Snow Thyself - Shaded Hollow 14

Brad stumbled through the woods, his vision blurring due to the harsh winds and snow swirling around him. Dressed in what one would barely call 'winter clothing,' Brad was hit by a sudden snow squall, causing him to veer off the road until conditions got better, but they didn't. The engine block froze over quickly, refusing to turn over and properly start. The plastic and cardboard he had for his broken back window were surprisingly non-insulating. Without the constant heat entering the cab, the interior quickly equalized in temperature to the outside storm. Deciding he wasn't too far from civilization, he exited the car to brave the storm, thinking it would be better than being found frozen to death in a car. He instantly became lost, losing sight of the road the second he left the vehicle. Soon, even the car was gone in the storm, leaving Brad to try to push through the blizzard.

The cold bit at him like snakes, his fingers and toes becoming red as blood tried to warm them up, then white as his body decided his vital organs were more important than his limbs. He kept pushing against the wind, trying to make out anything more than a foot in front of him as he dodged sticks and rocks scattering the forest floor. His heartbeat started to slow as hypothermia took over, challenging him for his very survival. One foot in front of the other, he tried to keep walking, only for his legs to eventually give out. He fell to the ground in a heap, curling into a ball in a feeble attempt to stay warm. He knew this was the end, thinking about all the things he would never get to experience. He thought of his one true ambition, to prove the supernatural was real, but that dream would die in the woods with him. The cold took over, winning the fight against Brad's body as he succumbed to it; his final thoughts were those of failure.

Something in the woods saw this plight, seeing into Brad's fading soul as the darkness started closing around it. An unseen force stopped it, picking up the curled-up body and breathing life back into it. He was never what one would consider tan, but Brad's skin paled significantly, almost blending in with the surrounding snow. His body slimmed, the fat that failed to insulate him redistributing around his hips and chest, growing them immensely and giving the man an alluring silhouette. His shoulders narrowed along with his waist, accentuating the curves he now possessed. His muddy brown eyes and hair lightened, the former turning as blue as ice and the latter as white and fluid as the storm. The snow itself curled around the new woman, shaping itself into an elegant dress, complete with a flowing tapestry of fabric in her arms and tall heels that had no place in the wild.

Yuki awoke with a start, the name rolling around in her head. Her memories were still intact, those from when she was Brad, but now she was something else, something not even human. She moved her arms, admiring her new body as ice twirled around her, following her hand movements as if she were throwing it. She ran her hand down along her supple body, feeling the gentle cupping of her breasts and the dress's split running down her smooth legs. Her body wasn't warm; however, her skin was cold to the touch. She could feel power running through her, a new purpose given to her as she became a winter spirit. The forest had saved her, and now she needed to protect it in the harshest season. It was the least she could do for a second chance at life.

In the distance, she saw the lights of the town, so close but too far for Brad to have made it. She began her trek towards the buildings, admiring the beauty of winter as she walked effortlessly through the mangled underbrush of the woods. She walked leisurely, the cold no longer affecting her, empowering her if anything. She came up to a building, looking through a window that spilled warm light to see two women and a man, exchanging gifts and laughing. She could feel the magic radiating off the two women, but not off the man. She smiled at the idea of the supernatural and natural getting along, a thing she yearned to prove, already being shown to be accepted by the mere mortals, even despite their differences.

She moved on, leaving the trio to their night of festivities and through the town until she came across more supernatural energy emanating from a house. She summoned a wave of snow, letting it carry her gently to the second level, where she spotted a half-snake, half-human woman enjoying a mug of cocoa. She appeared to be talking despite being alone, or at least that was what Yuki thought until the thing she thought was a beanbag chair reshaped into a girl made entirely of slime. She could spot a blob of hot cocoa inside the woman, no doubt from the mug suspended next to it. She giggled, thinking of the girl eating the whole cup, not understanding how people with mouths ate and drank.

Yuki lifted herself higher into the sky, gliding noiselessly across the sky and over top what looked like two women having a snowball fight. They both laughed as they threw chunks of slush at each other, their wolfish ears and tails in full display, something that was hidden from Yuki until she herself joined the paranormal bubble. She continued, seeing a lit-up house in the distance, music originating from a party going on, no doubt in celebration of the new year. The MC, being a blonde cat girl, was enjoying herself a lot, while the rest of the people at the party either did not notice her ears and tail or did not care. Yuki floated higher into the sky, almost touching the clouds as they peppered her with snow. She smiled at the town below her, thinking about what the new year would bring for it and for her.