Where am I… It’s so cold… frighteningly cold. I want to open my eyes, but my body tells me to keep my eyes shut, to enjoy the blissful sleep for longer. I felt cold and hungry, so I had to ignore my body to keep sleeping. I had to seek survival.

I opened my eyes, and from pure black turned into pure white. The sheer force of the winds hurt my eyes, and I immediately winced and shut my eyes.

The reality of the situation came to me as I realize I was in an unforgiving snowstorm, while the horizon stretched on to be naught but white.

It was difficult to even see anything in front of me, on account of the expanding snowfall, and my body began to quiver uncontrollably, as though to remind me being out here was not okay.

As though lost in all senses of the world around me, I knew being alone would not be enough. The need to have others in my life. Aloneness in death would be a fate I would not wish upon to my worst enemy, and here it stood in front of me, showing me how helpless I truly am, as though mocking me. I tried kicking back, I tried breathing harder, I tried lifting my body, but the extreme cold and fatigue drove my attempts futile.

….

The snow soon dug deep into my paws, making my feet feel more and more numb. Everything in my power told me I just wanted to close my eyes, and accept the fact that soon I will be buried in the snow, to disappear.

At least I can become one with the world again, to give back what I took from it.

  At the very least, I can become one with the world again, to repeat the cycle of life. Death was never something to be afraid of, it just takes some time to accept it.

I don’t want to accept it.

The crunching of snow soon cascaded with the howls of wind, slowly geting louder and louder, and soon cascaded in harmony with the relentless howls of wind that accompanied the blizzard, getting closer and closer.

I was as white as the snow at this point, muscles not even twitching, undistinguishable to the snow, yet it knew exactly where I was.

A pair of delicate soft hands soon embraced my sides, brushing off the bitterly cold snow away from my freezing body.

I open my eyes and stare into the dreary eyes of a girl whose complection were as white as cotton. She wore short white hair reminiscent of hime cut bangs and a mushroom cut to the rear, but shoulder length, wearing an equally snow white kimono.

“Am I… am I going to die?”

“No one deserves to die alone...” a soft melodic voice echoed back.

“Thank you…” I whispered as I closed my eyes again, while the cotton white girl lifted me into the air, embracing me to her chest.

The unforgiving cold suddenly turned into an engulfing warmth that quickly spread through my body, quelling the pain and numbness that had just succumbed to me. I for a moment, felt a shudder of relief.

“Soft like cotton…” the girl murmured in my ear, whilst carrying me like a newborn child, stroking my backside, all while shielding me from the blinding snow.

“Thank you…” I whispered again, as tears filled my eyes.

I just wanted to experience this moment as long as I could. To remember the ethereal moments before me, to feel truly loved, forgiven and cared for, even if it means I die afterwards.

Did I come to terms with happiness?...

“Who are you?”

“But today’s not the day, Mr. Rabbit. It’s time to wake up. Time to wake up…” the cotton girl whispered as she lifted me up in the air to meet at head level so that we met eye to eye. I stared deep into her pearl-like eyes, to see a reflection of myself. A cute albino rabbit. Me. A doctor who will continue what he does despite looking like this.

She’s right. I cannot come to terms with death yet.

…………………

My entire body felt sore, but I opened my eyes anyways. As my eyes became adjusted to the light around me, I saw a familiar face across from me, the same golden locks of the girl who saved my life too.

She was sound asleep, eyes shut with an ere of unrest. A tear rolled down her cheek, leaving a noticeable streak down her cheek.

I should let her rest for a while longer, I thought in silence. I look around where I am. THe wall were made of crude straw bundles and the room was dimly lit with an oil lamp, around half full. I laid in a futon-esque bed made of some sort of cotton-like material, but it reeked of mould and dirt. A bule blanket full of holes and patches laid beneath Kotori’s feet, leaving her in the cold. Her sleeping body rested in front of me, facing me directly, her pillow wet with water.

…

Those are tears.

I stared deep into her face, then recalled what happened moments before. Right… my leg. I immediately looked behind myself, as I now laid in a supine position in my slumber, so I thought.

The leg was fully stitched with the techniques I taught her, stitch for stitch, with the same spiderlily thread she showed me, but also wrapped in a sticky leaf like wrapping around my leg.

Amazing, she must have known what to do after I passed out, even to bandage and seal the wound fully to let it heal. What kind of leaf is this though, it’s nothing reminiscent of the other world. It was an amazing adhesive, almost as though out of a fiction.

I quietly try to get up by kicking my hindlegs back and forth but immediately a sharp pain tore through my newly injured leg.

Right… I probably shouldn’t do that.

I try rolling back and forth like a turtle, until I am able to land on my hindlegs. Looking like a cat in heat while doing so, I eventually got around to a suitable position and exited the hut quietly, careful not to rummage too much, lest creating too much sound.

Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

Ow.. ow… ow… it still hurts to walk… hop. I ought to just limp today.

Outside the hut, I saw the old rugged man before I lost consciousness, along with two other unfamiliar faces of old ladies and a little boy huddled around a single fire accompanied by log benches. They all looked rather tattered and exhausted, as though resting after a long day of hard work. Despite this, their faces wore great hospitality and happiness, as though trying to share each other’s happiness.

The group shared a lugh before the little boy noticed me observing them quietly, and promptly pointed at me.

“Rabbit!” the boy exclaimed.

“Ah.. so that’s the mysterious animal we found,” the old man commented.

Ahh… maybe it wasn’t such a good idea to wander off without Kotori by my side.

I simply waved back at them, surely something a rabbit would not do to confirm their suspicions.

“Ah, so Kotori wasn’t kidding. You are no simple rabbit, are you.” the old man stated.

I nod in response. I suppose despite not being able to talk anymore, we could still communicate at a basic level.

“Oh my, things are a bit interesting in our little village now isn’t it?” the old lady to the right exclaimed.

The boy then spontaneously, without a care in the world grabbed me by the back trying to pick me up, but instead pinching my flesh as he tried to drag me out of the air.

I’ve got to be honest. It felt like getting thiry consecutive pinches in the ass by a metal clamp or 3 biopsies worth of pain. I think I get why pets freak out when you don’t hold onto them properly.

“Kobo! That’s no way to hold a rabbit!” the old man quickly interjected me from Kobo’s grasp and properly grasped me in his hands. His hands, though rough of calluses likely from a peasant life, felt firm and reassuring, like a loving and caring parent.

“You truly are a hard worker,” I muttered in my mind.

“Well then, before Kotori wakes up, would you like to see around my village?”

I nod yet again, and the old man smiled briefly, exposing his two missing front teeth. Admittedly such a goofy smile eased the constant pain I’ve been in, and such a smile didn’t fit a rugged old man like himself.

“So… Mr. Rabbit, as you saw earlier, that was Kotori’s hut, and along with her hut in the center of the village, there are the other residence. There aren’t so many of us here, mere 30 of us or so. I lost count after…”

“Ah ah Kojirou, that was not your fault!” the lady to the left quickly interrupted, sensing a bad thought.

“No. It was my fault. Had I gotten there sooner, he would still be alive.”

“Please stop thinking about that and tell more to the rabbit!”

“Thank god I made it this time, or I could never forgive myself.”

The old man began shedding a few tears, and Kobo noticed this, patting the old man in the back, while the leftmost old lady gave Kojirou a handkerchief.

Kojirou took a moment to regain his composure, and directed me to the right side, with a smile.

“And there’s the farms and soil in which we grow our crops. For the most part, we try not to keep too many animals, as it has been difficult as of late to keep any animals. They would either run away to be found in pieces days later, or wolves would be even as bold to come to this village to take their pick.

Lastly our leftmost part of our village is meant for everyday needs such as tools, clothing, and of course food. Ah.. why don’t I go fix you up something. I’m sure Aunty Komina would have something for you.

“Ah yes, let’s go now,” the old lady on the right exclaimed. “I’ve got just the thing.”

Still being carried by Kojirou, the five of us promptly moved to a little shack where fumes fueled the openings, smelling of delighted scents.

“Kotoba, do you have something for our little furry friend?” Aunt Komina said with a gleeful expression.

A young girl around Kotori's size exited the hut, holding a steaming ladle looked at Aunt Komina with a confused look on her face.

She pointed at Kojirou, and she gleefully cooed at me.

“Yes I do, little rabbit, here…”

She quickly went back into the hut to grab a bowl filled with little jelly cubes, with a colour similar to Ai Yu jelly, but significantly more fragrant akin to ginseng, thyme and ginger.

“I see your leg got hurt, this should help soothe the pain,” Kotoba eagerly explained.

She brought the bowl by my face, and I took a small nibble.

The jello was sweet but strongly pungent of medicinal qualities.

Amazing, after swallowing, pain immediately began to disappear from my leg, stronger than any morphine can imagine, and yet, I was alert focused and above all else, relaxed.

“You’re probably asking yourself what that was, aren’t you, little one,” Kotoba chuckled.

“It’s a puree of terraqilin jellified by pectin from aloe vera, flavoured by some sugar, thyme and ginger.”

Ah, so I was spot on, but terraqilin? I’ve never heard of such a thing in the other world.

“Unfortunately terraqilin is quite hard to find, as it is impossible to cultivate it naturally. Rumours say magic users may be the root cause of terraqilin’s growth, and only strive under the presence of strong Insignia energy.”

Magic users? Such things exist? And what the heck is an Insignia?

“We’re down to our last few stocks of the terraqilin, maybe good for 3-4 more brews. It’s a shame, because our people are constantly going hungry. It breaks my heart,” Aunt Komina sighed.

“Recently it’s become more and more difficult to gather these roots, given the nature of those damn wolves,” a manly voice spoke, of a rural accent raising the crowd from 5 to 6 people.

“Ah, Geoff, nice to see you are well.”

Geoff ruffled his dirty blond blond hair but his blue eyes that glistened even in the shade.

“I’m fine, can’t say the same about my mate. He’s coming up with something nasty. Could you whip up some energy brew for him. Don’t think it’ll be enough, but it’ll get him by for another day.”

“You mean Phil? Yeah, he hasn’t been getting better as of late,” Kotoba added.

“After our last expedition, don’t know what’s causing it.”

As I make a mental note to ask to visit Phil later, everyone all of a sudden had nothing to say, the environment soon became ambient, until...

The sound of little footsteps filled the air, and everyone lifted their faces to see a big smile.

“Mr. Rabbit!!! You’re okay!” Kotori exclaimed.

“Yes, I’m alright thanks to you, if it hadn't been for your hard work, I would clearly have perished.”

“Kotori… can you… can you understand the rabbit?!” Geoff exclaimed blinking rapidly in awe.

She shyly nodded, and took me out of Kojirou’s firm grasp. Her hands felt significantly more delicate and soft, compared to the hard working grandpa, a contrast of life.

“What were you guys talking about?” Kotori asked curiously.

“Kotori, your village is in need of terraqilin for your medicinal brews. I want to help,” I told Kotori.

“Mr. Rabbit… please don’t concern yourself with such matters. You are still hurt, and I cannot allow you to exert yourself any further. Kojirou, I’ll go instead, to find the supplies. What do you need?”

“No. Kotori it’s too dangerous to go alone.” Kojirou scolded.

“It’s fine paps, I’ll come with Kotori, keep her safe.” Geoff offered. “Kotoba can you and grams help tend to Phil in the meantime.”

At this point, I feel an urgent sense of guilt, unable to accept the fact that Kotori would be out there in danger while I peacefully rested.

“Kotori, I have an acute sense of smell that can detect terraqilin. Please take me along.”

Kotori hesitated but she too knew how much I didn’t want to just stay and wait.

She begrudgingly accepted and took out her wicker basket, gesturing me to go inside.

I slowly hop inside carefully so as to not hurt my leg again.

“Geoff!” one of the old ladies called out, as she called him, holding a rusty pitchfork.

“No thanks Kososo gram! I got this!” Geoff gestured as he pulled out a rope fashioned like a lasso.

Kososo simply smiled back, and waved. “Get back soon! Stay safe!”

“Alright gang, let’s do this. We got family waiting at home.”

A family. A home.

The snow wasn’t for me today, was it.