FIRST PROMPT:
Once there was a young girl who lived in this very woods with her loving family. Unfortunately, love could not feed and warm them against the bitter cold and harsh winds. They struggled for as long as they could remember, surviving on strong will alone.
It was one day too many of dealing with these conditions that the young girl decided to venture out and find a better way of living. She trekked through hills of snow and slid across frozen waters until she heard a rumbling coming from the trees. There in the shadows stomped a creature as white as the frost around it.
What does the young girl do?
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The young girl follows the beast through the woods and studies it for a while.
The young girl runs back towards home, frightened, and tells her family.
The young girl causes a commotion to get the beast’s attention, wanting to speak to it… if it does speak.
SECOND PROMPT:
The young girl follows the beast through the woods and studies it for a while.
There the beast stood, clawing at a tree momentarily, as if marking it’s scent. It sniffed around and lifted a paw over a bush that was starting to bud berries. A magical chill came from it’s paw and turned the bush into a frozen stick, the berries hardening and falling to the ground to brown over.
The young girl realized something. This creature was what was bringing the winter weather. She took a step forward. Crunch went the snow. Another step. Another crunch. The beast’s ears pricked in her direction. The young girl freezes in her footsteps, heart beating in her chest with the sound of a thousand drums. They make eye contact with each other and it feels like the world stops spinning in that moment, as if time itself was stopping, waiting to see what these two would do with each other now that they were made aware of one another.
What happens next?
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The beast approaches the young girl slowly, curiously.
The young girl and the beast have a stare down at each other, neither knowing what move to make next.
The young girl sizes up to the beast and in a challenging voice asks, “who are you?”
THIRD PROMPT:
The beast approaches the young girl slowly, curiously. The girl stands her ground as the beast starts to come closer and closer to her face. It sniffs her hair gently and makes a low grumbling sound, as if it's considering the form in front of it and what it may be. The girl could feel her heart pounding in her chest as she felt it's icy breath blow over her, causing her to shiver. The beast flinched back at the slight movement and snorted disapprovingly.
What should the young girl do?
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The girl's body shook like a leaf and she tilted her head to the side. She held out a hand towards the beast. She asked it, "what are you?"
The girl's eyes were wide, her body stiff. She stared the beast down waiting for it's next move. In a hush, she squeaked out, "what do you want?"
The girl was frozen in place, her body pointed forward towards the beast. She asked it, "who are you?" in a shaky rumble.
FOURTH PROMPT:
The girl was frozen in place, her body pointed forward towards the beast. She asked it, “who are you?” in a shaky rumble. The beast growled gently back at her, parting it’s lips and baring it’s long teeth. It’s breath was so cold the young girl felt like ice was starting to grow off her face. Little snowflakes escaped through it’s jaws and the air was vibrating with tension. The girl asked again, “who are you?”
Somewhere from the beast she heard what sounded like a chuckle. It grumbled in it’s throat but it was unmistakable. It sighed without parting it’s mouth any further than it had. “Who am I? Not “what”, but “who”? So, you’ve recognized me as an individual…” it spoke without moving it’s mouth. The girl started to shake from both fear and the cold.
“I recognize you as a being that could supposedly have a background, moreso than just a creature” she responded quietly. The beast laughed.
“Oh, how you little things amuse me. Tell me, child, what do you think I am? Or, whom if that is what you so choose to answer”.
What is the answer the girl should give?
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”I think you might be a god of sorts. A deity that brings the winter” she spoke with an intuitive tone to her voice.
”I-I don’t know, but I know you’ve been bringing the winter to this land” she said with a whisper.
The girl stood her ground and stayed in the beast’s face. “You bring the cold, the winter weather. You’ve been keeping us here like this” she said with a bit of bitterness.
FIFTH PROMPT:
”I-I don’t know, but I know you’ve been bringing the winter to this land” she said with a whisper. The beast let out a hearty laugh.
"Indeed I have, child. Now, if that is all, I would like to be going back to my day now. Goodbye..." it turned and the girl dropped to her knees, unloading the tension she held in her body as she fell to the snow, starting to cry. The beast turned and stared.
"What is that? What is that that you are doing right now? Stop that!" it came close once again. The girl rubbed her face.
"Please, what can we do to stop this endless winter? There must be something!" The beast was silent before it started walking away.
"Come, follow, and I will show you".
What do you want to do?
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The girl stands and follows behind at a distance, watching cautiously.
The girl doesn't trust the beast's words, this seems too much like it could be a trap. She stands and starts to run back home.
The girl gets up and runs to the beast, a hand on it's side as a way to follow it closely. She doesn't trust it, but what other choice does she have?
SIXTH PROMPT:
The girl gets up and runs to the beast, a hand on it's side as a way to follow it closely. She doesn't trust it, but what other choice does she have? The beast turns it's head to look at her and huffs in amusement.
"Bold for such a small thing" it states simply.
"What else is there to be?" the young girl looks ahead, not making eye contact with the beast. The beast snorts again and looks back forward.
There ahead was a cave. The beats led the young girl inside, but she hesitated at the entrance a moment.
"It's a cave, not a grave. Just walk in..." it grumbled in a cranky tone.
The young girl nodded and followed forward. It felt like centuries passed before finally they came upon a big opening with light. There in the center of the cave, was a room filled with many different things. Scavenged food, trinkets, treasures. There were random things stolen from people who lived in the mountain village. The young girl even recognized some of her own missing belongings.
"Why do you have these?"
"Because they make me happy" the beast walked up and curled around an open fire, yawning. "I am so tired though... I wish I could just rest... for a little while... but my job is never done" it started to toy around with a small fabric doll nearby. The girl sat next to it by the fire and put a hand on it's shoulder.
"You know, you don't have to steal," she said with a bright voice, "you also don't need to always have winter around".
"But what else is there to do if not wander the forest bringing the cold?" the beast sounded as if it's throat filled with sorrow.
"Sleep" the girl whispered. "What if, we bring you the things you love, and in exchange you sleep and let us have warmer weather again".
What does the beast do?
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The beast considers this offer, intrigued. "I will... think it over. Now, leave my child".
The beast shakes its head. "No, it must be this way... the winter has always been in this land and here it will stay!"
The beast smiles and gets up, feeling excited. "Yes... yes! Such a marvelous idea child... thank you!"
SEVENTH PROMPT:
The beast considers this offer, intrigued. "I will... think it over. Now, leave my child".
The young girl leaves the cave, looking back at it once last time before heading home. Almost as if meeting the beast brought good luck, the girl started noticing good things start to happen. Her family was kinder to her arrival than normal, she got to be free of chores for the night, they even made her favorite meal.
As she laid to rest for the night, the sound of the wind howling at the window made her shiver with the memory of the cold. A large glacial paw rapped against the window and she opened it slowly, peering out. There stood the beast, staring at her with a neutral expression.
"I have thought about your offer. Yes, I think that would be a very fair idea" it wagged it's tail like a happy dog. The girl cheered quietly, but it wasn't quiet enough. Soon, her father was at her door.
"What are you doing awake, child?" her father stormed to the window and gasped at the beast. "Fowl creature here to corrupt my daughter, begone!"
The young girl tried explaining to her father the situation, but he was already out the door, lit lantern in hand. He swung the flame towards the beast.
"Begone!" he shouted once more, and the beast took one last sad look at the girl before running into the dark forest.
The young girl ran out after it, ignoring her father's calls.
"Beast! Come back!" she stopped at the very edge going towards the cave and stared down at the large icy tracks, as a storm started brewing in the air. Snowflakes fell heavily all around her, covering the tracks.
Where does the young girl go?
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The young girl shook her head and ran straight for the beast's cave, hoping it would be there waiting for her. Hopefully.
The young girl turns back to her father, face red with rage. "What did you do?! It was going to help us be rid of the winter! You need to fix this. NOW!"
The young girl runs out into the woods, wandering around calling for the beast, hoping for an answer. "Beast! Please come back!"
