Real World

Prologuge

     The wolf circled around at the border, kicking up drifts to protect itself from the bitter winter wind. The stars shone overhead, the moon too pale to dim them. He lay down, his head just outside the protective ring. The walls were deep, but the floor of the makeshift shelter didn't even come close to reaching the grass.The wolf couldn't remember the last time he had seen grass. All he could remember, since he was born, was the snow, years of it. He looked up, his sides aching where broken ribs had punctured his lungs and brushed his heart. He knew he should make some elixir, but didn't. He felt so tired, he just wanted to sleep, and never wake up.     Just as he settled down, his eyes drifting closed, he heard muted hoofs dancing towards him.
     Raising his head, he saw an Allseason, one of the rarest of all kinds of unicorns. It was young, no more than a year old. It pranced towards him, puffing out snowflakes, as many did.    The wolf narrowed his eyes. The Allseason obviously didn't know he was there.    He considered jumping up and scaring the unicorn, for one last thrill before he died. But when he tried to get up, he didn't have the strength. He flopped down again with a whine.    The Allseason heard the whine, and jumped, spewing the snowflakes everywhere. The wolf wince as they hit him. He had forgotten that the snowflakes turn acidic when a unicorn is startled.   
     The unicorn cautiously stepped closer, now more curious than scared. "Who are you?" it asked, eyes wide.    The wolf bared his teeth. He had never liked unicorns. "None of your business. Now leave me alone so I can heal."    The unicorn tilted its head. "Can you do this?" She blew a cloud of snowflakes into the air.    The wolf grinned. "No but I can do this." He gathered some snow in his mouth. The unicorn leaned in close, curiosity getting the best of it.   
     After a few seconds, the wolf had what he wanted. He raised his snout the tiniest bit, and spit the melted snow to the unicorn.   
     The unicorn danced away quickly, a hurt look on her face. "That hurt me," she moaned.    The wolf laughed, even though it hurt. "Why do you think us wolves can do this then?" When the unicorn didn't answer, he answered his own question. "So we can get rid of pesky Allseasons!"   
     The unicorn raised it's head. "Well, I'm not going to leave until you play with me, so play!" It blew some more snowflakes at the wolf, who snarled back. The wolf manages to crawl to his feet, lapping up some snow. He waited while it melted in his mouth. The unicorn backed up a few steps, waiting for the wolf to kick off the game.
     Finally, the snow melted and the wolf spat. While the unicorn shied, the wolf darted away, slinking through the trees to the next clearing over, where he collapsed, whatever energy left over from the war spent. He lay panting, thinking he could actually heal himself this time.
     He hd just settled down when the unicorn came crashing in, bounding so close her hooves nicked the wolf's side. "Come play!" she shouted as she raced off. The wolf barked back at her, "Can't you just let an old wolf die in peace!" The unicorn didn't hear him.The wolf sagged back down, grinning at the snowflakes that had started drifting past his cold snout. "Couldn't just let an old wolf die in peace, eh?" His eyes closed, and he was gone.
     "Come on, why won't you play with me?" the unicorn asked galloping back to the clearing. But she was too late.
     The wolf was already being buried in a white death shroud.