Pantalone huffed as he walked through the Snezhnayan cold, blood staining his face and gloved hands. He had just gotten rid of a debtor, and he still had a long list of them to go. His debt collectors and other hires he relied on have been declining in their efficiency lately and decided to take matters into his own greedy, dirty hands. He took his glasses off to wipe the blood off them so the crimson liquid wouldn’t freeze there, a frown on his face.

He was on his way to the next debtor’s house and began mumbling to himself. “By the Tsaritsa’s name…I might just fire my employees if—“ he was cut off when he heard a cracking sound nearby. Curiosity getting the better of him, he followed the sounds to an abandoned egg in a bush, the bush being used as a makeshift nest. The egg was a bright cyan with snowflakes adorning its shell, along with small cracks appearing near the top.

He tilted his head as he watched the egg hatch, the top of the egg crumbling away as two small hands grabbed the edges. He saw two tiny horns poking out and watched as your small form made itself known when you poked your head out of the shell. He hummed curiously and watched from a distance, contemplating on what he should do—if he should approach you, or leave you alone.