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The world around is dark. The darkness is normal, of course. It has been dark for so long, it is difficult to remember the days when the sky was lighted in a bright fashion. But the providers are good at working around that. They make their domains so bright. There is a reason they are called the fire-providers. They are good at making fire, and fire means warmth and light. They are providers of many things, actually, but fire is one of the best.
Now, I accompany my provider out beyond the domain of its kin. It decided to bring nothing but my company, it seems. But it is so cold. Even with my thick fur, I feel the bitter cold of the world around. The providers don't do so well in the cold. And this provider was different than the others. First of all, it didn't travel with others providers. Why? Why did it go against that? What was so special about this provider, that it could travel without even the smallest pack in the bitter cold?
I've been through these parts before. I know them. I feel something telling me we should turn back. But I am not in charge. And the providers are smart. This one must know something the others do not, as we are taking a less-traveled path. I don't want to. I know the path we left, and it is safe.
We have been walking for a while in this terrible cold. My provider occasionally stopped, out of breath. It was not in very good shape. I wasn't tired in the least, save for this cold. Is it not time for the fire yet? I want to feel that wonderful happiness I get when I lay by the fire, and it certainly is cold enough!
The ground here feels funny. I do not like it at all. It feels like danger. And look! My provider feels it, too! It has just fled from something, though I know not what that something is. I heard a suspicious noise from the ground. It was some sort of cracking. Beneath the spot, I hear some sort of bubbling or gurgling. I know what that means. The ground here wants us. Sometimes, the white ground opens up wide and tries to gobble whatever is above it. It is hungry, I think. I am hungry, too. And cold. Very cold.
The provider is pushing me ahead. It wants me to lead? I don't want to lead! The ground here is hungry, and it will try to snatch me up! I do not like this provider. It is foolish and naïve. Besides, I do not know where the provider was leading us, so I cannot lead to a destination I do not know. It makes no sense. I have that feeling again, stronger than ever. I want to turn back. Back to the food, and the fire. Back to the safety and the warmth. Not further over the hungry ground in this accursed cold!
I was right. I think that this provider is not smart. The ground opened up beneath me, and two of my paws were nearly snatched up. I got to safety, but my paws are now wet and cold. Not just wet, the wet was becoming hard, like the ground. I do not want my paws to become ground! I must remove this at once, before it consumes the rest of me. The hungry ground shall not have my paws. I need them.
The provider has come to help. Perhaps it is sorry for making me lead. Perhaps it is not completely stupid. Still, I do not like this provider. If only it would make fire to cuddle up near, all will be well. It is too cold not to make fire now, right? When will this provider make a fire?
Finally, the provider has made a fire. It sure took long enough. This one knows nothing of how to survive, does it? I am starting to feel a loathing for this one. The other providers are much better. Still, I am glad for the fire.
Not long after making the fire, the provider wants to leave. Not me. I am not naïve. The fire is warm and safe. I think I will stay, and go home when it is not so cold.
Or not. I do not know all the strange sounds the providers make, but I now the ones this one is making now mean that I will be punished if I do not follow. What a foolish provider this is, leaving the fire behind in such a cold time.
This time, the ground just tried to take my provider. Perhaps it is the provider's fault for being so dumb. My provider fled from the ground that had tried to take it down, and started to make more fire. Perhaps the ground taught it a lesson. That we should stay by the fire this time. That was the thing to do.
The fire has grown in size. The provider is starting to remove some of its covering. Is that wise?
No, it was not. Snow from above has fallen on top of our fire. The nerve of it, taking away the fire! The provider looked afraid, now. It wanted to make another fire, I can tell. But it wasn't working. This fire-provider is very bad at its own specialty. And it is starting to act really suspicious. My feeling is strong again. I want to get away. Not from the cold. From this terrible fire-provider. I do not recognize the sounds it is making.
I have never seen a fire-provider fail before. What is it doing, turning to me? I do not like this at all. It shall not come near me.
Now it makes the punishment sounds. If I don't obey, I'll be in trouble. I do not want to anger one of these providers. I suppose I must go to its side.
It grabbed me! The fire-provider has grabbed me? What is it doing? Something is terribly wrong. Providers do not do this. I will not take this treatment! I will shake off this terrible provider. Perhaps I am the better leader here, this provider is absolutely insane.
I have shaken it off, and it is flailing wildly. I shall let it finish with this, then I shall be in charge. This dumb provider knows not what it is doing. It does not know something the others do not. It is the opposite. I does not know what the others do. It cannot even create fire properly!
There. The provider has started running. I can now continue by its side. It seems very frantic and scared. It should be. It should not have come to this cold without a pack. It should not strayed from the safe path. I know where the other providers are from here, but I feel this one needs an escort. It is weak and dumb.
Too weak. It has collapsed for rest. I suppose it ran a good amount for a provider in such terrible cold, but there is no time for rest if it cannot create a fire. We need fire.
… It has been too long. The fire-provider hasn't moved for too long of a time, and there is no fire. I am cold, and with fake fur, it must be even colder. It should have made a fire by now.
It still isn't moving.
I smell something off. Something wrong. This fire-provider, it has slept too long. It will not wake up. I suppose that means that I have failed to escort it to the safety other providers. I tried to make it clear earlier that I was no leader.
The others are not far. There are bound to be good providers in the nearby territory. This one was too dumb to live. I am not.
