Chapter 1: A true rose has been born...

Zom awoke after what felt like an eternity of sleep. He had no idea what time it was or how long he had been out, but with the sun nearly overhead, it had to be midday. His body ached as he stretched, and his hooves were still sore, caked with dried blood. When he attempted to stand, his legs gave way beneath him, sending him crashing back to the ground. Weak and exhausted, he tried repeatedly to get back on his feet, but each effort ended in failure.

Frustration and desperation mounting, he spotted a stick nearby. Reaching for it, he used it to support himself, managing to stand for a few moments before collapsing again. But he had moved forward, if only by a few meters. Determined, he continued this slow and painful 'walk,' inching forward bit by bit. After hours of agonizing steps, Zom finally came across a small bush bearing berries, which struck him as strange given the winter season, but he didn’t question it. Beyond the bush, he noticed a shallow pond of water that, to his surprise, hadn’t frozen over.

Driven by thirst, Zom dragged himself toward the water as fast as his body would allow. With his final burst of energy, he collapsed at the water’s edge. He stretched his neck, lapping at the water like a starving animal, finally quenching his thirst. After resting for a while, he shifted his body and dipped his injured hooves into the water, washing away the dried blood. The pain was sharp with each touch, and his cries echoed through the stillness of the forest, but at last, his wounds were clean.

He leaned back, drawing in a deep breath of the crisp air, his mind clouded with uncertainty. He had no clear plan, no idea how to survive in the days ahead, but one thing was certain, he couldn’t endure many more freezing nights like this. The sun was sinking behind the trees, casting long shadows across the snow as the sky deepened into twilight. With the approaching night, the cold settled in more fiercely, and Zom shivered at the thought of what lay ahead.

During the daylight hours, Zom had filled his belly with berries, which gave him some relief from hunger, but it wasn’t enough. He tore leaves from the bush, layering them over the snow to create a thin, makeshift bedding, hoping it would shield him from the bitter chill of the ground. Exhausted but unable to fully relax, he stared up at the darkening sky, watching as the first stars appeared, wondering if anyone out there could help him... or if anyone even knew he was still alive.

As the wind picked up, cutting through the trees with a sharp, icy edge, Zom wrapped his hooves around himself for warmth. The night felt harsher than before, the cold biting at his exposed skin. His body ached, his hooves still tender from the injuries, but the pain was now overshadowed by the creeping numbness from the cold. The thought of giving up briefly flickered in his mind, but he quickly pushed it away.

He knew he had to fight, to survive. Tomorrow, he would have to act. He couldn’t just wander aimlessly anymore... Zom needed shelter, something to keep the cold at bay.