I don't own Hilda.
"Hilda…" Alfur whispered, poking the barely conscious blue-haired girl's cheek, "Hilda…"
Hilda only moaned and rolled over, continuing to sleep peacefully.
Alfur sighed and jumped onto her head from the pillow. He took a deep breath…
"HILDA!" Alfur shouted into her ear canal.
Hilda snorted and sputtered awake, tossing away her bed's comforter. Alfur leaped off her head and onto her bedside table while Twig, who was asleep on the edge of Hilda's bed, sprung awake startled and landed right in the girl's laundry basket.
"Huh?! What?!" Hilda panicked, "Oh no, did I oversleep?! Am I late for school?!"
"Hilda, relax!" Alfur said, "You're not late for anything. In fact, school's been cancelled today."
"Why?" Hilda asked, rubbing her eyes clean.
"Take a look out your window." Alfur said.
Hilda noticed her room's window was completely white. She approached the glass and wiped away the fog. It's that time of the year: Winter. Trolberg was buried in snow, white as a deerfox's mane. The flakes, sticky and varying in sizes, rained slowly into the city as children played merrily and adults shoveled their walkways.
"It's snowing!" Hilda exclaimed. "Oh Alfur, it's so beautiful."
"It is!" Alfur agreed, "Gonna go out and play?"
"You bet!" Hilda hopped off her bed and dug through her closet, pulling out a red jacket, a pom-pom hat, a yellow scarf, blue snow pants, and brown snow boots.
"Slow down, Hilda." Alfur said, "You've gotta eat breakfast first. Your mum is preparing it right now. She asked me to wake you."
"Right, of course." Hilda said, "I'm getting too worked up, I just love winter, though. It's my first one in Trolberg, too."
"Gotta have your morning nourishment." Alfur nagged, "Go on, I'll join you in a bit."
"Thanks Alfur." Hilda opened her door, "Let's go, Twig."
The deerfox climbed out of the laundry basket and shook off a sock that was stuck to his antler before following Hilda to the kitchen.
"Morning, mum!" Hilda greeted, taking a seat at the table.
"Good morning, Hilda." Johanna replied, placing a plate of pancakes before her daughter, "I'm sure you've looked outside already."
"Yeah, Alfur showed me." Hilda said before taking a bite out of her syrup-soaked pancakes, "I cank wake to ger ourtshide."
"Don't talk with your mouth full, dear." Johanna rolled her eyes, returning to the kitchen counter to pour herself a mug of coffee.
Hilda swallowed, "Sorry mum, I'm very excited. You know how much I love winter."
"Yes I do, but it can certainly wait. Eat your breakfast."
Annoyed, Hilda groaned and took in another forkful of pancakes. Alfur soon climbed onto the kitchen table and began reading a tiny newspaper from his village while taking sips of coffee Johanna had provided for him through a tiny stirring straw. After devouring her pancakes whole, Hilda retrieved her winter clothes from her room and got dressed. She then used the landline telephone to call up Frida and David, who both agreed to meet her at the park for some outdoor fun in the snow.
"All bundled up?" Johanna checked.
"Yes, mum!" Hilda said, about to leave with Twig and Alfur, who was riding on the deerfox, "I'm gonna play with Frida and David at the park."
"Sounds like fun, be back around noon for lunch, and be careful."
"Of course." Hilda agreed, "Love ya!"
"Love you-"
SLAM! Hilda was out the door.
"Too…" Johanna finished in silence. Smirking, Johanna only shrugged, "That girl has so much energy."
Hilda sprinted through the snowy streets of Trolberg, eager to partake in the festivities that awaited at the park. Twig and Alfur tried their best to keep up.
"Slow down, Hilda!" Alfur cried, "Winter's not going anywhere…at least not anytime soon, I mean…"
"I can't help it, Alfur!" Hilda giggled.
"You need to be mindful of the possibility that you will…"
"WHOA!" Hilda exclaimed, slipping on a patch of ice and slamming into a large mound of snow a bearded, bespectacled man was shoveling off his property.
"Ugh…" Hilda popped out of the mound and groaned from the minor pain, "Whoops…"
Twig approached Hilda and licked the strands of melting snow off her face.
"…The possibility you will slip on ice." Alfur finished his statement with a face palm.
"You're right, I'm sorry." Hilda said.
"You should apologize to him." Alfur pointed at the man with the shovel, who was less than amused.
"Oh, I apologize, sir…"
The man only grumbled and proceeded to clean up the mess Hilda made.
"I'll walk from this point on." Hilda submitted, climbing back onto her feet and brushing the snow off her clothes.
"Very good." Alfur agreed.
Soon enough, Hilda, Twig, and Alfur arrived at Trolberg's park. Hilda couldn't believe her eyes. Children galore. Kids were building snowmen, constructing forts, and engaging in snowball fights. It was as packed and lively as an amusement park.
"So, this is what humans do during the winter." Alfur said watching a group of children make snow angels and taking notes for his daily reports, "How intriguing, the village will want to hear about this."
"Hilda, over here!"
Hilda looked to her right to find David and Frida waving to her.
"Hey guys!" Hilda greeted, "Gosh, it's so amazing out right now."
"Winter in Trolberg is really something." David nodded.
"I should be inside catching up on my reading, but I think a day off to enjoy the snow won't hurt." Frida said.
"So, what're we gonna do first?" Hilda asked.
"Let's make a snowtroll." David suggested.
"Fine by me." Hilda smiled, "Frida?"
"Sure!"
Hilda, Frida, and David worked together to roll up a massive ball of snow. Hilda and Frida were able to handle it despite the ball getting gradually more heavy, but David really struggled, falling forward and whitewashing his face in the snow a couple of times. After rolling up a ball just a few inches larger than themselves, the three proceeded to mold it into a round, hill-like shape, connecting it to the ground. David stuffed two large rocks on the face, creating eyes, while Hilda collected pine needles from the nearby tree to make bushy eyebrows. Frida rolled up two medium-sized snow balls and molded them with the troll's body to make arms.
"How are we gonna do the nose?" Frida asked, "You know how long they are, and there's nothing we have that can physically stay upright and horizontal."
Hilda stopped to think. She then looked over at the nearby building and noticed a very long icicle clinging to the gutter, lengthier than a sword. Hilda picked up a small rock and approached the building. Frida, David, Twig, and Alfur followed. Hilda started to take aim at the icicle.
"Hilda, be careful." Alfur said, "It's very sharp."
Hilda then threw the rock, landing on the icicle's foundation on the gutter and chipping it off. The icicle dropped, prompting Hilda to leap forward and catch it, followed by a triumphant roll in the snow.
"Got it!" Hilda cheered, holding up the lengthy shark of frozen water.
"Wow, perfect timing." David commented.
"Nice roll, too." Frida added.
Hilda stuffed the icicle in the middle of the snowtroll's face just below the rocky eyes and pine needle eyebrows, completing the piece overall.
"There we are!" Hilda proudly gazed at the snowtroll.
"Well done." Frida said.
"That's the biggest snowtroll I've…well, we've ever made." David mentioned before pulling a camera out of his jacket pocket, "We're gonna need a picture."
"Good thinking, David!" Hilda said.
"Hey Hilda!" said a voice. The three turned around to find Trevor approaching them.
"Oh no, not him!" Alfur said, trying to hide in Twig's fur.
"Hi Trevor." Hilda greeted while David and Frida exchanged unsure looks.
"Wow, nice snowtroll!" Trevor exclaimed.
"Thanks, I made it with David and Frida." Hilda said.
Frida and David waved to Trevor timidly, while Trevor smiled cooly and waved back.
"Think you can do us a favor and take a picture of the three of us with it." Hilda asked the boy.
"Yeah, sure." Trevor agreed and approached David, reaching his hand out for the camera. David reluctantly handed Trevor the device and joined Hilda and Frida by the snowtroll to pose. Hilda climbed on top of the troll and grinned with two thumbs up, while Frida leaned cooly on the left of it, and David pretended to be scared of the fake beast. CLICK! Trevor took the photo; memories have been preserved.
"Should come out nicely." Trevor said, approaching the three and handing David's camera back to him.
"Thank a lot, Trevor." Hilda said.
"Of course." Trevor smiled, "Hey, do you three wanna join my friends in a snowball fight. We're building a fort right now."
"Count me in!" Hilda agreed, surprising David, Frida, and even Alfur.
"Great, we're on the other side of the park." Trevor said, "See you in a bit."
With that, Trevor ran off to rejoin his friends.
"Hilda, why did you agree to that?" Frida asked.
"What do you mean?" Hilda frowned.
"That's Trevor. You know, the boy who threw rocks at birds." David explained.
"Yeah, he almost drowned the Great Raven, too." Alfur added. "Remember?"
"That was an accident, Alfur." Hilda argued.
"We thought you despised him." Frida said.
"No, not at all." Hilda said, "Well…I did at first, but he's really turned around. He apologized and we became friends."
David and Frida looked at eachother, unsure how to feel.
"He used to be a bully. If he still was, he wouldn't have even talked to us, let alone returned your camera, David."
"I guess that's true…" David started to give in, much to Frida's surprise.
"Give him a chance." Hilda said, "By the way, we should make the most of today. It's a snow day!"
Frida sighed and smiled cooly at Hilda, "Fine, alright. Let's go build a fort."
Hilda and the others made it to the other side of the park. Trevor and his friends were putting the finishing touches on their snow fort, with Trevor even molding a small raven snow statue at the center wall, showing his newfound appreciation for the animal.
"Nice raven." Hilda commented.
"Thanks!" Trevor replied, "Speaking of which, our team is the Ravens. You three will have to come up with a team name while you build your fort."
As Hilda and her friends started constructing their snow fort, they discussed what being could represent them in their match against the Ravens.
"How about, the Ghosts?" David suggested as he drug a trench in the snow.
"Ech, pass!" Frida said, recalling the trio's previous experience with ghosts at Trolberg's cemetery, "How about the Elves?"
"Pardon me!" Alfur intervened, "I will not have my people represented in this barbaric sport!"
"Relax, Alfur…" Hilda rolled her eyes, "How about the Deerfoxes. We've already got a mascot, see?"
Hilda pointed to Twig, who was sitting obediently and watching the kids debate and build their fort.
"That works." David agreed.
"I like it." Frida shrugged, "Let's get this fort done."
Sometime later, the three completed their snow fort and created their ammo stash of snowballs. The fort resembled Trevor's with its walls and trenches, but instead of a raven statue at the center wall Hilda molded a deerfox, using some twigs from tree branches as the antlers.
"Alright, if you're hit once, you're out." Trevor explained the game's only rule, "Let's fight!"
"You're going down, Trevor!" Hilda declared.
"Well see about that!" Trevor grinned determinately.
The war begun. Snowballs zipped back and forth between the forts. One thrown by Trevor's plump, bespectacled friend just barely missed David. Frida was able to pelt Trevor's thin, pigtail-haired friend on the back. Hilda kept her focus on Trevor, but every snowball she threw missed. As David rose from a trench to throw a snowball, Trevor managed to nail him with a headshot. This left Hilda and Frida versus Trevor and the glasses kid. The four spent minutes attempting pop-fly shots, throwing them high up in the air and hoping they would land on their foes, but this proved futile. Impatient, Frida stood up for a better look at Trevor and his friend's position in their fort. Little did she realize Trevor's friend just tossed a pop-fly and it landed right on Frida's head, eliminating her.
"I got her!" Trevor's friend exclaimed, leaving him open for Hilda to pelt him in the face with a perfectly aimed snowball.
"It's down to Hilda and Trevor!" Alfur watched intently.
It was a total firefight. Hilda and Trevor restlessly chucked snowball at eachother. Each one missed, and this soon left both with one final snowball in their arsenal. Trevor stood up from the trench and fired his last ball with all his might. It was heading straight for Hilda, and fast.
"Hilda, watch it!" Frida cried.
Hilda leaped in the air and swiftly avoided the snowball, which passed by her head. She swung her arm, launching her final snowball before landing hard in the snow. Due to the angle Hilda threw the ball, it made a round curve in the air, but was diving straight for Trevor as if he was metal and the ball was a magnet. Trevor tried to leap out of the way, but it was no use. The snowball exploded onto his torso, knocking the wind out of him and sending him falling onto his back in trench.
"DEERFOXES WIN!" David and Frida cheered, hugging and jumping for joy.
"Hooray for Hilda!" Alfur danced.
"Aw man…" Trevor's friends grumbled, kicking the snow below them.
David and Frida hurried over and helped Hilda to her feet.
"Nice throw." Frida commented.
"That was amazing!" David exclaimed.
"Thanks, I can't believe I pulled something like that off." Hilda chuckled, "Excuse me, guys."
Hilda passed by his friends and approached Trevor in his fort, who was still flat on his back from the snowball's blow.
"Ugh…" Trevor moaned, confused by the ball's powerful impact.
"Hey, you alright?" Hilda asked.
Trevor saw Hilda and started laughing out loud.
"Wow, I really fell, didn't I?" Trevor said.
Hilda couldn't help but laugh too. She extended her arm, offering Trevor a lift up. Trevor gratefully accepted it and grasped Hilda's hand, who then pulled Trevor back up onto his feet.
"Thanks for that." Trevor said.
"No problem." Hilda smiled, before leaning over to brush the snowball's remains off Trevor's sweater. This surprised Trevor, who started to blush from the girl's somewhat tender gesture. Hilda realized what she was doing was slightly affectionate and she gasped a little. What impulsed her to do something like that? She looked up at Trevor and burned red in the face as well. The boy and girl chuckled nervously.
"How about a rematch?" Hilda asked.
"Heh, you're on!" Trevor grinned.
The Deerfoxes and Ravens engaged many more snowball fights, which ate up time faster than Hilda had expected.
"Hey David, what time is it?" Hilda asked after a brutal match that left the Ravens the victors.
"It's 1 PM." David said, checking his watch under his glove.
"Oh shoot, I'm late." Hilda panicked, "Mum said I needed to be home by noon for lunch."
"I hope she won't be too bent out of shape." Alfur worried.
"Hilda!" a familiar voice called from nearby in the park, prompting Hilda to gasp. It was Johanna, bundled up in her out coat and hat. She waved her daughter over. Hilda cringed before going to approach her mother with Twig and Alfur. David, Frida, and Trevor followed, concerned for their friend.
"Mum, I'm very sorry." Hilda said, holding her other arm timidly, "I was having so much fun with David, Frida, and Trevor that I lost track of time."
"Don't worry about it, Hilda." Johanna cooed, "I just wanted to make sure you were safe. You've been out for far too long, though. I don't want you to get a cold. How about you come back home for some hot chocolate and a cucumber sandwich?"
Hilda beamed at the idea.
"David, Frida, Trevor, you three are welcome to join us!" Johanna said.
David, Frida, and Trevor exchanged appreciative nods.
"Thanks mum, that's very nice." Hilda said.
Johanna smiled sweetly before leading the children out of the park. At the gate, Hilda paused and turned back, watching all the fun that continued amongst Trolberg's youth in the winter snow. She took a deep breath and smiled, satisfied with the memories she made with David, Frida, and Trevor on this day.