Fur vs Skin | on hold

9.

↠C h a p t e r   N i n e↞
MATES

❝You couldn't kill me if you tried for a thousand years.❞

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        Frigid air blows across my bare face as I exhale a deep breath. I stand outside with the feel of the fresh breeze filling my lungs from the surrounding trees and atmosphere, the crisp smell of the earth's natural scent and the morning dew's moisture wetting the tree leaves that gives off a tangy smell.

This was one of the moments I let myself drown in the thought of not having a care in the world.

After telling my tale to Arsen, I felt a little lighter, knowing something like that wasn't tormenting my head as it repeated a steady course. I take a few extra seconds to enjoy myself, being someone who's a little less anxious about what might happen next; gently pulled from my thoughts, the sound of footsteps in the snow aware me of another presence.

I turn, my eyes clashing with soft ones as they look down at my figure. Arsen walks up beside me, dressed in a plain black shirt and shorts yet no shoes covered his feet as each step sunk them deeper into the snow, from his relaxed face I could tell it didn't bother him: even when I asked, the small growing feeling of worry hanging at the strings of my heart that he might get frost bites.

His eyes flicker into the depths of the woods, the morning light setting a path, and back to me in question.

I nod, taking a deep breath, "Yeah, I'm ready."

Arsen takes the lead, his wide steps and feet softening the snow in front of us, creating a sort of path for me as I follow behind him. The walk was quiet and peaceful, the presence of each other, settling a calmness in our bones. Soon, the peaceful moment was broken when the sound of a branch snapping overhead echoed, there was a short second to act before I was unfortunately doused in bone-chilling snow.

I froze mid-step, my hands splayed out at my side with ice-cold water dripping down the length of my nose. I hadn't known my eyes were shut until I opened them and came face to face with Arsen's highly amused one. A cold shiver ran down my spine as a trickle of water trailed its path down my back, gritting my teeth, I shake my head and feel the snowfall in clumps.

"You think this is funny, huh?" I mutter, squeezing my hand when a particularly large glop of ice found its way into my shirt.

He shakes his head yet there was still the lingering amusement in his eyes that brightens them like the rays from the sun. My eyes slant towards him.

"I'll give you something to laugh about. . ."

I bend down and collect snow within my hands, the chilling coldness attacking the nerves in my palms and press the soft matter together until it hardened into a ball. A smirk settles itself across my face as I look up, for sure a glint of mischief flickering about in my own eyes. Arsen's gaze darts from the snowball to my face then back to snowball then to my face again before he shakes his head.

"Oh no no no," I laugh, standing to my full height that reached no bigger than his, "You wanted to laugh at me."

The wind flies through the trees and circles around us, touching the dampness on my head that the snow had leftover with cold fingers while awakening the cells in my scalp. One of Arden's foot lifted and moved back, I watched his movements with keen eyes, watching all parts of his body. With a smile, I raise and pull my arm back.

Before he could react, the ball was hurtling through the air like a speeding bullet— both of our eyes following the white of its matter— as it soon plummeted directly in the middle of his forehead. A laugh bubbles it's way up my throat as the loud 'smack' it made with contact echoed in my ears. His body grew stiff as the snowball stayed stuck to his face like a horn; furthering resembling a unicorn.