She had been afraid of this howling wind once. She'd feared the endless snow. And yet now, all she could see was beauty in this frozen hellscape.

It made her sick.

How could she take comfort in something that had killed so many of her loved ones? What was wrong with her? Maybe she really was a monst-

Her ears pricked up at the sound of soft footprints behind her. She tensed up and tried to hide, but she was too late. A voice called out hoarsely, "Avery!"

It was her best friend. Someone who she'd once been able to share anything with, and someone who could never understand what had happened to her. She turned around slowly as Tom spoke. "What... are you doing out here?"

She pulled her hood tighter against her head. They had come so far, risked so much to find her. Their face was almost completely covered, shielding them from the bitter, deadly cold that now protected her, but she could see the determined spark in their storm-grey eyes. They were still willing to listen; it was more than she could say for her parents.

And yet Avery couldn't do anything but disappoint them. Something shattered in her heart. "Tom... You need to get out of here," she said quietly.

Their brows furrowed. She could see them trying to piece the situation together. How cruel fate was, that she knew them well enough to tell just what they were thinking: What's going on? How can I help? "I don't know what you're going through," they said slowly, taking a step towards her. "But I- You know I'm here, right? You know that I love you? Whatever it is, we can weather it together."

She could see the exact moment that Tom noticed, the way they flinched and their eyes widened. Ice-cold tears were dripping down her face, glowing an unnatural neon cyan.

That was what she was. Unnatural. She bowed her head and let her hood fall. "I'm not human any more, Tom," she said in a shockingly steady voice. "It's getting harder and harder to hide it. I can't-" Her voice cracked. "I can't go back. They'll kill me."

Desperation entered their eyes now. "We can run away together, then. We know how to survive. We can make it." They carved a path through the snow, grabbing Avery by the shoulders. "You-"

Whatever they had been about to say, it died on their tongue. Frost crept up their gloves, crawling along the black leather in all the places that they were making contact with her. Even through her thick fur jacket, she radiated cold. "...You're frozen?"

She smiled sadly and stepped away. "I'm not. But you will be if you keep touching me."

Tom's eyes filled up with tears—real ones, drops of water that froze the moment they touched the sub-zero air. "Oh god, Avery..." They took a step away. "I-I'm sorry. I love you," they said again.

Then they were running, trying to follow their own footprints before the wind and ice could swallow them up. Avery shrugged off the jacket and raised a hand, parting the storm so they had a clear path back home.

It was all she could do for them now. It wasn't enough. It would never be enough. And yet it would have to be, because if she wanted to survive now, she couldn't spare a second for nostalgia or sadness.

...Not that she could have before. She reflected on that as she walked away, following scent trails into the forest. At least now she would control her own destiny, rather than being a pawn for the people who ruled the city.

Maybe it was better like this. Maybe she could at least convince herself of that.

A/N: bitches listen to shelter from the storm ONCE and suddenly they become a haggard shivering wreck in the endless winter. it's me. i'm bitches (btw go listen to that song, it's incredible)

i have some more ideas for this (like tom and avery meeting up again, or why avery is becoming a Creechure) so we'll see if i end up writing em out