It was that time of the week again, when the money he had earned harvesting and selling ice had run low and he was forced to take to the woods and hunt for his food. The few carrots he had downed for breakfast were enough to hold him over for now, and whatever he didn’t skin and eat himself would be sold in town for a couple of kroner worth of vegetables for Sven.
Beside him, the reindeer flattened at the snow with his hooves. He was none too fond of the bow grasped in Kristoff’s hand, nor the quiver of arrows on his back.
“Come on, quit being so slow!“ The burly blond reached over and gave the beast a pat, ”You know I’d never use this on you, right?”
Sven grunted, his ears falling back. Oh, he knew, but it didn’t make watching him sink arrows into the flanks of other critters any easier. Sighing, Kristoff stopped to give his best friend a good scratch behind the ear.
”You know that I’d buy all of this if I had the money, buddy. And I’m NOT asking Anna for help.“ He said quickly when the reindeer gave him a pleading look. The pathetic expression change to an disgruntled one, the beast snorting wetly at the man. ”Knock it off, I——”
The sound of snow shifting and crunching under foot silenced the man, his knees bending to hide him behind a low, frost-bitten bush. If he was lucky, it was his soon-to-be dinner. Sadly, a few moments of waiting revealed that it was only a young woman.
Groaning, Kristoff stood and made to turn away, when Sven let out an excited bark. Leaving the man behind, he leaped and danced towards the girl with the light hair.
“Oh, come on! Sven, get back here!”
✿ \ Fluttershy enjoyed the silence, enjoyed the sound of the few early birds coming back for spring, and her eyes remained closed as she took in a deep breath of the fresh air. Then she was suddenly caught off guard; a rather loud noise coming from somewhere behind her, and she turned around, almost losing her balance and stumbled backwards in the snow–
Scratch that – she did lose her balance and fell right into the snow, letting out an ever so soft yelp. Her basket made it, and when she finally managed to look up and get back up on her feet, she noticed what the sudden noise had been, and she smiled at the reindeer.
“Oh–hello there–” Fluttershy almost whispered before she remembered the remaining food in her basket. She reached into it and pulled some of it out; apples, bread, carrots, nuts, berries.. What her small gloved hands could hold for now. She put the basket down in the snow before she stood up again and offered the reindeer the food.
"It’s okay– take it.“
She was so caught up with the reindeer, it took her a lot of time to notice that it wasn’t alone, and she caught a glimpse of the stranger. A sudden whimper escaped parted lips; mixed with a gasp as the food she had been holding fell into the snow. She then noticed the weapon that was carried by the stranger, and a hand was brought up to her lips to cover it, worry now filling her features.
She knew immediately what the bow was for, and turned to the reindeer for a moment before she frowned – confused – and then she just stood there, looking from the animal to the stranger in attempt to figure out what was going on.
