The blizzard howled, swallowing the forest in white. I sought refuge beneath an ancient spruce, its dense canopy shedding snow like a natural umbrella. Gathering branches, I wove a shelter against the trunk, layering thick boughs for insulation. Inside, I piled dry needles into a mattress, raising me off the frozen ground. The wind raged outside, but within my cozy, green walled sanctuary, silence reigned. I struck a ferro rod, coaxing a small flame to life against the bark. Warmth softly spread through my bones. Wrapped in wool, listening to the muffled storm, I found peace in the wild cold.
