On a cold winter morning, Itaburn woke to a fresh layer of snow shining in the sun. Children everywhere hurried outside in their warmest clothes and laughed with every big snowball they carefully stacked on top of another, each rolled out to build their first snowman of the season. Once the biggest one was made, many more tiny ones were created to make their very own army. Their jolly creation, happy and full of the magic and delight of the season, was proudly displayed against the snowy background: it wore a scarf that flew in the wind, a crooked carrot nose, and buttons made of polished pebbles. Yet, one child stood out.
A small child named Clara noticed something unusual amidst the snowball fights and laughter. Clara was adventurous and had an excellent eye for detail. While her friends were busy constructing snow forts, she ventured into the neighboring woods, where tall trees stood silently; their branches heavy with snow. Although other kids were warned to avoid the area, Clara’s curiosity led her deeper into the forest. At that moment, she spotted a peculiar set of footprints that continued farther into the woods. She had never seen such marks on the snow before; they were large and claw-like.
As she followed the trail, her feet crunched into the pristine snow, sending her chest racing with a mix of excitement and fear. Clara noticed that the prints seemed to lead to an old deserted cabin at the edge of the forest. Despite the eerie ghost stories and legends surrounding the cabin, Clara felt an irresistible pull toward it. After taking a deep breath, she entered the house. Broken windows allowed streams of sunlight to filter in, and dust danced in the shafts of light; filling the air with the scent of old wood and pine. Inside, Clara found more strange footprints leading her to a corner, where misplaced items lay. Among them was an old leather-bound photo album. She opened it and found old photos of a joyful family, full of life. However, turning the pages, she came upon one that was mostly blank, save for a few small claw marks.
Suddenly, a low growl shattered the quiet, making her heart race. As she looked through the icy window, she saw a shadow moving between the trees. Fear took hold of her, and she quickly stepped back, holding onto the album tightly. The footprints on the ground showed that something had lived here before, turning her adventure into more of a discovery than a mystery. Feeling like she’d seen enough for now, Clara turned around and made her way back through the snowy woods. When she reached the village, she turned back to look at the cabin, now just a dark outline against the setting sun. As she excitedly recounted her adventure to her friends in the village, they listened in wonder. After grabbing some snacks and bundling up in warm clothes, they quickly decided to head to the cabin the following day.
Even though the footprints might have belonged to a forest guardian protecting the memories, Clara couldn’t shake the feeling that they held secrets from the past. As she fell asleep that night, she thought about her journey and the mysteries that awaited her, dreaming of footprints in the snow.
As she followed the trail, her feet crunched into the pristine snow, sending her chest racing with a mix of excitement and fear. Clara noticed that the prints seemed to lead to an old deserted cabin at the edge of the forest. Despite the eerie ghost stories and legends surrounding the cabin, Clara felt an irresistible pull toward it. After taking a deep breath, she entered the house. Broken windows allowed streams of sunlight to filter in, and dust danced in the shafts of light; filling the air with the scent of old wood and pine. Inside, Clara found more strange footprints leading her to a corner, where misplaced items lay. Among them was an old leather-bound photo album. She opened it and found old photos of a joyful family, full of life. However, turning the pages, she came upon one that was mostly blank, save for a few small claw marks.
Suddenly, a low growl shattered the quiet, making her heart race. As she looked through the icy window, she saw a shadow moving between the trees. Fear took hold of her, and she quickly stepped back, holding onto the album tightly. The footprints on the ground showed that something had lived here before, turning her adventure into more of a discovery than a mystery. Feeling like she’d seen enough for now, Clara turned around and made her way back through the snowy woods. When she reached the village, she turned back to look at the cabin, now just a dark outline against the setting sun. As she excitedly recounted her adventure to her friends in the village, they listened in wonder. After grabbing some snacks and bundling up in warm clothes, they quickly decided to head to the cabin the following day.
Even though the footprints might have belonged to a forest guardian protecting the memories, Clara couldn’t shake the feeling that they held secrets from the past. As she fell asleep that night, she thought about her journey and the mysteries that awaited her, dreaming of footprints in the snow.