Elonda stared out of her window, squeezing her face into the entire frame, and her breath began to fog up the dew-struck glass. She quickly used her sleeve to wipe away a near perfect circle. The winter was visible again.

It wasn’t floating down anymore, as she’d hoped, but still, the soft dirt of the valley was completely frosted over by the St. Gabriel snowfall. Nothing but a white sea of snow, peppered by dark trunks jutting out from underneath it. Elonda smiled, just a few more hours until her Papa would return, along with the young man on his strapping horse. Elonda always noted the whites of straight, flawless teeth through his neatly trimmed beard, as he helped Papa. As white as the snow, she dreamt.

Elonda’s head bobbed up as the thunder of her mom’s yell yanked her back into the wooden cabin.

“Elonda! Where are you?” Before her mom even finished the question, Elonda was on her feet and rushing through the small hallway and into the open living area. Her mother was sitting down by the fire, a blanket over her legs. Bishop, her baby brother was lying on her chest, cooing and grabbing for his mom’s gaunt cheeks. Elonda’s mother plainly stated, “He needs a change.” And she promptly held the brown pudgy boy out away from her. He only giggled as he was suspended.

Elonda grabbed Bishop and quickly shuffled over to the back of the room, where she changed him, like so many times before. Her mind fluttered back to the scenes of the snow and the man. Surely, she could go and touch the trees soon; the house was already tidy. And maybe her Papa would be on the road, so she can see him from her viewpoint on the hilltop she always climbed. She giggled as she finished changing Bishop's loin cloth. He tried to kick her as she began grabbing his fat ankles and rubbing them together. Bishop cried out in joy, still attempting to kick her away.

Her mother cut through the laughter. “Bring him here. Hurry, now.” She never looked back at them.

The fire cackled away as Elonda brought Bishop back to her mother’s arms. Her brown eyes bore up at Elonda. The girl's eyes averted her mother’s, and she stared at the blaze emerging from the pit instead.

She spat at Elonda. “Go. Into the wild’s where you belong. Out of my sight. Be sure to look out for Joaquin, it is the least you can do.” Her mother waved her away, sinking her eyes back into the flames.

Elonda only nodded and took deep breaths to cool her excitement. To show a modicum of happiness would spell the end of her adventures. She only needed to make it out of the homestead, so she walked briskly, closing the door behind her softly and latched it shut.

The snowy air began to wrap around her face and tickle at her ears, but she welcomed it. After so many days of being stuffed inside, and that fire constantly clicking throughout the cabin, Elonda needed the fresh, cold breeze.

She sprinted over the cushioned ground. Her boots crunched over the snow and towards the woods. The wind lapped at her face as she ran up and up.

Finally, she was on top of a hill, and she stood in front of a fat tree trunk. The wood was dark and felt wiry to touch. Elonda hugged it, and her arms didn't even reach halfway around the dark tree. She inhaled the smell of pine and looked up at her first branch.

With a jolt, Elonda scrambled up the tree, grabbing hold after hold, and soon she found the clearing of leaves up near the very top. It was a bald spot and offered a rather large branch to sit on and overlook the valley. From here she could try and see her Papa’s wagon. And the view she saw of the township was stunning. Her eyes scanned the roads. She didn’t recognize any of the travelers on the ones closer to her. She sighed as she slumped down into the thick branch she balanced on. From her stomach came a yearning wean, she was hungry. Elonda ignored it.

The clouds above looked like a reflection of the ground, another sea of white. The wind was whipping at her, and Elonda’s face shrunk into the scarf she wrapped around her head. For a moment she listened, and she only heard the whooshing of the leaves, to Elonda’s misfortune. Usually, the critters of the forest would be singing, but this morning the weather seemed to choke all the noise. Elonda hated it; she had enough silence as it was.

That’s when her eyes spotted the thing. Over the rest of the treetops, and slightly below her viewpoint was what looked to be a large hummingbird. Or so she thought due to the way the wings fluttered in a blur. It was getting bigger. Closer. Elonda’s eyes widened. This giant thing was flying at her.

The hum from its wings crawled into her ears.

In an instant, her body shot up and she started retreating back down. Her heart twinged as Elonda backed out of view from the bald spot within the tree, and she caught one last glimpse of the flying creature coming towards her. All she noted were its black wings and white eyes. Through the cascade of leaves, Elonda found her footing, one after the other.

The buzz grew louder. Warmth shot through her fingers and toes as she gripped each limb, turning her knuckles white as the buzzing now pounded into her eardrums.

Elonda scrambled down, faster now. Her right foot stepped onto the wrong branch that was caked with wet snow. She gasped as her boot found no traction, and Elonda’s leg swept out from under her. She held nothing but the air. With a CRACK! Her hip crashed down onto the branch, breaking it, and Elonda ripped at anything her hands could latch onto as she and the limb cascaded towards the ground.

She found no air to scream, and Elonda closed her eyes, bracing for the impact. The warm blood completely rushed from her hands and legs, into her head, and the instant quaking of her brain put Elonda into black, before she hit the ground.

The words were like sweet honey, being poured into a hot kettle full of light green mint leaves. Like her home. It was mixed with a feminine pitch, and an ancient accent that Elonda could not place.

“Girl” was all Elonda could hear.

“Sweet, Girl,” the voice repeated.

Through the haze, Elonda began to see images. Her eyelids felt like they had bricks strapped onto them as she attempted to open them wider. There was no one standing over her, and she could still feel the cold breeze touching her face. Elonda rubbed her eyes and saw the same white puffy sky above her, as it had been before she fell.

“It is okay, Girl, you only have nine scratches, and the bruise on your hip.” The warm voice washed over Elonda, and her body told her to get up. The snow stuck to her cloak as she rose, and her eyes darted around for the person who saved her. Not a soul stood in the snow. Just the pain that shot out from beneath her hip as she twisted around.

“Above you Girl. ”

Elonda looked at the tree, beaming. “You can talk?” But the tree stood dormant and sighed with the wind.

“Up here, sweetling.” Elonda cocked her head up.

She recoiled back, as Elonda realized it was the creature that she was running from earlier. It was positioned on the tree, squatting on what appeared to be two limbs, resembling something like a frog's legs, wide and skinny.  And three toes hooked themselves around the width of the branch it sat on. The torso was small, hunched over, and very round, and Elonda could not detect where the arms lay, but along the middle of its chest were two small breasts, protruding outwards, staring at her. The shadow of the leaves covered its head, blurring any details except for the giant white eyes, resembling two full moons. The wings were sheen black.

Everything in Elonda’s mind said run, but her body shut down, as if the chill had turned her into ice. Her lip quivered as she begged her feet to move!

“Dear Girl, do not trepide.”

“I–I–” Elonda was choking on her words.

“I know my appearance is – terror – but I mean you no harm, Girl. I only came to you with a gift. Pardon. My name is Presbyterissa.” With the last word it stuck out its tiny arms, skinny as twigs, and attached at the end, resembled sticks, which were its fingers. She beckoned towards herself and continued in that same honeyed voice that kept Elonda in place. “You can call me Terissa. What’s your name, Girl?”

Elonda sucked in the cold air, and as she felt her chest settle into a smooth rhythm, she answered, “My. . . name is Elonda.” She bowed her head, with a small curtsy.

“Decoris, it suits you. I am terribly sorry for scaring you.”

“It’s okay, thank you for catching me. My hip still hurts, though.”

“I know, it is throbbing with blood, Elonda. I scratched up your adorable face too. I am sorry, please forgive me.”

“Um – yes, I forgive you. I – I didn’t know what you were, I – I –” Elonda bit her lip, looking for a reason to leave. As nice as Terissa was, she sought after the warmth of the fire in the cottage now. The only sound in the woods were the echoes of their conversation, not even the trees danced with the shivering wind. And the cold was more piercing than ever, jabbing into Elonda’s face like the needles she fell through.

Looking into Terissa’s white saucers, Elonda felt a burning sensation on her nose as she began again. “Well – I’m sorry but I should–” Terissa cut her off with a flicker of her wings, as she spoke. “Oh Elonda, but your gift. Primus.”

She held up a sharpened finger in the frigid air. “Here, Elonda.” Terissa’s right arm poked out from the shadows and stretched all the way to the personal bubble of the girl. Elonda stepped back in surprise, and the arm followed her. She took a good look at Terissa’s hand.

It was gnarled and dry, skin overlapped more skin, and tiny holes appeared and disappeared with every breath she took.

In the purple palm of her hand was a ball of earth. Dirt and clay compact with leaves, tiny twigs, seeds, and what looked like hair. Elonda couldn’t take her eyes off of it.

“I call it Liber, your apple.”

Elonda furrowed one of her eyebrows.  “I. . . like it. But what is it?” She reached out for it, and Terissa closed her hand, securing it in her grasp.

“Your apple, Elonda. You put it in your teakettle. Drink it and meet me outside during the hour of the twilight, and we can fugia, fly. Together.”

A smile formed on Elonda’s petite face, and she looked up at Terissa with wide eyes. “Really?” she asked.

“I promise, Elonda. Take your apple and go home now.” Terissa opened her hand.

Elonda snatched the apple and nodded. “When will you know I took it? I may not be able to tonight.”

“I will know, Girl. And note, it can only be your tea. Otherwise, the tea becomes. . . undesirable. Go.”

The buzz of Terissa’s wings lit up the forest.

With a snap of her head, Elonda rushed down the hill and through the woods again, never looking back.

Elonda arrived back at the cottage, and she peeked through the treeline. It was still empty, nothing but the white blanket of snow in the front and no wagon yet. It was odd, Elonda thought, Papa had said he would be back today.

By the time she arrived, the sun’s orange glow began seceding back under the mountains around her. Larger shadows loomed over as she walked up to the homestead. She had got here earlier than usual, as it would be dark by the time she came back on any other day. Elonda just hoped her mother would let her in early. With a deep breath, she unlatched the door and poked half her body inside.

Her mother was on top of the loft now, snoring away with Bishop, but the fire still popped with excitement. Elonda felt a breath of relief, and she crept inside, towards her open-door room, through the tiny hallway. She lay down on her white cot, and stared at the giant logs that acted as support for the roof. Her fingers found the apple in her pocket. She rubbed the wiry pieces of hair between them, securing it tightly in her palm.

Slowly, she discarded her boots and crept back into the hallway. Elonda’s feet glided over the planks as she found the kettle already with a little water from the previous day, just enough for about two cups. It was secure in her hands.

She heard shuffling from the loft, and Elonda stopped in her tracks before the fire. Her eyes tried to adjust to the darkness that covered her mother and brother, and maybe she could catch a glimpse of them, but it was to no avail. There was silence for a moment, and her mother’s snoring began again.

Elonda hooked the pot above the fire. The metal wire groaned as it swung slightly towards her. She secured it and put it steadily back over the pit.

Her mother’s snoring soothed her breathing as she held the apple over the pot. Elonda looked back one more time and dropped it in.

It instantly reacted with a fizzle and melted on contact with the barely warm water. All the details of the apple were washed away and merged into a dark green color, even the tiny twigs melted, along with the seeds. Elonda’s face cringed into disgust as she stuck out her tongue. She eyed the mint leaves that hung below the overhang, underneath the sleeping babe and mom.

With a crouching stance, Elonda made her way below them. She reached up on the very tip of her toes, secured a leaf between two fingers, then tried to pull it free. It slipped out of her grasp. And she nearly stumbled into Bishop’s supplies.

Elonda caught herself with her right foot as it landed flatly onto the stone floor. She scrunched her face as the impact vibrated up her leg. Still, their snoring continued.

Again, she tiptoed up under the leaves, but this time she did the motion in one lurch, and the momentum ripped the leaves from the overhang, with a small snap!

Elonda held the leaves close to her chest as she listened to nothing but her breath and the shuffling of blankets above her. The bed groaned and the room fell silent again. She sighed through her nose in relief.

Through the flickering shadows, Elonda ripped a small bundle from the mint leaves and threw them in the pot as bubbles popped out, larger than peseta coins. The mint instantly colored the tea a lighter green, and the steam began to waft up into the air as the leaves melted down.

In her hands was the mug, ladle, and mittens. After a moment, she set the kettle on another hook, away from the fire, and shoved the ladle inside, stirring the tea once more. Elonda licked her lips as she scooped the tea into her wooden mug. The steam went up her nose and filled her thoughts with images of the white sky, the white snow, and the white teeth of the strong young man.

Elonda blinked and stared back at the liquid. A frown pursed her lips as her dreams took over her mind.

Slowly, she poured the tea back into the kettle. Shards of ice ran up her spine as her thoughts shifted to the large white eyes of Terissa, and between her Papa’s face, then back to the perfect teeth of his helper. Her smile cut deep into her left cheek, which showed a dimple.

Swiftly, Elonda put the pot onto yet another hook, overlooking the fire now, and settled more mint leaves within. It would stay warm there, probably until the morning. No more of the sun’s glow shone through the small window next to the door, and the outside was nothing but night. The flames reflected a distorted image of Elonda as she crept back into her open area. She fell asleep too.

Her dream took her to the tree again. Elonda was falling. But instead of falling towards the snow, she flew upwards, past the tree, past the clouds and was soon staring at the stars. Her body jolted awake as she slammed into an invisible mirror, the sound of glass shattering still ringing in her ears.

Elonda’s stomach was doing twists and turns, and it ached more than ever, burning like fire, deep in its pit. She winced.

Light seeped through the window and illuminated the silence in the home, not even the crack of the fire was alive. Her breathing was visible in the air.

“Elonda.”

A voice called out from the dark hallway.

She did not move, only listened.

“Elonda.” The voice called again, further now.

Bishop’s cry suddenly pierced her ears, and Elonda ran from her bed. Darting through the hallway and into the open area, her worry overpowered the fear.

In the middle of the room was her mom, suspended in the air, arms and legs outstretched. Her long, red face was tightened in agony. Bishop shouted from the loft, which was flooded with light from the sky. A giant hole was punched through the top of the cottage.

Elonda ran up the small staircase to Bishop. He was in the middle of the bed, arms and legs flailing wildly. She secured the crying baby in her chest and ran back down.

As she looked back, her mother was yanked up towards the hole. Cracking sounds jabbed throughout the living area as her body was shoved through with so much force that her image was a blur of red and then gone. The light shone through again.

Elonda’s body jittered violently as she pushed open the door. The warm rays of the sun seemed to run through her body and elevated her legs to sprint forward.

Elonda carried Bishop until the house fit between the pinch of her fingers. Her lungs shook as she took deep breaths and sat down under a tiny tree. The snow cushioned her bottom. She shed no tears.

Stuttered breathing began to steady after a moment. The baby had already calmed down as they were running and he found the bobbing fun.

Bishop looked up into the blue sky; there were no more clouds as the sun began to climax over St. Gabriel, fully dawning on the children now.

The road before them was clear, and the dirt was visible again, moist from the snow that became nothing but mist.

Elonda laid her head back onto the trunk of the tree, and she rubbed Bishop's stomach to soothe him.

Papa’s gray horse popped into her head, and he sat behind it, whipping at the horse from the wagon in tow. A large fur cap tight on his head, with his big toothy grin, as he settled into the front of the homestead.

Then there was the young man. His flashing white teeth beamed as he smiled and waved at Elonda and Bishop. On his brown horse, he looked even bigger than the wagon itself. His chest puffed out, and his brown hair danced around every time he moved.

Elonda smiled as her cheeks bloomed red. She whispered into her baby brother’s face, “Come on, Bishop. Let’s go find, Papa.”