Winter by Master Akane

Chapter 1

Short little ONE SHOT! Kag/Sess implied, but nothing major. No names are mentioned but I think you will be able to guess whose who. It might not make sense. I didn't plan this out; I wrote the first sentence and just let my hands flow! I hope you enjoy!

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Winter

Winter was always a strange season. Not strange in a good way, or a bad way. It was just strange, different than the rest of the year.

I told this to my mother once. She laughed lightly; she has a habit of doing that, and said the cold would just get to my head. And for the longest time I believed her. Winter would come and I would wait it out until spring came as it does every year.

Then as I became older and started looking at the world more, I thought of winter once again. Of the cold, the newly fallen snow, the joyfulness of the festivities, the closeness of those who love each other more than the world itself. I looked at everything associated with winter, and then I looked at my life.

I'm no one really special. No beauty queen or child prodigy will be found in me. But I make it through. I have a grandfather, that despite the quirks, I love very much. My mother and I understand each other, well, more or less, but you understand. And my little brother brightens my world.

I am very outgoing and enjoy life to the fullest, or at least I try to do this. I run in the rain, play in the snow and bask in the sun whenever the opportunity arises. Every major festival I try to attend, or celebrate in my own quiet manner. My family and friends mean the world to me, and I hold them very close and spend as much time as possible with them.

I decided that my problem with winter was all in my mind, and had nothing to do with my outside influences. I set the problem aside for another year, enjoying the warmer seasons while I could.

This is when I started going through the well. I didn't think it would change me. Well, I can't say that, because that is a lie. But I didn't think it would change how I felt about things that I had to that point held very dear to my heart. It went on like this for years. Seasons came and went, and everything seemed fine. Until one winter:

We were walking through a forest. At the time I wasn't sure where...I never had the best sense of direction. Looking back, it must have been near the western borders. But all I remember was we were walking, just the two of us. Like when it all started, just me and him. I didn't realize until that day how much I missed out quite excursions. Unfortunately, I'm afraid it was a one sided feeling. We had been walking for most of a day, and me being the weak person I was, requested to rest. Of course he didn't comply, but I find I have a knack when it comes to persuasion. So we stopped. Snow had begun to fall, and I was getting cold. He looked so lovable right then, when he looked down at my shivering body. When my eyes met his I was hypnotized. He said to wait while he gathered wood for a fire. I felt so safe. I had no idea...

I don't know how long I was asleep. I just know it was enough time for the already dark sky to turn completely black, and for the snow to become another few inches deep. I shivered and decided to tend the fire. But there was no fire. And he wasn't there. Neither was my necklace I always kept close to my neck.

I knew it was he that took the precious jewel. Anyone else would have killed me, or worse. But I was left perfectly alone. I was alone, in a place I didn't know. I didn't cry, which surprised even me. I merely sat there, thinking over everything. I held my friends close, yet they still run away. Just like my family tried to hold me close, but I kept running back here. I shook the snow off of myself. Maybe the cold was getting to me. I knew I had to move.

But I had no where to go. So I still sat there. It must have been and hour or so since I woke up after what was, I'm sure, at least six or so hours. No one had bothered to look for me. It was no secrete to the rest of the company where we were headed. I was still in clear sight of the main road. Yet know one had come.

This saddened me, and made me feel cold. The cold was getting to me. But not only was it encircling my body, it was taking hold of my very soul. I felt numb. I didn't know what I should be feeling. I did however think that winter was partially to blame. It always was a strange season. Many people claim to love it, yet it also takes the most people away from us in illness. Maybe that's why we stay close during the cold months, for an inherited fear of loosing the ones we love to the harsh season. But there I go talking nonsense again.

I knew I would be deathly sick soon, but still I had no where to go, so I stayed where I was. And that's when I saw them. A rag-tag group is what they would appear as to anyone who didn't know otherwise. But I knew. I knew the mighty demon lord of the west when I saw him. I knew his loyal servant that carried the staff of two heads. I even knew the little human girl that followed him. I never did know why she loved the lord so.

The demon looked at me, and I cast my eyes downward. I was no fool. I had no weapons or energy, and I didn't want to be harmed at his hands. When I did dare to look up again, I noticed the little girl running over towards me. I was happy to see her properly clothed for such harsh weather. Silently she ran next to me and placed a bundle down beside me. With a small smile, she turned and ran back to her lord. The proud demon patted her head affectionately and then turned back to look at me.

I took the bundle in my hands, and found that it was a blanket. Not a worn one that would serve no purpose, but a nice comforting large one. By the size I guessed that it might have been his blanket. Wrapped inside I found a few warm biscuits. I looked up to where I had last seen the trio, and found him still standing there. I couldn't speak, so I nodded my head. Apparently that was good enough for him.

He turned to his companions, and motioned for them to be off. I ate the biscuits and wrapped myself in the blanket. In what must have been an hour or so later, my friends, a demon slayer and a monk, had found me. The ironic part was that they stumbled upon me by accident, not purpose, even though I should have had arrived back in the village long before.

I will admit it was one of the strangest winters I ever encountered. But it made my years more complete. I realized what winter was missing for me. Spring I remembered the first time I met him, pinned to that large legendary tree. Summer I remember the first time I shot an arrow and bow with some skills. Autumn I remember the first time I was kissed. Each of these memories is dear to me. Winter never seemed to hold any hope, until I was shown a true act of kindness by the least likely of persons.

Winter is still strange, but I think now, it is in more of a good way, than an odd way.

~End~

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