Tim awoke to the biting cold, one that he knew by instinct, the winds howled as a volley of snow hounded him like arrows on a battlefield as the faint light of a lantern swung violently on its perch, breaking through the battlecry of the wind with the loud screech of rusty metal being blown this way and that. Tim was shorter than he remembered, and looking down as he grasped himself for warmth revealed that he wasn't wearing anything. He didn't have the time to question it, but it felt familiar.
The small child battled his way through the harsh gusts of the eternal winter that surrounded his destination. It was only now he felt the warmth of some liquid oozing from his back, he couldn't tell the color and nor did he care to, continuing to trudge forwards.
The snow gave away its territory with each step of Tim's foot, each one crunch hit him with a wave of memories of all the times he had to do this exact ritual. Each second outside threatened to greet Tim with an icy grave, so he had to keep pushing forwards...
Through trials and tribulations, he reached the front door of his childhood home. The wood echoed with the sound of Tim knocking on the door, begging to be let back in, like a dog. Eventually Tim heard the all too familiar heavy footfalls from his father. The door swung open, and the silhouette of his father towering over the small boy was additionally greeted by a wave of heat. A heat that Tim desperately desired.
But before the boy could even step forwards, the light revealing that the liquid dripping down his back was Tim's own scarlet, he was forced back outside with a front kick. Tim went flying back, the warmth of blood meeting the cold of the snow, as his limbs desperately braced himself for the impact.
"NOT FAST ENOUGH BOY."
The hunter of beasts boomed.
The door to the cottage swung shut with a violent thud, the sounds of Yamaka's screams in agony as the sadistic whip cracked soon following filling what space of sound was left between the sounds of the wind and the lantern swinging.
Tim's tears of pain and agony quickly froze as he picked himself up, trudging forwards once more...
