Mists And Fogs

Story 3

A fragile Life was fluttering, at the very edge of Death.

Cold, lonely. Sad and abandoned.

It's formerly white fur was dirtied to a horrible state, victim of neglect, that the tiny creature was virtually indistinguishable from the earthy ground.

The runt of the litter, too weak to fight against siblings for sustenance from their mother.

Pragmatically, it was ignored by the mother in favour of other offsprings that could feasibly survive.

It was not meant with any malicious intent. That was simply how any creature, governed by instinct to ensure the continuation of their species, would act.

In another case, in another Fate, that tiny Soul would perish.

Quietly.

Come another month, there would be nothing left to bear witness that it ever existed.

But in this case, there was Fate in store for that tiny Soul.

~◇~

"Oh, what a pitiful child."

It was picked up by a pair of wonderfully gentle hands.

"Are you lonely? Oh, you are so cold!"

It was cradled within a palm that warmed imperceptibly, careful as not to further harm that fragile Life.

"I'm lonely too," the kind voice said. "Why don't we keep each other company?"

The hand carefully brought the tiny Life up, cradling it to a warm chest. Protecting it from further cold winds and sleet.

"There's plenty of space for you to run around, in my home. And I promise you that you'll never be hungry, or cold, ever again. Let's be good friends, yes?"

~◇~

In the Hall of Comfortable Blessings, residence of the Winter Youth, there lives the most beloved of all creature.

Spoiled rotten, cosseted, adored.

After centuries of life in the presence of a divine benevolence, it accidentally managed to cultivate itself through sheer osmosis, and attained the gifts of speech and wisdom.

Many other Benevolences loved to give light instructions and small lessons to the tiny creature, attracted by its sweet temper and docile behaviour.

But mostly because everyone knows that left to their own devices, the Winter Youth won't get anything done, preferring to spend his time happily accompanying his frolicking pet. It would be unfair to the poor child, to waste aeons with nothing to show for it.

But despite having the capacity of maintaining a humanoid body indefinitely nowadays, he still preferred going about in his original embodiment, of soft downy fur and a tiny frame. A remarkable difference from every other souls that managed to attain celestial wisdom.

Simply because it meant that he could be easily cuddled and pampered by his adoring master.

The Winter Youth loves carrying his companion everywhere. And the two would always be together, whenever possible. Even when it wasn't prudent, such as in Meetings of the Seasons, or in Great Audiences, when all Benevolences were summoned to assemble.

It has became such a common sight that everyone just gave up and accepted the presence of a bunny, that had no business to join in, at the most august of conferences.

They just gave fervent gratitude that the celestial rabbit had more sense of discretion than what his silly master possessed.

And so, that is how the tiny creature now spent his days.

Happy and loved.