Cold. Too cold. Absolutely freezing. Why couldn't have spring arrived already? Or better yet! Summer! Those were the muddling thoughts of the grey, old wolf who prepared another stack of wood to take in. He needed to go out into the freezing night for wood unless he wanted to freeze for the rest of the night, of course...

A curse was lost the howling of the winds as he turned around and glared to the white of the night. As if that would somehow scare off the winds from containing its rein in the night. A cup of hot cocoa in front of the fire would have to do. Wiping up his glasses from fogging up he glared into the white abyss one last time, staring at the whirling storm and the trudge of the figure before returning to the task at hand and picking up the stack of wood.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

The wood dropped out of his frozen hands, his body now equally just as frozen to the core with a gust of ice that smacked him right across the face. His vision blurred, heart pounding, hands quivering. Something moved. Someone moved. He whirled around once again and stared out into the night. Blue eyes frantically darting around, hoping- praying what he saw wasn't real. Surely the snow in his glasses was playing tricks on his eyes.

There!

His eyes snapped to the figure- a small figure at that, slowly trudging through the snow. Slow...so ever slowly. Not a moment later did they drop out of sight. They dropped out of sight...

The lantern was snatched from the foot of the trunk and now in his hand, as he raced through the thickets of snow. He cursed more loudly only for it to be blown away by the howls of the winds. It could be dangerous. But there was no time to question whether it was worth it or not. The clock was ticking. He had to reach them before the white blanket wrapped them out, erasing any trace of their existence and appearance.

Frantic eyes continuously darted around the white vastness, the lantern outstretched in his hand as he searched for any signs the snow hasn't already covered up the figure's appearance. Who- He thought, Who goes out in an ungodly hour in the night for whatever reason? Who goes out and thinks, "I'll go for a walk in the middle of a blizzard night!" Nobody that's who! At least nobody sane.

Hopelessness was beginning to gnaw at him from inside, by now he must've been where he spotted the lone figure. Nothing in sight, he might've as well given up as he looked down at the snow with a pink splotch. Pink. Pink fur to be exact. He found it.

He got down to his knees, dropped the lamp to the side, and began to dig out the snow. The wind fought against him to cover the figure up with the white blanket. More curses were loose, his whole body was shivering and finally pulled out the figure.

It was...

It was...

It's a...

Child. A child.

The world slowed to a stop. Everything was unmoving. The heat was bubbling up, a burst of rage and confusion ready to explode from its bottle at the sight before him, right in between his arms. A child. Such a small one.

The child trembled in his grasp, as he held the lantern above her to get a better look. A badger, her pink hair were an absolute mess, bruises scattered all over her with her muzzle and fingers pale, a tint of blue now covering the tip, she was freezing to death. She was not dressed for the weather and the wounds made it all the more confusing and infuriating.

Shoving every question aside he cradled the child in his arms trying to provide some sort of warmth in the meantime and got up. Another glare was given to the night before trudging back to the cabin, the winds growing stronger he feared it would blow away the child in his arms.

Finally! Warmth at last! He kicked the door shut behind him and shook off any snow scattered on him. Hanging up the lantern he took a good look at the unconscious child.

She was just a tiny child, a badger, dark pink hair all over the place with red at the tips. A scarf too big to fit her with an oversized hoodie, he would've assumed it was for the cold but the shorts and bandages told him otherwise, the child didn't even have shoes on.

How?- Who? He stiffened up. Was that blood? What kind of monster would hurt a child like this? For what purpose? For what evil deeds would they possibly do this to a child?

He began to wipe off all the snow of him before the child ended up not only cold and hurt, but soaked as well. For now, he would lay her on the couch and tend to her wounds until then. Blankets, pillows, bandages, antidotes, towels should all do for now as he began to process. Every shaky, weak breathing, every twitch, and whimper from the child only deepened his sympathy for her and anger at what has done this in the first place.

~-°—✞—˚✧❨✧˚—✞—°-~

Such warmth. Where....Hazy and confused green eyes pried open, only to shut again from the bright light. She was awake. Awake, confused, and surprisingly cozy. The pink badger laid on...whatever she was on, bundled up in the warmth of the blankets she rather not question at the moment where they came from. Opening her eyes felt like such a battle...maybe she'll shut them for a few more minutes.......

....

....

....

Green eyes snapped open. More awake this time around. Her mind was cloudy, what happened? How did she get here? Maybe she should get up and look around. Maybe-

Creak.

Her eyes snapped open, now frantically searching around for the noise before violently flinching, a quiet whimper was her response with her head throbbing and if she were to set a hand to the side of her head, she could feel the bandages wrapped around her head. Bandages? Bandages? Dazed she looked down to herself and stared at the blue blanket. To herself, she saw she was wrapped in bandages and bandaids. Her grey hoodie was now gone as well as...as well as...her scarf. Where's her scarf?

Panic burst within as she frantically felt for her scarf. Where was it?! Where was her scarf?! All more considered important matters were thrown out the window. The scarf was far more important. A shiver went up to her spine as she began to climb out of the blankets, her whole body was quivering with her pounding heart, trying to resist the burning pain and exhaustion throughout her body, and fell from the couch- Thud!- as a consequence for straining her body.

She cried with a yelp now on the brink of tears. Everything hurt. So cold. So cold. The world was spinning before her and the tears didn't help one bit in her already blurring vision. A burning sensation swept through her body as she whimpered yet again. Let the pain end.

Her breathing was rapid, uneven, and weak, shivering to the core even more after losing her only source of warmth and comfort. My scarf..! Another whimper interrupted her thoughts. She forced her petrified, weak form to get up, only to fall back down with a cry. Where was she? How did she get here? Why was she here? Where were her friends?! What?!-

Tap, tap, tap, tap.

An ear twitched to the oncoming footsteps, her whole body trembled on the floor as she wrapped her hands onto her head. With a pounding heart and fast breathing, she peeked through her arms, terrified, teary, green eyes attempting to see who or what was closing in on her, now ready for the worst. The footsteps stopped, sensing eyes on her she curled up into a ball as the pain worsened.

"Don't, don't do that...you'll only harm yourself even more." A hoarse voice spoke up, the stranger began to gently lift the badger from her frightened state. The child's response was to squirm and twist from the stranger's grip, now flinching from the pain and weakly whimpered. The poor child was in a downpour of tears.

"Kid don't –" The stranger started up again only for her to whine, "kid take it easy there...work with me- just look. You're hurt. I'm trying to help- but you need to listen.." She was kept in a gentle grip, careful not to be dropped to the ground again as she surrendered to the voice. Her tearful eyes met with the tired blue eyes of a middle-aged, gray wolf who stared back to her, now adjusting his glasses. Her heart was pounding, confused about this stranger's appearance. Eyes snapping back and forth between the stranger and the hands holding her.

The gray wolf took a good look at her state, a moment of awkward silence filled the room before he spoke up. He tried to reach out to wipe the tears, an attempt to help, only for the child to pull away and flinch. This would be fun.

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I've been meaning to do this short story. Started it a few years back but never continued it- so here I am rewriting again with the redraw.

Criticism is always welcomed- now see ya