"Ice Children?"
Sejuani could not help frowning.
"I remember that tribe is around Avarosa."
The map Sejuani had spread out had already been seen by Caleb several days ago. Caleb had also noticed the large cross marked over that "Ice Children" tribe around Avarosa. As for why they had not gone there, that was something he would have to ask Lissandra, the one who held the map.
Caleb did not have much of an impression of that tribe. If he had to connect it to anything, the only thing that came to mind was probably that kid who rode around on a yeti. But Caleb did not think any normal tribe would take in a child who had a yeti with him. So, by Caleb's estimate, those two good friends were probably still wandering all over the place.
"Is there some reason we can't go to that tribe?" Caleb asked curiously.
Could there really be a tribe stronger than the Winter's Claw? In this Freljord, where monstrous strength and divine madness ran wild, there was actually a tribe that could grow so powerful under a three-way balance of power? Caleb was rather curious about that too.
"No, there isn't."
Sejuani looked up at the stars gradually appearing in the sky and fell into thought.
"Then isn't that simple? We just go there and handle it."
Caleb found it strange. What was there to hesitate about? According to Freljordian customs, was this not exactly the kind of thing they would charge into?
"But that tribe is right next to Avarosa…"
After a moment of hesitation, Sejuani still spoke honestly to Caleb.
Almost everyone in the returning group had only suffered light injuries, and Caleb deserved no small amount of credit for that. When they first encountered the Ursine, it had also been Caleb's figure that vanished into the mountain rock and went ahead. When they were trapped in the cave with nowhere left to hide, it had also been Caleb who revealed his ability to wield lightning. In the end, it had still been Caleb who stayed behind to cover their retreat.
Sejuani was a proud person. Since she had received so much help from Caleb, naturally, she would not hide things from him when it came to important matters.
"Avarosa?"
Caleb immediately understood.
That was the tribe led by Ashe, an ideal nation built amid this world of ice and cold.
"Ah…"
Caleb did not know whether he had stepped on a landmine, so he could only give an awkward little laugh.
The gaze behind him felt like a heated knife scraping back and forth across his back.
Mm. That was Kai'Sa staring over here, no doubt about it.
Caleb turned to look back, but Kai'Sa had already shifted her gaze away.
Mm… This girl still had not learned how to lie. What was there to stare at on that mountain? Aside from a few sparse plants, there were only rocks… Yet she still looked like she was enjoying the view.
Caleb turned his head back around and asked, "Then why don't you want to have any contact with Avarosa?"
After all, in the current Freljord, these two great tribes were already the main military forces. If the two powers joined together, perhaps even the Frostguard would no longer be able to throw their weight around.
Behind all this, Caleb faintly smelled a trace of conspiracy.
"We… used to be very close friends."
Sejuani thought for a while, then still decided to tell Caleb some of the truth.
"When we were children, our two tribes liked to gather together. Ashe and I became close during that time too."
Sejuani's thoughts drifted far away. Caleb wanted to listen carefully, but the burning sensation of that gaze behind him was growing heavier and heavier.
Mm… Kai'Sa, you don't need to glare at me. I just want to know a bit of backstory that the system never told me.
That Yuumi was probably rolling around in a mountain of fish treats again.
That little creature was good at making a good situation better, but hopeless when it came to helping in a crisis.
Caleb could not help feeling a little emotional about that.
"But later, Ashe's mother kept searching for Avarosa's tomb, even to the point of costing many lives."
As she spoke, a flicker of anger also appeared in Sejuani's eyes.
"After that, we had less and less contact."
"But today, aren't we also taking a massive risk for the sake of some vague legend?"
Hearing Sejuani say this, Caleb could actually understand.
Placing human lives on the hope of a legend was ridiculous in itself. And yet only that ridiculous choice could allow everyone to survive.
What an absurd world this was, in its own way.
Caleb could not help sighing inwardly.
However, what Caleb found even stranger was why Avarosa's tomb, the one Ashe had searched for, had become her mother's lifelong obsession.
The Avarosan tribe built by Ashe had the custom of protecting the weak. How could such a tribe resort to any means necessary just to search for a tomb tied to some vague legend?
One had to know that Sejuani's Winter's Claw only lacked food because the weaker tribes had all been protected by Avarosa. In that situation, they had an elderly hearthbound as proof, and Sejuani had once forced out the location of the Ursine treasure vault, which was why they had gone to "try their luck."
Even in such a crisis, among the Iceborn who followed Sejuani there, the only truly outstanding fighters were Olaf and Zev. The rest of their combat strength was honestly not much to look at.
However, the Avarosan tribe back then had not been terribly short on food, and the food they lacked had nothing to do with that tomb.
If there really were some artifact capable of producing grain, then the Freljordians would definitely not have buried it in a tomb.
So why had Ashe's mother been so obsessed with Avarosa's tomb?
Was it only because it shared the same name as the tribe?
Caleb's brows furrowed tightly as he waited for Sejuani to continue.
"You already know what happened after that. The Winter's Claw I established, the food we raided, because of her, it was almost not even enough for half our people to survive the winter."
"So that's why you brought these people with you to risk their lives there?"
Caleb finally sorted out the cause and effect, then sank into thought.
Unlike in the Twin Cities, Caleb only had fragmented information right now, and he had to peel the layers back one by one.
So Caleb could no longer act like he had when negotiating separately with Silco and the Council. He could only first search for what felt wrong, then use that to uncover the truth.
"By the way, how did you survive Volibear's lightning?"
Sejuani looked at the thoughtful Caleb and could not help asking curiously.
"Ah…" Caleb thought for a moment, then still decided to brush it off for now.
"That's not very convenient for me to explain yet."
Since Caleb had already said that, and there were no traces of the Ursine on him, Sejuani did not keep pressing him.
"Perhaps you would make a decent oathfather."
Sejuani stood and patted the snow off her body, preparing to patrol every tent.
The night was long, so of course they also had to guard against wild beasts attacking in the dark. Fortunately, Bristle had an extremely sensitive nose, so these hidden dangers could also be eliminated in time.
However, the moment Sejuani left, Kai'Sa pounced from behind.
"Ah, ow, ow, ow…"
This time, the Void skin had already extended according to Kai'Sa's will. Kai'Sa's spike-covered hand was tightly gripping Caleb's wrist.
"What did you two talk about? You chatted for so long."
Kai'Sa's gaze was dark and幽幽, as if she had suddenly returned to that Void where daylight never reached.
"We were talking about the direction we'll be going next?"
"Really?"
Kai'Sa still looked suspicious, as if she did not quite believe him.
"I'll teach you a method…"
Caleb silently tried to press the spikes back in, but the attempt ended in failure.
"How about you move a little closer and eavesdrop next time?"
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