Midnight Hearth, Episode 1. (should have a name)

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I covered my face with my scarf as best I could, but the wind still stung. I anchored my boots in the snow with each step to try to keep my balance.

The forest was dense and dark, and it was silent. There were no owls, no birds, and, thankfully no howls of wolves. There were still wolves here in the north. They appeared in many of the stories Gabriel had collected. The carriage road I walked on was just a minuscule slice amidst the endless acreage of wilderness. I felt the towering trees constrict my loneliness into dread. The isolation was inescapable. 

After a time the forest opened up to a clearing, where it met a billboard that spelled out “The Village of Osiris Welcomes You!” It was clear that this was a celebrated beacon, in the past. But time had had its way with it. Unlit bulbs, mostly broken, surrounded the structure. Each letter, painted with regality in orange and turquoise, had faded and peeled. Twin, winged lions struck poses on either end. Each had chips in their feathers, yet they still looked up at the sky. 

When I passed the welcome sign, I thought I heard something.

An animal? There had to be something in the woods.

I looked out past the trail, and I saw a figure. She seemed to glide as she walked alongside the trees. She was covered in robes that were as wispy and delicate as falling snow. 

A white shawl covered her face. In the lack of light I swore her skin looked blue. 

I realized then that she was crying. 

I called out to her, to see if she needed help. But as soon as I did, I couldn’t see her.

Was she hiding from me? I looked for her around the trees. The snow around the roots had no footprints in it. I called again, but received no reply.

She was gone.

Confused and cold, I walked on.