She feels alive. That’s what happens when the cold air enters your lungs. After it enters your lungs, it starts to take you over. She loves that. She loves the very feeling of being absolutely eaten alive by the monster in her chest. She was the monster in her own chest. It’s magic. All of it makes her feel lovely, makes her feel like something has lit her on fire. Yes. Absolutely beautiful. Head tossing, gait rollicking, and she’s… she’s more than pleased with the fact that there’s snow up to her elbows and enough of it to slide and take over the world.

Running. She runs. Aspen’s speed isn’t something to be scoffed at, but she’s too heavy to be a sprinter. Ask her to endure. She’ll go forever. This is a creature that knows how to trick herself out of being fatigued. She knows how to make that part of her brain shut up, or at least how to ignore it. She’d ignore it over and over and over again. It would be amazing. She was amazing. The sooty blonde was going to reach out and touch the things that she needed to, that she wanted to, sink her teeth into the life she was living.

It’s fantastic. Aspen needed to learn about the world around her. Needed to learn about this place that would become her home some day soon. The freelands, as they were, would house her for now. House her until she met a worthy cause. When she met that cause? Well, they’d have a morally grey knight that would lead the way to the end of the earth. Aspen could lead, but she was best at being the right hand man. She was best at being the second in command. It was her preference. All she needed now was a cause.

The midday sun rained down over her shoulders, warming everything. She’s electric. Everything is electric.