In a faraway place in the forest, through a field of land where trees had fallen due to unnatural causes, a tiny bug, resembling a spider, moved steadily along its path.
It passed through the fallen trees, cracks on the ground, and numerous obstacles with its robotic-like walk, never once halting its movement throughout its entire journey.
Now, the bug faced another obstacle in its path. The path it needed to traverse was occupied by a herd of bear-like creatures. These creatures were furry, with two colors mixed in their fur—a main color spreading through most of their body and a simple circular line around their stomach area.
Despite their fearsome faces, they had a beautiful appearance. However, as usual, the spider-like bug, supported by its numerous legs, never stopped its walk and continued forward. It approached closer to the herd of bears.
The herd of bears did not notice the arrival of the bug. Given their giant size, it was not surprising that they didn't notice it at all.
However, the bug's unnoticed presence posed a danger. If one of the bears accidentally stepped on it with their giant foot, the bug had no way to defend itself.
Despite this, The bug continued its way through them. The herd of bears lay lazily on a field of tiny grass, their massive bodies sprawled on the ground as they playfully rolled and play with each other.
Safely passing through all the commotion caused by the bears, the bug arrived towards a certain bear that was larger than the others. This beast was sleeping a bit away from the rest, as if keeping a watchful eye over them from the side.
As the bug walked near the shadow cast by the giant bear, the darkness within the shadow deepened. From within this deepening darkness, a hand rose up—a hand resembling one submerged in dark water. Drops of liquid fell from the hand, which appeared to be made of a dark and unstable liquid substance.
The hand stretched out, grabbing the bug that was going on its wandering way.
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After seizing the bug, the hand withdrew back into the shadow of the bear and disappeared. In the next second, the bear's shadow rushed out from its place, swiftly moving through the forest, leaping from one shadow to another.
After a while of journeying, the hand entered an area that seemed darker despite the sun being up in the sky, with the shadows in that area slightly deeper than those at night.
The shadow entered the darkness and vanished within it. When it reappeared, the watery hand rose from the ground, holding the bug in its grasp.
The place it arrived at was surrounded by trees, with a layer of tiny grass spread across the ground and a round rock at the center of it. Upon this rock sat a dark figure, throughout it's body a few shrp spikes emerging out, which is none other than the Spike General Werren.
He grabbed the bug in the shadow hand and crushed it, a surge of dark energy flow from his hand towards his head.
"Ha-ha, so it's found."
- - - -
Back in the nest, two remaining frost-makers, Father and Mother, watched their children as they embarked on their own journeys. They continued looking at them until the last one disappeared from their vision. Even after that, they kept looking until the warm feeling that had filled their hearts a moment ago slowly faded away.
The first to react was Father, who stood up and walked out from the nest. Following him, Mother also stood up and walked out.
Once outside, they looked back at the nest they had built, the tree nest that had held the upbringing of their children. They had cherished raising them, experiencing emotions that only first-makers could feel in such times.
But alas, not everything remains forever. Once the kids have grown and left the nest, the breeding season of the frost makers comes to an end.
Frost makers are creatures that do not particularly enjoy being in groups; they are solitary creatures. Even though they can stay in groups, they prefer a solitary life. Only during breeding seasons do adult frost-makers come together to propagate their lineage for the future. Once it ends, they return to their solitary lives, often separating from their partners.
Outside of the nest, Father glanced at his partner, as did Mother. The two shared warm gazes. It was the end of their union; now they had to part ways.
Father took a step forward and ran through the tree branches, while Mother also ran in the opposite direction, leaping from one tree to another.
The frost-makers, once united to breed, would once again come together during the next breeding season, but only if they were alive at that point.
If one died, the other partner would remain alone forever. That's the loyalty the first-makers had, even in their preferred solitary lives.
From the horizon, the sun slowly rises, but the nest, which is usually noisy and bustling with frost-makers, now sits alone and quiet. Only the footprints remain as clues of their lives.