Terrielle
The small girl stumbled out of the woods, breathing heavily. The silvery sheen of her ebony hair caught the moonlight. Her deep grey eyes, wide with fear, darted around the clearing, trying to determine how far her pursuer was behind her. Her knees began trembling, then buckled under her frail form. Spreading her dark, frost-bitten wings to help regain her balance was futile. The Eyrien tumbled to the ground, shivering from cold and exhaustion. Errant tears froze on her pale cheeks before she could rein them in. She pulled her thick wool shawl over her shoulders, trying in vain to keep her teeth from chattering. Something soft and wet caressed her lips. A snowflake. A bitter smile passed over her haunted face. She had come full circle. She had been brought into this world in a harsh, unforgiving storm like this one. Now she would die in one. That was her last conscious thought as the steadily whitening world around her gave way to the ebon-grey abyss.