Ideas and Rejects

Rejected Chapter: Winter Walk

A/N: I forgot I had this but here's a little scene for Shadow of Beauty involving Kendrick and Twillow finding a lost child in the snow. This would take place during Kendrick and Twillow's first winter together.

Winter...

As the weather turned colder, Twillow had kept indoors near the fireplace. She didn't like the cold at all and was ill-equipped to deal with it. She was, however, feeling stifled since she couldn't go out flying for very long without freezing. Flying around Kendrick's home, while spacious, was not the same as flying in the open sky. The coat and wintry outfit Kendrick had gotten for her helped but she lost so much heat through her thin wings it was like leaving a door open on a cold blustery day. So, donning her coat, she road on Kendrick's shoulder to prevent that heat loss.

It had snowed the night before and Twillow was amazed by the sight.

"Is that...snow?" she gasped.

Kendrick raised a questioning brow, "Yes...?"

"It never snows where I live. I've only seen snow in picture books." The fae commented, pulling her furry coat around her tighter.

"Really? No snow in the Parliel Realm?" Kendrick sounded shocked by that.

"Some parts get it but I've never seen it before." Twillow admitted, reaching toward a nearby branch to touch the white substance.

Kendrick shifted his huge shoulder slightly so she could grab some. She gasped upon feeling how cold and wet it was.

"So cold! And fluffy!"

Her smile was as radiant and bright as the snow surrounding them. Kendrick couldn't help but smile himself at her child-like amazement.

"Yeah."

Her own body heat made the fluffy snow in her hand melt so she flicked her hands and tucked them back into her coat.

"Ready?" Kendrick asked before he moved.

She nodded and he began to walk through the wintry woods. It didn't take long for a shiver to vibrate her. But even with the furry coat, it was still too cold for her.

Twillow marveled that her giant companion never seemed bothered by the cold. He wasn't even wearing a proper shirt, just a leather vest that bared his muscled arms. A dense fog escaped from his mouth as if he was actually breathing out clouds for the sky. His gaze inclined toward her when he felt her subtle shiver at his neck.

"Are you cold Twillow?" he asked, voice vibrating through her.

"I'm...ok." She partially lied.

Despite everything he'd done for her, she never liked to inconvenience him nor complain where it wasn't serious.

"You're shivering." He commented.

Before she could reply his great hand reached up and wrapped around her. Even though the fae had grown used to him and no longer shied away from his every powerful movement, it still made her heart stir wildly to be held within his hand. His formidable strength restrained to such a delicate level was admirable if not completely intimidating since the most minute movement would be able to shatter her frame to pieces. Few had witnessed such gentility by the same hands. She knew what they were capable of. Unsurpassed warmth surrounded her and she felt her body go limp with relief.

With a subtle movement he opened his hand and she dropped down into the fur-lined breast pocket of his vest. Behind her Kendrick's chest radiated heat like a huge furnace. He always felt warm. Twillow settled down into the shallow pocket as if she was tucked into a comfy bed.