Blistering winds and howling gusts. 

Blistering winds and howling gusts. 

It was difficult to see what was in front of me due to this damn blizzard. When I lost my horse, all I could do was guess my way towards immediate shelter. It was blinding white. Any attempt to open my eyes fully and clearly see the path ahead was subdued by the piercing snow. I held myself close, hugging in whatever warmth I could, and walked onward--  painfully sluggish.

I don’t know how much time has passed, but the bitter cold was beginning to weaken my morale. If I didn’t find shelter from the storm soon a frozen death would be the end of me. I couldn’t control my shivering and I began to slow down. Frost clung to my flesh, seemingly weighing me down. I exhaled a frigid sigh. My journey had just begun and it was about to end all too soon.

Suddenly, something dark shadowed the white that clouded my sight. I carefully wiped my face with the back of my tattered sleeve and squinted my eyes to make out what stood ahead. There it was… a large, black wolf. The bones and flesh of its face were exposed, or perhaps, the storm was making me see things. It stood still, as if waiting for me, but I couldn’t take another step forward. For all I knew… I fainted where I stood.