You searched tirelessly, eyes scanning the ground and bushes for anything edible. But the forest seemed as empty as the fields in your village. No animals around, and no plants grew.

You really did consider turning back.

The idea of returning to the village empty-handed with nothing for your family wasn't really appealing, but neither was the cold that was beginning to seep into your bones. Just as you were about to go back, a voice stopped you dead in your tracks.

"You can find frozen berries in the bushes. You seem to have overlooked them."

Startled, you turned to find the source of the voice. Standing before you was a young-looking woman. Her eyes were hidden beneath a cross-shaped veil. Her coat was thick and fluffy, and yet it was strangely contrasting with the fact that her legs and feet were bare.

Nevertheless, she seemed unaffected by the cold.

And she was beautiful. Too beautiful to be human. You knew what she was. It was a fairy, and her name was Columbina. So the tales whispered in the village were true, you thought.

She tilted her head slightly as if amused by your lack of reaction. "I can help you," Columbina suggested, her tone soft, almost soothing. "The winter has been truly unkind to your people, hasn't it?"