Safety?

[Silvia]

The night was frigid, the cold seeping through their shelter's layers of fabric, causing everyone inside to shiver. Silvia pulled her tiny body closer to Nivalis, her skin brushing against her mother's skin, trying to absorb as much heat as possible. Nivalis felt the soft skin of her daughter's chest against her as Silvia adjusted her position. She snuggled closer to Nivalis, burying her face in her mother's cleavage. Her little brother, Aster, was already asleep, blissfully unaware of the circumstances, safe and warm in his sister's and mother's embrace.

Silvia breathed deeply in her mother's scent, the sweet, familiar smell reminding her that she was safe and protected. A feeling she craved more than ever now that their lives were in constant danger. She wrapped her arms around Nivalis' waist, hugging her tightly, her fingers pressing gently into her flesh. As she closed her eyes, the world disappeared around her, replaced by the warmth of Nivalis's body against hers and the softness of her mother's breasts. She focused only on breathing, letting herself forget the cold around her.

— "It's been a long day," Silvia whispered softly, her voice muffled against Nivalis's breast. "Thank you, Mommy."

Nivalis smiled gently as she ran her fingers through her daughter's hair lovingly. "Don't thank me, sweetie. You did such a good job taking care of your brother. I'm so proud of you," she whispered soothingly, planting a kiss on her forehead. Silvia nodded slightly, burying her face further into the softness of her mother's breasts.

After a minute of silence, Nivalis whispered once again hesitantly. "Honey..." she paused, "could you please suck on mommy's nipples a bit more? It hurts again."

Silvia raised her head from Nivalis' chest, her silver hair falling messily over her face, framing her delicate features as she met her mother's gaze. —"O-Okay," she agreed, her cheeks blushing in embarrassment as she opened her mouth slightly and took the tip of her mother's right breast into it, sucking gently on the swollen, hardened nub of flesh, rolling her tongue around the areola, causing it to swell even more. The tension inside the breast began to subsidize, and Nivalis let out a soft moan as she arched her back slightly, pushing her breasts forward involuntarily.

Silvia continued suckling harder and faster, eager to relieve her mother's discomfort and pain, drinking thirstily as more milk poured into her mouth, savoring the sweet nectar that tasted so delicious on her tongue and warmed her insides. The soft, slippery sounds of Silvia's mouth filled the small shelter. The mother reached out to stroke her daughter's hair encouragingly as her milk flowed freely down Silvia's throat, filling her belly. Her nipples throbbed rhythmically, pulsating with each suckle her daughter made.

— "Better?" Silvia asked shyly as she released her mother's nipple with a wet pop and licked her lips clean.

"Mmhm." Nivalis nodded slightly and smiled. She tenderly cupped Silvia's cheeks in her hands. "Now, the other one."

Silvia immediately began suckling again on her mother's other nipple, giving it her full attention, using both her tongue and lips to suck on it thoroughly. Once more, she drank greedily, enjoying the flavor of milk and the sensation of having her mouth filled with liquid nourishment while listening to the soft, comforting sound of her mother's heartbeat echoing in her ears.

Eventually, Silvia took her mother's nipple out of her mouth once she had finished drinking milk, leaving it exposed to the cold air of the night. Her tongue lingered there for a moment longer, licking up every last drop of milk that spilled out, tasting Nivalis's skin and her saliva combined together, leaving Nivalis' nipples sore after her work was done. She licked her lips and swallowed the last remnants of her mother's milk from her mouth.

"Thank you, honey," Nivalis whispered softly as she started to gently rub her breasts in circular motions to release any pressure that was built up from being sucked so fiercely. She massaged and rubbed them gently, and Silvia watched in fascination as she did so.— "Do you need help, Mommy?" Silvia asked quietly.

Nivalis chuckled softly in response. "No, my dear," she replied gently. "I've got this. But thank you for your offer." Nivalis continued to massage her breasts that glistened from her daughter's salvia, kneading them skillfully, squeezing and twisting them with her fingertips and palms. After a while, she stopped and let out a sigh of relief as the tension in her breasts eased up. She smiled at Silvia as she reached out and stroked her hair lightly. "Goodnight, my love."

Silvia returned a gentle smile.— "Goodnight, Mommy." She rested her head against Nivalis's breast, snuggling in closer, and soon fell asleep listening to her mother's steady heartbeat.

Sleep soon came for Nivalis as well, and her eyes fluttered shut as she drifted off to sleep with her babies, as they huddled closely together for warmth. Unfortunately, due to the weather and the absence of a fire nearby, they ended up shivering shortly after drifting off to sleep. This continued well into the night as they clung to each other desperately, trying to preserve their body heat. The temperature continued dropping even further as the winds picked up outside their shelter, blowing across the ground and swirling around the trees above them. The noise of the rustling branches became louder as the wind increased in intensity.

The howling wind eventually woke Silvia from her slumber, and she stirred groggily as she slowly blinked the sleep out of her eyes. She tried to lift her head, but her mother's clothes kept her head pinned against Nivalis's bosom. Her soft, pillowy breasts provided some cushioning as they pressed against Silvia's cheek. She opened her eyes wider as she tried to look around to determine where she was. After a moment of confusion, she remembered that she was with her mother in their makeshift shelter. She slowly rested her head back down against Nivalis's breast, relaxing.

"Not sleeping well, honey?" Nivalis whispered, her voice barely audible over the howling winds outside their shelter. She shifted slightly, trying to move the fabric of her clothes to reveal her daughter's face, her eyes still heavy with sleep.

Silvia shook her head and yawned sleepily, her golden eyes tired and unfocused in the darkness.— "Yeah, just a little cold," she whispered.

"Me too," Nivalis admitted as she rubbed Silvia's back reassuringly.

They both went silent and listened to the wind outside. Silvia spoke up softly after a whole minute of quiet.— "Mommy... can I ask you something?"

"Of course, baby girl. What's on your mind?" Nivalis replied gently.

Silvia blushed a bit, feeling her cheeks warm with embarrassment.— "Um...well, I kinda have to go..." she trailed off awkwardly.

"Go where darling?" Nivalis asked, looking puzzled.

— "To... pee," Silvia replied, her voice trembling.

Nivalis blinked in surprise, needing a moment to respond. "Oh. Okay," she said after a brief pause. "Alright then. Get ready, and let's go."

— "Thank you," Silvia mumbled shyly as she crawled out of her mother's embrace, careful not to wake Aster.

Silvia's movements were clumsy and awkward as she struggled with the buttons on her coat. "Let me help you, sweetie," Nivalis said, chuckling lightly. She moved forward and gently pushed Silvia's hands aside before skillfully undoing the buttons and fastening them again. "There we go, all nice and warm," she added as she helped Silvia put on her boots and wrap her scarf around her neck. "Good?"

Silvia nodded slowly.— "Thanks."

With that, Silvia stepped outside into the cold. Nivalis followed closely behind. The wind whipped through their hair as they stepped beyond the shelter's entrance. She held Silvia's hand tightly, guiding her carefully through the darkness and helping her find a suitable spot to relieve herself.

It was hard to see anything clearly, especially with the snow falling heavily around them. As Silvia began to squat down, Nivalis kept watch over her as she relieved herself on the snow. The sound of urine hitting the ground was lost among the howling of the wind. As soon as Silvia finished, Nivalis helped to wipe Silvia's bottom gently with a piece of cloth and pull her pants up. "Come on, sweetie," Nivalis whispered reassuringly as she hugged Silvia close and led her back toward their shelter.

As Silvia and Nivalis settled down in their shelter once again, the silence of the night slowly enveloped them. The sound of their breathing echoed loudly inside the small space. There was nothing but darkness surrounding them. Nivalis gently brushed the hair away from her daughter's face and kissed her forehead tenderly. "There, that's better," she whispered softly. "Now, let's try to get some rest, okay?"

— "Yes, Mommy," Silvia whispered back. As she closed her eyes, Nivalis's hand rubbed her back gently, soothing her to sleep. The howling wind picked up as it grew even stronger and colder. But the only sound Silvia could hear was her mother's gentle breathing next to her ear. She buried her face in Nivalis's chest once again, nuzzling against her soft skin and inhaling her scent as she drifted off to sleep.

Only to be woken up again 20 minutes later by a familiar animal howl. It was a mournful, terrifying sound that seemed to echo through the forest and into their shelter. It caused Nivalis's heart to jump in her throat and her blood to freeze in her veins.

— "W-what was that?" Silvia whispered nervously.

"I don't know," Nivalis admitted honestly, but part of her remembered this howl from yesterday. "Stay quiet and close to me, sweetie." She said as she pulled Silvia towards her and hugged her protectively.

Another howl echoed through the air. They waited quietly in the darkness as the sounds continued to echo around them. As soon as the second howl faded into silence, another one began, followed by another. The howls seemed to reverberate throughout the entire forest. Each time a new sound arose, goosebumps on Nivalis' body rose with fear.

Then Nivalis remembered. Silvia's pee! Her scent. The beast probably smelled her urine in the snow. Nivalis gasped. "How could I be so stupid!?" this single thought screamed in her head. The smell will lead whatever creature out there straight to them, to their hideout. Ordinary wolves could smell even the slightest scent, but the animals in this forest were nothing but normal. Her children were in danger because of her, because she had not taken proper precautions.

Nivalis's heart raced in her chest, pounding wildly as she frantically tried to think of a plan to save herself and her children, but the horrifying noises outside seemed to grow louder by the moment, sending shivers down her spine and making it difficult for her to concentrate on anything else.

Then, the howls suddenly stopped, and the forest went eerily silent. The only sound was the gentle rustling of the trees above them as the wind blew through their branches. Minutes dragged on without a single sound being heard. Nivalis began to wonder if perhaps the creatures had simply passed by and were now gone, but she dared not hope for it to be true. Her hands trembled as she took several deep breaths and sat still in silence, waiting, straining her elven ears for any sign of danger.

Just as Nivalis started to regain hope, terrifying howls resumed once again. They were still distant but unmistakably closer. Nivalis knew that she had to act quickly. She collected her thoughts and made a decision. She would grab everything they had, stuff it all back onto the sled, and flee as fast as they could into the night, getting as far away from these creatures as possible. It was a dangerous idea, but there was no other choice. Hiding was not an option as they could easily smell them.

She rushed outside to quickly prepare their sled, taking every scrap of food and blankets from inside their shelter, folding them neatly, and packing them as swiftly as possible. Silvia watched Nivalis with terror written all over her face but remained obedient and stayed silent as her mother worked.

Their meager belongings were ready in mere minutes, piled up on the sled. Everything was set. It was now or never. Nivalis looked down at her terrified child and whispered shaky, "Sweetheart... come here."

Nivalis helped her daughter climb onto the sled and positioned her comfortably. She firmly grabbed Silvia's tiny hand and placed it atop the blanket she sat on. "Hold onto this, okay? Hold it tight and don't let go, understand? We have to leave quickly, and it will be quite bumpy." Silvia just nodded quickly in response. She stared at the blanket, gripping her tiny fingers tightly against the cloth.

Nivalis took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing heart, and then began to pull the sled, with Silvia holding on tightly as they ventured into the darkness.

The forest around them was pitch black, and Nivalis could barely make out the shape of trees as she moved ahead blindly, pulling the sled behind her. The only thing Nivalis cared about at that moment was getting in the opposite direction from where those beasts were coming.

Silvia could feel her heartbeat skip a beat every time she heard a howl. Her sled bumped along the uneven terrain, occasionally jolting Silvia uncomfortably with each dip and rise. Her tiny butt bounced painfully against the pile of supplies she sat on, causing her small asscheeks to hurt badly. Her lips felt dry, cracked from the cold air, tasting like metal whenever she licked them to moisten them, only to have them get even more painful moments later.

The sound of the howls grew closer and closer, sounding more and more threatening and intimidating. The wind picked up around them, howling angrily as if it, too, were chasing them. The coldness stung Silvia's face, freezing her tears as they rolled down her cheeks. She heard how her mother's boots crushed the snow with every step as they ran. Her heavy breathing filled her ears.

...

After what felt like an eternity, they stopped so Nivalis could catch a break. She leaned on a tree trunk for support as her chest heaved with each ragged breath as she looked around frantically, her face flushed from exertion and the bitter cold that nipped at her skin. Fog escaped from her mouth in small clouds one by one, obscuring the view of her sweat-glistened features. She wiped the sweat from her brow with her gloved hand and turned to face her children. Silvia and Aster were fine and seemed unhurt. Relief washed over Nivalis but didn't last long.

Another howl echoed through the forest, the same distance away from them as before - it felt like they hadn't moved at all since this nightmare began. Nivalis couldn't tell how far they had traveled, nor did she have any idea where they were headed, but she couldn't stop to figure it out. She grabbed the rope and resumed their flight, fighting through exhaustion. Her legs felt heavy as lead, weighed down by exhaustion and coldness. She pushed herself onward through sheer force of will.

...

After hours of continuous running through the forest, Nivalis finally collapsed in exhaustion onto the snow-covered ground. Her legs gave way beneath her as she gasped for breath, unable to endure any longer. Her slender body couldn't handle this much physical strain anymore, especially when they hadn't slept much for the last two nights. Her lungs burned with every labored breath, her throat ached as if someone was choking her, and her chest tightened with every beat of her heart.

Nivalis lay in the snow, staring at the sky above, watching as the first rays of sunrise broke through the trees, casting a faint light upon their frozen surroundings. Her breathing was ragged and uneven. Her heart raced wildly, and her body trembled uncontrollably. Her whole body ached as if she had just run a marathon. Her muscles burned and cramped painfully as if they had been stretched to their limits. Her lungs screamed for air, and her vision blurred and darkened from fatigue.

Another howl rang in her ears somewhere in the distance, but she was too exhausted to care anymore. She was numb everywhere, cold, and tired. Her eyelids felt heavy, and she could barely keep them open any longer.

Silvia silently observed her mother breathing heavily, lying on the ground. She carefully climbed from the sled, carrying Aster in her arms, and approached Nivalis. She knelt beside her mother, wrapping her arms tightly around her chest as she lay her head upon Nivalis' heaving bosom.

They lay in silence, waiting for whatever coming for them to come. Nivalis just stared at the sky, tears streaming down her face, her blue eyes full of regret.

"I'm so sorry, Silvia," Nivalis muttered. "I didn't mean for any of this to happen. I wanted you to be safe and happy..."

— "It's okay, Mommy. I understand." Silvia said as she cried silently as well, refusing to leave her side despite the fear of approaching death looming over them.

Nivalis pulled her children closer as she gently embraced them, her arms encircling them protectively. "I love you two very much." She whispered, her voice breaking as tears continued to roll down her cheeks.

As the minutes passed, the morning sun rose even higher, warming the air slightly. Once Nivalis' breathing had calmed, a strange sound reached Silvia's half-elven ears, a faint, strangely familiar sound somewhere in the distance. A non-stopping, buzzing but somehow soothing sound. It reminded her of something, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it.

— "Mommy, what is that noise? Do you hear it too?" Silvia asked as she lifted her tear-stained face from Nivalis' chest and turned her ear toward the sound.

Her mother didn't answer at first. She was about to repeat the question when Nivalis finally spoke. "Yes, I hear it," she said quietly, her blue eyes reflecting the glimpse of light. Silvia could see the recognition on her mother's face as if she knew the sound. "It's..." she started to say but stopped, hesitating to finish the sentence.

— "What is it, Mommy?" Silvia asked eagerly.

"It's..." Nivalis paused as she listened intently to the sound, her expression thoughtful. "It sounds like a river!" she finally said.

Nivalis couldn't believe it. It was their chance to save themselves. Nivalis rose, and while leaning on a tree for support, she got back on her feet. "Come on! Hurry up!" She urged Silvia as she grabbed the rope and pulled the sled wearily again towards the sound's source.

As they approached closer, the noise grew louder and louder, drowning out all other sounds. Soon, it was so loud Silvia could barely hear anything else.

They reached the edge of the dark forest.

On the other side of the river — normal-looking pine trees with brown trunks and green needles. Something this small family so longed to see, something an average person would usually pay no attention to, but for them, it looks like they have found haven, and it was just before them. The sun reflected brightly off the flowing water of the fast-flowing river before them. The crystal-clear stream gushed past them, splashing up white foam.

Nivalis gazed at the water flowing before her, her blue eyes sparkling. She saw a chance to save their lives. "River..." She murmured. Her heart leaped within her chest as she looked at the sight, hope rising within her. The only chance they can survive is to cross it and reach the other side, where beasts can't track them. If they can get to the other bank, they will be saved.

"Honey, we're going to cross this river." Her voice was gentle but firm. "It's the only way we can get away from this place. I need you to be brave and hold on tight to your brother, alright?" She instructed Silvia firmly as she stared directly into her golden eyes.

— "Okay, Mommy. I'll do my best." Silvia's voice trembled slightly, but she forced herself to remain calm.

"Sled is too small for me, so I'll be right behind you, pulling it through the water," Nivalis added reassuringly. "So just stay calm, alright?" She placed her hands gently on Silvia's shoulders and smiled kindly. "The sled will float, and I can swim. There's no reason to be worried."

— "Alright, Mommy," Silvia whispered. She took Aster's tiny hand in her own and squeezed it lightly. "Don't be scared, little brother. I'm here with you," she whispered.

Before them was a wide river. There was no ice anywhere; only crystal clear waters flowed swiftly, looking as cold as the winter itself. A light breeze rustled through the pine trees. The sun shone brightly, its warmth doing little to warm them up as they stood on the snowy bank.

Nivalis started to strip off her clothes, starting with her boots. She quickly removed each boot, placing them inside the sled, making sure it wouldn't get wet.

She removed her upper clothes, exposing her pale, bare skin to the cold air. Nivalis winced slightly but quickly regained composure. Her breasts jiggled with every movement, and goosebumps rose on her skin. She removed her pants next, revealing her thighs and calves to the frigid air. She started to shiver but continued to remove her clothes, stripping bare. The cold was almost unbearable, but Nivalis steeled herself against it. She grabbed the rope attached to the sled and wrapped it around her hand.

Silvia grits her teeth and holds onto Aster as their sled slowly moves toward the water. She glanced back to see her naked mother pulling the sled from behind right into the water.

— "Ah?!" Silvia cried out in surprise once the sled hit the water and started to float, her voice echoing across the water's surface.

"It's alright, honey. Everything will be fine," Nivalis reassured her daughter as she gripped the wood of the sled tightly. Silvia glanced back again and watched as her mother slowly lowered herself into the river, gasping at how cold it was. Her teeth chattered involuntarily. Her lips were turning blue, and her skin grew red with every passing moment. She gritted her teeth and pushed onward. The current was strong and swift, but the sled remained steady thanks to Nivalis. "Don't worry, honey. I can do this. Just hold on tight to your brother, and don't let him fall into the water, okay?" Her voice echoed through the air.

— "Yes, Mommy." Silvia's reply was barely audible. "Please, be careful."

The water was freezing, but Nivalis pressed on, keeping her hands firmly gripped onto the wood of the sled as the water tried to carry it downstream. As they went deeper and deeper, the water rushed past Nivalis' hips and up to her waist. The cold became unbearable. She struggled to maintain her grip on the sled, and every fiber of her being cried out for her to stop. But she kept pushing onward, driven by her love and concern for her children. She needed to get them safely to the other side of the river. Nothing else mattered.

Nivalis' legs started to grow numb. She could barely feel anything below her knees anymore. But she continued to push against the current, forcing the sled to keep moving. It was agonizing. Pain shot through her body. Her body convulsed. She gasped as her teeth chattered together violently. The cold was so intense she couldn't think straight. All she could focus on was moving forward. The icy cold water washed over her naked form, and the harsh currents tore at her body. It felt like millions of tiny daggers were stabbing her simultaneously.

They went further, deep enough for Nivalis to lose her footing. The river's flow became even stronger, and she had no choice but to let it drag her forward while desperately clinging to the sled, which now more than ever resembled a raft, her legs dangling uselessly behind her, making little difference. A violent shiver ran up her spine. The cold was like nothing she'd ever experienced before. Silvia, barely holding herself on the sled, saw her mother struggle to stay afloat, her eyes wide with terror. 

Nivalis' body started to go numb. Her vision blurred as the cold became overwhelming. She barely managed to stay conscious to keep herself from drowning. The sled careened wildly downriver, pulling her along with it. She was no longer in control. Her body was at the mercy of the raging current. She was powerless.

Silvia screamed in terror as she saw her mother suddenly disappear beneath the water.

A second later, she saw Nivalis emerge again, her body thrashing wildly in the strong currents. A violent wave slammed into her face, causing her to go under once more. After a moment, she resurfaced, her eyes wide with fear and desperation. "Silvia! Hold on!! Please, hang in there!!" She cried out. "Don't let go! Don't ever let go!!" Silvia didn't answer, just clung tightly to the blanket beneath her, clutching Aster fiercely, afraid she would drop him if she loosened her grip on him for even a fraction of a second. 

After an eternity of struggling against the water, Nivalis and her children finally reached the opposite shore.

She crawled desperately to reach the solid ground, panting heavily as she collapsed onto her back, coughing out water, exhausted and spent. Her body was shaking violently from the cold, and she could hardly speak as her teeth chattered together uncontrollably.

— "MOMMY!" Silvia screamed as her heart pounded wildly. She rushed to her mother's side and threw her arms around her, embracing her tightly. "I was so scared! I thought you'd drowned!" Silvia sobbed uncontrollably, tears rolling down her cheeks as she clung to her mother desperately. "You're alive, Mommy! You're alive!" she wept joyously.

"Q-Quickly, we need t-to make f-fire," Nivalis said through clenched jaws, trying to stop her teeth from chattering. "G-Get m-m-my clothes, p-please," Nivalis ordered her daughter. And Silvia did as she was told. 

Silvia handed clothes one by one as Nivalis tried to dry and dress herself, but it wasn't easy, as she was shivering so badly. Nivalis's body felt like a block of ice beneath Silvia's fingertips as she helped her dress. And once the task was completed, Silvia wrapped her blanket tightly around Nivalis.

"W-We n-need fire, h-honey," Nivalis repeated while sitting down, her body still trembling uncontrollably from the cold. "C-Collect s-some w-wood," she instructed her daughter.

Silvia nodded quickly and set off into the woods just nearby, searching for branches that might be dry enough to burn. Once she got a sizable amount, she piled them next to her mother. Then she rushed for the flint and a knife and handed both to her mother. 

With her hands trembling from the cold, Nivalis started to strike the steel against the flint to create a spark, but she was too weak to produce even a single one. Strike after strike, Nivalis failed miserably to start a fire, and her hands trembled so badly that she even dropped the flint. 

— "It's okay, Mommy. You can do this." Silvia comforted her as she reached out to help her pick it up. 

Nivalis sighed in frustration as she struck harder and faster, grunting with effort as she desperately tried to start a flame. The past weeks of practice taught her well, and after a dozen more strikes, she succeeded in creating a small spark, strong enough to ignite a tiny ember on a piece of dried pine bark. With her breath held tightly in anticipation, she bent low and blew on the ember gently until it grew into a small flame, then tossed it on top of the pile of dry kindling Silvia had gathered earlier. The flames spread rapidly and soon grew into a blazing fire. 

Nivalis reached out with trembling hands and held them above the fire. She stared at them in relief and rubbed them together, trying to bring feeling back to her fingers. 

"Thank goodness," Nivalis mumbled in a hushed tone. She glanced at her daughter, who sat beside her, shivering without a blanket since she gave it to her mother. Nivalis called Silvia to her and hugged her daughter in her lap as they sat together by the fire.