Glacier Rreign
The tail end of a blizzard left the mountain village coated with a hefty few inches of pure white snow as the sun began to hide behind the horizon. Despite being so close to sunset, the small hovel was a bustle of seemingly panicked activity. After hanging and draping numerous holiday decorations, the villagers quickly went inside to lock their doors and shutter their windows. That same scene repeated down the few streets that were still lit; every home decorated and the inhabitants quickly retreating inside.
Large candy canes were left in small cups near the door, wreaths hung on the entrances, and probably all of the tinsel in the province decorating this one village. To anyone entering, it looked like only the most dedicated of holiday-goers resided in this area of the mountains.
As the last of the light faded and the village braced for another blizzard, a different type of storm was brewing in the tallest mountain peak that loomed over the decorated town.
She was as swift as the mountain's wind, and as fearsome as the mightiest snowstorm; hence the simple name she was known by: Winter.
It was always this time of year that the dragon made her appearance; the only time in which her hoard of precious and valuable items lay unguarded.
The sleek dragoness leapt down from her cave, skidding from tree to tree. Her crafty eyes flickered from decoration to decoration, claws taking only the best of the holiday items, taking into account how bright and colorful each decoration was. Winter's hoard, after all, was the most festive and glorious of them all. Focused on her mission, she didn't see the cheerful gazes that peeked from behind curtains as the villagers watched to see which of the many tributes were taken.
The first year had been an annoyance; decorations vanishing without a trace.
The second year, they had spotted the dragoness carrying them off to her mountain hoard.
The third year an idea was hatched.
The fourth year had the entire village in a pleasant flurry to provide Winter with only the merriest decorations for selection. Each home setting out extra items to ensure the dragoness had plenty to choose from.
The fifth year, the new tradition was declared a resounding success.
But, the title of 'fearsome dragon' wasn't something anyone wanted to spoil. The village awaited her arrival every year, an extra event to the holiday that soon followed.
The dragoness hefted the items in her claws and situated the collection between her wings, having cleared out most of the streets and houses of their holiday cheer. Winter paused at the last row of houses, and stared at a smaller decoration that sat on a snow covered stool. The watching villagers held their breath.
In her claws, the dragoness held a simple wooden carving of what could only be her, covered in tinsel and small clay decorations.
She stared at it for a moment, before promptly adding it to her soon-to-be hoard and carried it up the mountain with a content smile on her face.
It was joyous surprise to the dragoness next year when she was greeted with quite a handcrafted items, which left an even bigger smile on the 'fearsome' dragoness's face.
