Flowers in the Snow (A CountryHumans Fanfic)

Chapter 3

Rage.

A scream across an icy terrain.

Ice rising.

A blast of cold wind.

Guards called to action.

Smoke.

The cry of a child.

~~~

He wasn't sure if he loved or hated the snow.

The snow was white and powdery, its fluffy appearance promising a soft hug, only to laugh bitterly as it seeped your warmth. It stuck to your clothes, dampening them and rendering them useless against the harsh winds. It whispered cruelly in his ears as the wind carried it to places unknown. It chased away any companionship he could ever hope to have, leaving him alone in a desolate wasteland.

He wouldn't lie when he said that he left some sort of satisfaction when the snow crunched, screamed almost, under his feet.

Still, he couldn't bring himself to hate it, not fully. It was the only constant in his life. From the moment he was born, it was there, his sole companion. The snow was as harsh as it was kind. He liked it the most when it fell softly from the sky, allowing him to see the bright sun through the clouds. It was there for him when he screamed in pain and sorrow, drying his tears when he cried.

No, he did not hate the snow, but he did not love it either. And as much as he wanted it to just disappear, he knew he wouldn't be able to handle its sudden absence.

He had lost too much already.

He sighed, breathe billowing and rising in the air as he trudged another step. The snow cracked underneath him, struggling to sustain his weight before collapsing.

He grunted, struggling to lift his leg in the knee-deep snow without losing his boot. Any type of clothing was a blessing in this cursed tundra and he couldn't afford to lose any. And if clothes were scarce, food was even more so. Sometimes he wondered how he survived this long on nothing but scraps.

Shaking his head, he continued walking down the invisible path, keeping his bag and what you could barely call a cloak close to his body. It barely did anything to keep the cold out, leaving him to shiver violently.

'I wish I had a better coat... like papa's...', he thought forlornly, snowy white ears drooping as he got lost in old memories. Back when his life was bright and full of laughter, full of people. Back when his life was more than just trying to survive and holding desperately onto the one connection to his past life.

He could still remember the warmth of his mother's hug, the joy he felt playing with his brother or making flower crowns with his sister.

He could remember his father's boisterous laughter, sitting on his father's lap as he introduced him to his friends. His favourite was a deer-like man who always gave him and his siblings some candy.

He could remember the warmth that filled his house, the large meals served every night, the goodnight kiss his parents would always give him.

He had none of that now. Only some ratty clothes and a small hut to call home.

A twig snapped, its cracking sound echoing through the snowy woods. Startled, the teen snapped his head towards the sound, snowy ears erect and attentive. He backed up, posture full of caution and ready to bolt any second, his tail swaying anxiously behind him.

Small spikes of ice peaked through snow, ready to launch out if needed.

The trees shifted and rumbled, powdery snow falling from their lifeless branches as thudding footsteps approached. The teen tensed, tail puffing as its movements increased excitedly.