Winter

    The wind whispered through the dark, empty trees like a warning in a foreign language. Winter was coming, and with winter, all life would seem to stop. The part would shut down and no travelers would be able to get through the snow. The residents of our port town would stay locked in their homes.
    I breathed in the cooling air. All the merchants selling winter wares would be gone in two days, just before the water froze over and no more ships could get through. I slipped through the trees, silently as possible so as not to startle the wildlife. Just two days left until the world would freeze, and I would no longer be able to enjoy the woods. Then it would be several months until the bravest soul would venture out into the winter.
    I checked a trap I had set out before glancing up at the orange and pink sky. There was still some time before dark I could check the last trap before I had to travel back. As I moved on a shuffling sound came from my right. I froze. It wasn't the wind it sounded almost...human.
    The shuffling came again and I crept towards it, slowly. I stopped behind some bushes and moved a branch to see into the clearing beyond. A boy lay on the freezing ground. I blinked in surprise before moving closer. His clothes were light and clearly weren't meant for the winter. His blond hair was longer than I expected but still short enough to see his eyes were closed.
    He shivered creating the shuffling sound I heard. I felt my lips twitched into a smile, maybe something good had come in with the winter. But first things first, I had to get the mysterious boy somewhere safe and warm.