Snow drifted from the leaden skies, driven into whirls by the fierce breeze blowing off the ocean and over the tall walls of Arkbridge. The guttering lanterns threw flickering light across the streets which glanced off the snow like kaleidoscopes. Though it was still relatively early in the day the streets themselves were mostly abandoned, only a few hardy souls wandered in the gathering gloom. Most of the shops sat empty and dark. Behind one such shop, huddled in the doorway, Sayuri sat shivering. A threadbare blanket she’d found in the garbage lay draped across her shoulders and pulled tight around her, offering respite, however slight, from the bone-chilling wind.

“S-S-Sayuri is s-so sorry,” she managed through chattering teeth, holding the shivering kitten close to her body. She hunched tighter to offer as much warmth as she could. Spending the winter behind the bakery had seemed like a good idea at the time. The promise had not born fruit, however, in the face of harsh reality.

No food had been forthcoming, the owner had seen them once and made a concerted effort to avoid throwing anything away they might be able to eat. Although Sayuri had searched for a different place to hunker down for the winter, it had thus far been just as fruitless. She had managed to find food from time to time but it was very hard. She put her forehead on Sora, hoping to comfort her, but also needing comfort as well. She felt like crying but was sure the tears would freeze on her cheeks and make her even more miserable than she already was.

“Sayuri thinks we can’t stay here, Sora,” Sayuri nuzzled her chin against the top of Sora’s head and moved her head nervously from side to side gently. “She is worried we might freeze to death if we do not find somewhere warm. Do you think we should try one of the big houses?”

“Mew,” Sora whimpered quietly. Sayuri chewed on her lower lip in worry. She wasn’t sure but it wasn’t hard to imagine the houses lining the wide boulevard across from the bakery each containing multiple vicious dogs.

“Do you think they will have weapons in the big houses?”

“Mew?”

“Well, Sayuri isn’t sure which weapons there are,” Sayuri admitted. “Maybe anti-cat crossbows and magical flying swords and tail-pulling torture things and stuff to keep us away?”

“Mew,” Sora replied.

“Sayuri is so very sorry, friend Sora.” Sayuri sniffled, trying her best to keep the tears from her eyes. “Sayuri has failed to keep you warm and safe. Sayuri is no good at things because she is flittery and dense. She cannot remember things or do things the proper way because she is not smart enough to know the proper way. Do not worry! Sayuri will find you somewhere warm! No matter what happens! She will!”

Gathering the tattered blanket around her and snuggling Sora close Sayuri made her way cautiously down the alley between the bakery and a farrier’s workshop and onto the boulevard separating the city proper from the noble’s quarter. A wall, easily five meters high ran along the road, its crest topped with sharp iron spikes to dissuade any would-be climbers. Sayuri glanced left and right to make certain the road was abandoned before crouching down, powerful legs gathered beneath her.

“Hold on tight to Sayuri, friend Sora,” Sayuri whispered anxiously. “She will not let you fall but she doesn’t want you to get jostled.” A moment later Sayuri launched herself skyward. Easily clearing the spikes on top of the wall, she fell like a stone through the snowy air before landing with a muted grunt on the soft ground. A large house, nestled among spreading evergreens could be seen a distance away, its glinting lights beckoning warmly. Sayuri stayed still for a long moment, nose testing the air cautiously, ears perked up and swiveling back and forth to detect any possible sounds.

Nothing presented itself as particularly dangerous, so Sayuri slowly crept forward, eyes searching through the garden they found themselves in for a place to shelter. Soon enough the pair found themselves standing outside the windows of the main house. Sayuri was at a loss at what to do at this point, however. She felt it would be rude to break into the home to search for a quiet corner to rest in, but they had come this far, and it seemed pointless to jump the wall only to lay under a hedge. Not only was it no more shelter than the alley, it also was prickly. Her keen eyes quickly picked up the form of a smaller building mostly hidden behind a meticulously groomed topiary. It was made almost entirely of glass and looked warm and, at least mostly safe.

She made her cautious way through the dark garden, avoiding the shafts of light filtering from the rooms of the mansion until she found herself standing in front of a long, low greenhouse. Though Sayuri wasn’t sure meat plants existed she imagined if they did a place like this would have them. Unfortunately, there looked to be no meat plants inside. There was, however, shelter and a warm place to sleep. She tried the door quietly and was thrilled when the handle moved, and the door opened easily. Moving as quickly as she could she slipped into the greenhouse, closing the door silently behind her.

“What are you doing here?” A cold, arrogant voice demanded from behind her.

“Mrooooowlll!” Sayuri cried in fear, tail instantly poofing out as she spun around to face the person the voice belonged to.

“What are you?” The voice followed the first question up with another. Sayuri couldn’t answer, however, as her heart seemed to have leapt from her chest up into her throat and had gotten lodged sideways there.

“Guards!” The woman shouted; her cold silver eyes narrowed dangerously.

“P-P- “Sayuri tried to speak but her thrumming heart wouldn’t let anything but a strangled burst of air through her throat. What could she do? Of course, she’d gone to the exact wrong spot. She was, her brain chastised her, a complete moron, after all.

Suddenly the air around her seemed to burst into flame. A silver fire started out as a spark hanging in mid air before it began to spin and grow, quickly becoming a furious maelstrom. The woman and Sayuri faced each other across the roiling conflagration for a long moment before both of them turned in opposite directions to flee. In that moment the world seemed to explode and Sayuri was flung through the glass door and into the night, bouncing helplessly through the snow until she crumpled against the trunk of a pine tree some ten meters away. She fought against the yawning darkness, blindly searching for Sora with bloodied, shaking, desperate hands before the darkness rose up like a savage dog and swallowed her consciousness in one bite and she lay still.