“Warm.” Its voice was like fabric rustling against itself, barely distinguishable from the wind.
The blanket it had placed around me was impossibly warm, even though it was covered in snow.
The creature looked like someone had gathered every lost winter scarf, mitten, and hat from the last decade and mashed them together into a lumpy, patchwork beast. Tiny antler nubs poked through the top of its head, frosted with delicate ice flowers that glowed faintly in the moonlight.
“Are you a nibbleknot?” My voice came out embarrassingly high-pitched. “Are you going to eat me?”
The creature made a sound between a snort and a chuckle, its glowing blue eyes crinkling at the corners. It grunted, shifting its bulk to sit beside me. Up close, I could see that it was wearing a complex weave of fabrics over its fur.
“Do you have a name?” I pulled the blanket tighter, surprised at how calm I felt. Was this the magic of the creature beside me, or did some part of me know it wouldn’t hurt me?
The nibbleknot tilted its head, considering me. “Barbara.”
I blinked. Then blinked again. “Barbara? You’re a mysterious magical creature and your name isBarbara?”
Barbara huffed indignantly, puffing up like an offended pillow, but her form shook like she was laughing. It was either that or she was getting ready to eat me.
“I’m sorry. It’s just surprising you have such a human name. It could be worse, though; your name could be Karen.”
Without warning, she stood up.
“Oh no, I didn’t mean to offend you!” I struggled to my feet, my legs numb.
But Barbara wasn’t looking at me anymore. She waddled purposefully to the edge of the hill, then jumped, vanishing in an explosion of powdery snow that glittered like diamond dust.
I peered over the edge, trying to see where she’d landed. There was nothing there: no Barbara-shaped impression in the snow, no trail of footprints leading away. But there was a giantmound of snow at the bottom that had several large reindeer impressions.
“What the hell?” I muttered.
“They do that.”
The deep voice behind me sent a jolt through my entire body. I whirled around, my blanket billowing like a cape.
Rudy stood there, a dark silhouette against the star-filled sky, watching me with his intense, unreadable eyes. He wasn’t wearing a coat, just a T-shirt that clung to his muscular frame, seemingly unbothered by the cold.
My stomach dropped. Of course, he would find me trespassing on his private brooding spot.
“I was just leaving.” I tightened my grip on the blanket, trying for dignity despite my snow-soaked pajama pants and sock-covered feet. “Wouldn’t want to interfere with your important schedule of running up hills and jumping off, or whatever strange adrenaline shit you’re into.”
I tried to step past him, but he moved slightly, blocking my path without touching me.
“The nibbleknot visited you.” His eyes searched mine, looking for something I couldn’t name.
“Yeah. Her name’s Barbara. We’re best friends now. She gave me fashion advice, and we talked about our favorite reality shows.” The sarcasm dripped from my voice like icicles. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to figure out how to teleport my ass back to the cabin before I lose my toes to frostbite.”
Rudy didn’t move, didn’t even seem to register my attempt at walking away. Instead, he studied my face with an intensity that made my skin prickle.
“They only appear when someone is worthy of comfort.” His voice softened, losing some of its usual edge. “When they’re truly lonely or sad.”
The gentleness in his tone caught me off guard, undermining the protective wall of anger I’d been building. I swallowed hard, fighting the sudden burn of tears.
“Well, congratulations on your expert assessment. Yes, I’msad. Yes, I’m lonely. Don’t worry, I won’t bother you with any of it. What was it you said? There’s no point?”
A muscle twitched in his jaw, and for a moment, something like regret flashed across his face. “You heard.”
“Enough.” The word came out sharper than I intended, slicing through the cold air between us. “Enough to know you’d rather avoid me than help me. Which is fine. I didn’t ask to be here. I didn’t ask for any of this.”
The wind picked up, whipping snow around our ankles in response to my rising emotions. Rudy’s gaze dropped to the swirling ice, then back to my face, his expression unreadable in the moonlight.
