ORIGIN

Karambit's claws did sink somewhere soft and white. Red streaks did shoot by on its rapid descent into the writhing throng of would-be rescuers below. However the first was only the ground, and the second was a mere glimpse of the stunning beast's stripes, not the greeting welts that the raucous monster so wished to inflict. Hooked into malleable powder instead of a sturdy backside, gangly legs lost balance. Flailing flight turned into what would be an equally messy crash landing. Unsurprisingly, just before the moment of impact, its primary emotion was disappointment, a childish wail replacing a friendly scream.

"Hiiii—aiiiiiiiieeeee!"

The sound didn't differ enough for the change to be particularly noticeable, not unless the listener was well-versed in the nuances of monster screeches. Regardless of the feelings involved, though, it was soon cut off as Karambit plunged headlong into a bank, body plowing the area in a narrow strip. Cold dampness packed into all manner of mouths, and whatever snow had not become a force-fed meal washed overtop an already shivering back. Limbs were twisted and crushed beneath its own weight.

The position was not an unfamiliar one; often it'd not stuck a landing and fallen like so. In fact, it preferred collapsing in such an uncoordinated fashion. Softly touching down didn't cause the same exhilaration as almost breaking a leg or three.

It did have a complaint though, unrelated to the exquisite pain blooming from the awkward bend of its limbs: the friend-to-be was roaring in unmistakable agony and had not yet been given a proper welcome by its truly. Simply unacceptable when everyone else must have had their turn.

"Mmmmnnnn" was the mumble from where it lay prone. A series of wet hacks expelled the snow from its main set of jaws. Then, straining against the mounds piled upon its shoulders, the monster stood up on quivering feet. "Wait forrrrr meeeee," it whined upon hearing what seemed to be an impromptu talent show.

Ice couldn't be shown, not when it still needed to give scratches.

Wings fluttered, and the near-eternal buzzing from Karambit picked up in volume. But the hover that would've carried it from a freezing gust of breath began far too late. Barely lifted from the ground, the leathery appendages stilled, ice creeping over their surface and down onto vulnerable flesh. The cold's intensity was such that it seared, yet the harm did not heighten its awareness as it usually would. Paradoxically, drowsiness increased, and the attempt to fly was altogether thwarted once legs frosted over.

Karambit collapsed again, but not without an ear-piercing shriek. "Noooooo!"

Why did friends always have to be so difficult?