The snow continued to pile down upon Sacha's crouched form. He knew he couldn't continue on in search of shelter. He would have to huddle here and hope for the best. Besides, if he left the sapling now that he'd already decided to protect it, he would never forgive himself. His name meant 'defender'. Such a laughable thought that in any other situation he would snort out loud, but he wanted it make the name true just once. So, as the blizzard rushed around him, he tried to huddle closer to the plant that offered him no real warmth. His entire back felt iced with the coat draped over his arms and legs instead, trying to keep the snow off...was it a maple tree? No, he really didn't know plants well enough to say.

As the blizzard kept raging on, Sacha slumped further toward the ground. Until it ended, he refused to give up, but, already it was so hard. How long had it been? Time turned so hazy and the snow white world looked the same in every direction. It never changed, just lost its hold on him. He even stopped feeling cold. Was that bad? Still, he just huddled there until the snow began to lessen, turning into flurries somewhere in the middle of the night. He already long since stopped noticing the rate of the snow's fall. "I'll protect you. I promise I'll...." he managed to whisper, not even sure what was real anymore.

Finally, the blizzard wound its way to the end. Even though he'd long since stopped noticing it, Sacha's body relaxed the second that the last snowflake fell. And just like that, he let himself slid to the ground, his coat still half draped over the sapling plant. The darkness that met him was welcome.