Oh shit oh shit oh shit!

Melana shouted under her breath while being chased off from a mountain village by guards and their dogs.

Deep snow didn’t make her escape any easier, scraping her hands and knees when trudging through the deep and rough cold ice. “Over here! This way!” One of the guards shouted signalling the way.

Out of breath, the sun was setting soon and wind was picking up as she heard the dogs closing in fast.

“Blasted jewels, I shouldn't have been tempted, now they want me dead.” Melana complained under her breath as she worked her way through the waist deep snow, the cold was slowly creeping in.

The snow was getting shallower, but the wind was getting harder, she wasn't sure if she could hear the dogs behind her, or the guards barking or the wind in her ears. She didn’t have proper winter clothes on, she hoped she could sneak back to the inn to pick them up, her fur helped some but that only to a certain point. She stopped, looked down a ravine, she heard  the ice crack as she watched the river below ending in a waterfall. In panic she turned and saw the dogs, and might have made out the outlines of the guards in the distance too, if it wasn't for the ground that gave up beneath her, one dog got too close, she took a step back but didn't notice she stepped into thin air and they both fell into the water.

The crash into the icy river hit all air out from her lungs and she swallowed too much water, in panic she tried to swim in any direction, the cold water burning in her eyes and deafening her ears she didn’t hear the waterfall.

“She’s probably dead, she must be. Come let’s return these jewels to the Count, at least she will be happy. Sorry about the dog tho, the water should be a quick death” The guards turned and returned to the nearby village, to warmth and safety.

She had hit her head and she was sure she’d die, cold, weak and in incredible pain she crawled towards the darkness. She had fallen down the waterfall, now pitiful coughing up blood, not sure how much she had left. The cold was setting in, and the wind was picking up, she was losing all feeling, softly drifting into the cold void, in the desolate cave beneath the waterfall.

She was afraid, she felt sick, in pain and cold. She would have embraced death.

“Wake up” She wanted to shake her head but couldn’t feel it. “Embrace me, i’ll protect you”

She heard the voice again, she didn’t have the strength to resist, nor the strength to respond. “Come to me, i’ll embrace you, i’ll protect you, if you’ll allow” Somewhere in the dark cold void, she felt a will to live, a faint spark. She tried to reach out to the voice that came from somewhere, from everywhere, from within her and around her. She couldn’t pinpoint the location.

All she wanted was warmth.

She felt the flames of life engulf her, fill her from the inside, from her toes to her fingers to her ears. She felt the fire burn from within, she didn’t feel the pain she had felt earlier. There was only darkness, and warmth.

She felt the icy rock beneath her, how uncomfortable and cold it was. She tried to move, but lacked strength, but she was not afraid. She felt something embracing her, warm, soft and gentle.

She could feel her lips again, and the clothes on her, they were not wet. She was sure she had fallen into a river, did something or someone dry them? She felt her head lifted and placed on a lap, it was warm, safe, she felt so safe. She tried to open her eyes, but it was dark, very dark. She heard the waterfall nearby.

----------------------------------------------------

After five days in the cave beneath the waterfall, she had lost track of time, mostly sleeping. But now sitting upright, a small fire on the icy ground, it was warm, but not melting the ice.

She watched the creature sitting opposite to her, a large slender thing with red fur and strange symbols in its fur.

She watched as this slender creature gently moved to sit next to her, leaning gently, she felt her negative thoughts disappearing, as well as fear.

“You say I was here almost a week And so were you?” The creature nodded. It had kept her safe, found her when she was in a situation of fear, pain and suffering, erased those feelings and nursed her back to health. “But you don’t know who you were before you were made into what you are or how long ago it was.” The creature nodded, told her that Its mission was to live, not sure about what else, It had found a willing host, who It now promised to protect above all, assist in all tasks, and be a companion. Never again alone, never again afraid.

She leaned her head on the shoulder of the warm creature, she could live with this, It did rescue her after all.

“And you want nothing in return, other than feed on what you call negative energy, whatever that is” The creature nodded, satisfied that she had figured out what It was here to do.

“What can I use you for? Physically, I mean, other than giving me your thoughts or magically protecting me” She inquired. The creature tilted its slender head, giving her question a moment's thought.

“Whatever you want, I believe” She heard Its voice within her. “Others can’t see me, unless you deem it necessary, I can be your eyes further away, spying, seeing, hearing. I keep you warm when it’s cold, dry if it’s wet. Touch you, heal you.”

“So if i wanted to” She inquired, taking a small break. “I could send you to see what's inside an open window high up in a tower in case anything good to steal?” The creature nodded. “Be wary of attracting too much attention, yes, I will destroy everything to pårotect you, but that will attract powerful enemies.”

She smiled, felt the creature  wrapping an arm around her shoulder. “What should i call you? Are you.. Uh a boy or a girl?”

“I am whatever you want me to be, call me by any name, if it is closeness you seek of me, I can do both.”

Pondering, softly she closed her eyes. A week in a dark cave, I wondered if the guards had forgotten about her.

But for now, she was safe, and warm.