The wind screamed its way through the cliffside, its voice reaching far into the depths of the night. Mother nature threatened to shake loose the thin layer of pristine snow that had coated every surface. Slick and dangerous. It had been an impulsive decision to travel this late at night, she hadn’t expected the snow to be falling this early in the year. Dorada had planned for this to be a quick adventure up the cliffside to see if she could get a better view of the skies shifting colour. It had taken her longer than expected to advance up the uneven surface; before the snow had fallen - getting home was going to be a challenge. She wasn’t about to let a little bit of wind and frozen water stand in her way! She had travelled lightly only packing supplies for the short journey. She had already eaten her packed lunch, and drained the thermos of coffee. Only the memory of its warmth and taste remained now. She shivered and her body was wet with the sweat of exertion, freezing by the plummeting temperatures. Her sooty palomino coat became obscured by a dusting of snowflakes. The ground was slippery beneath her hooves, and each step had to be carefully taken. The feeling of not being able to move swiftly, to escape the situation was deeply unsettling. The plunge of the rock face below, combined with the narrow path was claustrophobic - the wind itself took her breath away. Her mouth was both dry and frozen, frost crystals clung to her nostrils. Her breath was visible in the soft huffs as she exhaled. She knew her family at home would be worried for her well being by now, she had told them she wouldn’t be out past sundown. Rosa was the force for good in her life, steering her away from some more chaotic life choices. Now, she had likely made her worry - for nothing more than an impulse. She hadn’t even gotten to see the lights in the sky. She was apathetic to others for the most part but Rosa she cared deeply for. Her partner in crime, well less of the crime part these days; Rosaline helped her find a better focus for her efforts in life. Perhaps if the weather improved she and Rosa could make the journey again together to see the lights. The memory of their meeting at the meadows imbued her with a flush of warmth in the frigid steeps. Rosa had been learning from a cleric elder at the time; her gentle spirit had won Dorada over. Her reminiscing was interrupted by the wind, this time its screeching sounded closer. It was as though the wind itself was chasing her back down the cliff. She had imagined she would be enjoying the first snows at home with Rosa, rather than stuck up a cliff being chased by a windy spirit. They would be perched in front of a warm fire, drinking warm drinks - having warm conversations. That was what she yearned for, she needed to thaw. She needed to get down from this cliff and back home. Home where Rosa would be there waiting for her; they could enjoy the warmth together. Her mind rotated through all the warm drinks and food she could be consuming. Hot chocolate, coffee...muffins? She would eat them all. Her stomach grumbled in agreement. She would eat all of the warm things given the chance. The wind seemed to laugh at her distracted mind and then howled, reminding her of reality once more. The path leveled out at last; she had made it back to earth. Her heart thundered and it took all her composure not to bolt. The ground was still too uneven, and wet to run. The hard part was completed, now she simply needed to endure the short walk home. Home was where Rosa was, waiting for her. She hoped that her partner would be understanding, that seeing Dorada return home uninjured would be enough. The spirit of adventure had caused her to impulsively climb up the mountain side, and the weather had turned unexpectedly. She would return to Rosa in one piece, unharmed but shaken. The unsettling feeling of being followed still lingered in the back of her mind. Was this misadventure a sign that she needed to appreciate all that she had in her life? To make sure that she was making decisions that aligned with this? The wind roared further, causing the frozen hairs on her flesh to raise. She couldn’t help but be superstitious with the wind toying with her, was it only the wind or something more?