Snowflakes, bright and glittering, swirled softly down onto the white forest. The cold wind whistled as it gently blew through the bare tree branches. Animals nestled deep into their warm nests, safe and oblivious of the freezing cold outside. And in the midst of all of this, a black shape stumbled through the blizzard.
The kit mewled weakly, his paws dragging through the deep snow. His eyes searched for anything alive. But there was no one.
The snow pierced his thin pelt, cold and sharp. He wanted to give up. But he couldn't. Why, he couldn't say. He just somehow knew he couldn't.
He thought he saw a flash of black amid the white snow, and staggered toward it, hope awakening within him. But it dimmed as he realized it was nothing.
Trees loomed around him, high and taunting. I'm going to watch you die, little kit, it seemed to say. I'm going to watch you die and stand here, high and healthy, as you spend your last seconds in the freezing snow.
Snowflakes fell on him, coating his fur with an icy pelt. He felt each and every one as the delicate snow landed softly on him. Each breath was frozen, each step unbearable.
Yet the kit battled on through the freezing cold. He pushed and shoved against the wall of snow in front of him, hoping against hope that there would be something, anything, other than this bleak white landscape.
And still there was nothing. Nothing but the trees, the snow, and him. Nothing, not even hope.
The snowflakes weighed heavy upon his back. With each step, they shifted and new pain arose. The kit flinched with each breath he took.
He shivered uncontrollably. The cold was so great. He was tempted to just let go, and be gone from the white world. But somehow, he clung onto life and staggered and stumbled forward.
Cats seemed to form around him, composed of snow. The snowflakes landing on them glittered brightly. They leaned forward, their white, shining eyes urging him.
A blur of red flashed by. The kit fixed his eyes on the spot where it had been seen. He forced his frozen paws, cold and tired, forward again and again. His breathing was ragged, each breath drew in cold air.
A sound was emitted into the frozen air. The kit attempted to raise his head, but failed. A second flash of red passed by him.
He pushed on, determined to find the creature. Another sound rang through the icy sky. Then the red blur came to a halt in front of him.
The kit swayed, what little of the energy he had leaving him. He felt himself being grabbed, lifted. The thing holding him was warm and soft.
He blinked. So tired. It would be so easy to let himself drift away. His breathing grew shallower, his eyes failing to focus. The creature holding him gently lowered him onto something warm. Colors blurred in his eyes, everything becoming one; a single cat shape, with pricked ears, a tail curled around it's leg, a twitching nose, thick, strong legs. Holding itself up high.
He knew life was near. If he didn't let go for just another minute. But he couldn't hold on anymore. The kit released his grip. He let himself fall into the chasm of death. He let himself die.