The first thing I did waking up six years old and peering out the fogged up window, was gasp in excitement. 

I ran out the room practically breathless. Joy evident on my face.

"It's winter, it's winter!" I cried through the halls.

Winter, my favorite season had finally come and I wanted to experience it firsthand. Everything about winter was beautiful. From the bitter cold that would create rosy cheeks, to the frozen trees and buildings that became entrapped in ice; everything was beautiful in the winter.

I ran to my mother's room, not bothering to knock before I entered.

"Momma, momma! Can I go outside to play?" I could barely stand still as I asked her.

She stood up from where she sat at her vanity.

She frowned. "Xalale, manners."

I ceased jumping just long enough to add, "Please can I go outside, Momma? Please?"

She sighed but smiled at me. "Go ahead. Be back before the sun starts to set and stay close."

"Thank you."

I didn't shut the door behind me as I ran out, but I was too excited to care. Quickly rushing back to my room, I put on my winter cloak and gloves and boots.

"OK done." I rushed back out and hurried to the stairs.

Sliding down the rail, I continue down the halls till I reached the back doors. Nobody uses the back entrance except a few of the servants. Pushing through the doors, I'm greeted by the bitter wind and blinded temporarily by the bright fallen snow.

The sky above me was blue and clear. The endless snowstorm we had had finally moved out and left a breathtaking sight.

My feet left tracks in the fresh snow. I jumped in the mounds of snow, laughing as each one reached higher and higher up my legs to my waist. Along the way, I glanced back to see if I could still see the palace behind me.

Mother said to stay close, and staying close always meant being able to see the palace. Today, though, I struggled with deciding whether to stay closer or travel farther.

"I stay close all the time. I wanna see what's further."

For six years I stayed close, but today I was feeling adventurous, so I wandered into the woods, losing sight of the palace and going where I want.

The forest is grand in its winter coat. Every tree seemed to sparkle, all the birds seemed to sing, the wonderful cold wind made the forest whistle with joy. It was a musical phenomenon in the forest that was too perfect to ignore.

Singing and skipping through knee-high snow, I lost myself in the wonder of winter. The only reason I stopped skipping and singing was because a sight up ahead caught my eye and held my attention.

A small fawn stood, staring at me with wary eyes. The ray of sunlight cutting through the trees was a natural spotlight for the creature. I stared at it for a minute and it stared back at me.

An idea hit me and slowly I pulled out some old corn that dried when I stashed it in my pocket. Carefully, I held out the corn willing the fawn to approach so I didn't have to. I knew one sudden movement would scare it off.

This was a rare opportunity and even the forest seemed to sense it. All was still, no song played from the wind or birds, no snow fell from the branches, everything held its breath.

I could tell in its eyes that it wanted the gift, but its nature wouldn't allow it. It fought it though and the fawn began to gingerly close the distance between us.

"Come on, you can trust me." I pleaded with my eyes for it to come closer.

I didn't react when the graceful creature nibbled at the corn in my outstretched hand, but after a second, a smile spread across my face and I couldn't help but giggle.

In the stories that mother read me, the hero had many animal friends that they would play with.

I was afraid the fawn would retreat once it finished the meal in my hand, but instead it looked at me and waited.

"Oh, I have some more if that's what you want." I carefully reach into my pocket again and pull out another handful of dried corn. The fawn began to nibble again and the forest returned to its normal musical tune.

I finally had a friend. I was like a hero in the stories.

I picked up where I left off singing and my new friend continued to nibble on. I must've be standing as still as a statue, because a few more curious creatures ventured out of their hiding places. A squirrel with grey fur climbs out of his tree to see what I'm doing, a bluebird and a dove perched themselves above me, looking down to watch. Out of the corner of my eye, a beautiful red fox stares at me.

"I don't have enough food for all of you, but we could find some." Though I didn't know where to look.

The fawn stepped back from me, but didn't run away- it must've trusted me enough.
I looked around at all my new animal friends. They were all diverse in species, size, color, and other things, but that's what made them each unique.

Suddenly, another idea hit me.

"Hey, I know what we can do," I announced. "Follow me."

I hurried through the snowy forest till I break through and find myself at the top of steep hill. Obediently my animal friends follow behind me, curious to see what I was about to do.

"Where is it? Where is it?" I frantically search around the area, trying to find something. "I know it's around here somewhere...Aha!"

I pulled out a small wooden sleigh from the bushes where it was hidden.

"This," I said showing the creatures,"is a sleigh. I'll show you what it's used for. It's a lot of fun."

Planting it on top of the hill, I sit down, holding the rope that serves as the reins. Glancing over at my friends, who were still watching me curiously, I, with one quick shove, glide down the hill.

Screaming in joy all the way down, I closed my eyes and felt free. The sniping wind pushing passed me and the snow flying at my face. The sharp angle of the hill made the ride down even better. I'm almost to the bottom when I opened my eyes.

The frozen pond at the bottom doesn't stop the sled, it only increased the speed. I stick out my boots to try to slow it down before it reached the edge of the pond, but that didn't help much, so instead I braced for impact.

"Whoa!" Flying between two tall trees, I flip into a soft snow pile. Giggling as I brushed myself off, I stepped back onto the icy pond and look up at the hill just in time to see my fawn friend sliding and stumbling down.

Dragging my sled behind me, I met it halfway and laugh as it tried- but failed- to stand on its shaky legs on the ice.

"Calm down, calm down. It's a lot harder to be graceful on the ice than on the snow, right?"

It finally found its footing but had to stand in an awkward stance to keep from falling again. It attempted to come over to me, but I knew if it did it would fall again.

"Stay there, I'll come to you." I smiled, carefully making my way over to it.

Just as I approached it, a flash of gray came sliding by.

I chuckled at the squirrel. "You ok?"

Unlike the fawn, the squirrel popped right back up on its feet and seemed to be fine on the ice. Just as I was watching the squirrel scamper across the ice, I lost my footing and slip. This frightens the fawn a bit, but I'm not hurt.

"Guess it's harder than it looks," I said pushing myself back up. I look over at the side of the pond where the red fox watches us. The bluebird and dove settle on a nearby tree.

"Come on." I coax the fox onto the ice.

It puts an uncertain paw on the ice and stepped out. It doesn't slip immediately, but a few a steps in, it falls flat.

"It's okay. We at least all fell." I said as I get back up. Looking at my five friends I said, "I don't know what to call you since I don't know whether you're boys or girls."

I giggled as the fawn fell again. "That's okay, I could just tell you my name. I'm Xalale."

Squirrel appears to be having a good time running and slipping around on the frozen pond. It looks like fun so I join in and eventually so does fawn and fox. Bluebird and dove sing a sweet winter tune above our heads.

We slipped and slid, sung and laughed all day long until the first rays of orange painted the sky and signaled the coming dusk.

"I'll race you back to the forest." I sang as I ran off the ice and back up the hill.

The six of us headed back into the forest, which looked more stunning under the calming sunset colors. Bluebird and dove flew off first, then red fox disappeared home followed by squirrel heading home to his tree as well. The only ones left was fawn and me. I retraced my tracks back to where I could see the palace.

Stopping and turning around to face the fawn, it approached me slowly.

"I have to go home now, but we can play again tomorrow. Me and you and squirrel, fox, bluebird, and dove."

It seemed to understand me, but didn't turn and run off. We stared at each other and for a moment I reached out to touch it, but it jerked back and remembered its nature. It turned and bounded off into the woods. I guess it would take some time to gain trust, but I understood.

"Bye, see you tomorrow," I yelled, waving goodbye before heading into the palace.

That night as mother finished reading a story to me, I told her all about my new friends. She smiled and told me that it was nice I made friends, but I don't think she believed me fully. It didn't matter, though, I knew I made friends, even if they were animals.

After she left, I ran to my window and stared out at the land covered in its winter coat.

"I'm glad you're here winter. Everything good happens during winter."