"Stop!" I screamed. "You must stop this fight!"

They looked at me, full of confusion and strife.

"We must unite," I said, regaining my voice.

"Why?" The boy asked. "It is not our choice."

 

Not our choice? I wonder, watching them fight.

Why would they battle, through dark and through light?

Not our choice? Is it really that way?

Could someone be possessing them, taking their minds away?

 

I remember the voice, laughing at their fight.

Playing with their weapons, nowhere in sight.

"Show yourself!" I yell. "Come out and fight!"

I'm answered with nothing, only the hints of first light.

 

Arrows impale against the tree.

I'm unarmed, oh, suicidal me.

I charge up the slope, yelling at them to stop.

They respond with nothing, more arrows in trees.

 

The clashing of blades, the whispers of bows.

The morning light, casting a deadly glow.

I grab hold of an arrow, made of strong oak.

I launch myself upward, years of training provoked.

 

It seems impossible, the task at hand.

Why did my mentor send only me?

On this fateful night in the sands...

I would possibly face my end.

 

I kick the sword away from the boy.

The bow flies away from the girl.

"Stop it," I say. "We must go."

They shake their heads. "No. No."

 

"Why not?" I ask. "You have to come."

"Young girl," the boy laughs. "We don't have to go."

"Yes," the girl agrees. "It's not our choice."

They turn back into animals, and then I hear the voice.

 

Amid the sound of the phoenix, the snarl of the leopard.

I heard the man from the shadows step out and fight.

Young girl, it says. Do you really think...

That you have the strength to beat me, the might?

 

It's playing with me, it kicks me away.

Then it turns towards the animals, holding them at bay.

You can never defeat me, young creatures, you see?

There's the best warrior, kicked from head to knees.

 

They glance at me, then back at the thing.

"No," they say simultaneously. "Light we can bring."

Fire and Ice, wordlessly they fight.

A deadly being they make, shedding pure light.

 

It fades away, screaming in pain.

The phoenix and leopard regard me with disdain.

"There, we have united. Are you happy now?"

With that, they vanish, their victory, their gain.

 

I shake my head, then smile and laugh.

"Yeah, I'm happy. Thanks a lot for the help."

A single feather flutters down, gold with red.

I hear the boy's voice: "Don't be a whelp."

 

The phoenix, a creature of fire and warmth.

The leopard, a creature of ice and pride.

Colliding in a circle of fiery might.

They think that only one can survive this night.

 

But with the other, they are entwined.

For in every phoenix's heart there's ice.

For in every leopard's heart there's fire.

They are together, no matter how much strife.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reviews

[Kaitlynn A. Black]

I really like the poetry like story style. It reads much easier in my way of thinking. =D I will say though, cause I'm just in a one of the pickling moods, the image that is posted with the piece... That's a tiger and a phoenix, not a leapord... After seeing that, the first part of the story was kinda like...Huh? So I had to forget about the picture and continue reading. =D

I was just happy the ending was happy! So you win bonus points for that!

XO - Kate

[Lone Wolf]

Thanks a lot, Kate! I know, I just liked leopards better than tigers. Well, we can both laugh at my silliness. I hoped that nobody will notice...but, yeah. Nice eyes, and thanks for the review!
~~Shadow