The Beta's Blind Date
I doubt he’ll recover before then.
I reach the field, cleared of snow already by whichever unlucky warrior trainee drew the short straw last night, and cross my arms as I watch our warriors warm up. The winter sun is bright, but its warmth doesn’t reach us like it does in the spring and summer. A chill lingers in the air, so strong you can smell how cold it is. The lake is frozen, and the entire forest is dusted with layers of snow, clinging to and covering the needles of the redwood trees.