The snow fell endlessly, blanketing the world in a quiet, suffocating stillness. They had loved each other through countless winters, their bond unspoken but undeniable. Each day was a shared promise, whispered by firelight:
"I will always find you," she would say, her voice soft with certainty.
"And I will wait for you," he would reply, his smile holding the warmth of spring.

But winters were merciless, and even promises could not halt the cold.

One evening, when the storm came, he ventured into the...