In His Ruins
The winter solstice arrived with a quiet, breathtaking severity. By mid-December, the high alpine ridge was locked in a deep, pristine freeze, encased in thick blankets of white snow that muffled every sound in the forest. The wind howled down from the jagged northern peaks, driving sub-zero temperatures against the thick, insulated logs of the cabin, but inside, the atmosphere was a sanctuary of amber firelight and steady, enveloping warmth.