Sometimes I think I’d like to be wild… and then I remember that winter is a thing.

For big animals like bears or deer, being a familiar is tricky. Lots of mages let their companion wander to and fro from the domestic life to a wild one as they please, but that’s not always an option, especially in the cities.

It’s easy to say “Nature chose them for a reason,” but that reason is often far from clear. And Nature’s reasons don’t make the arrangement any easier.

Luckily, I am a small thing, comfortable and adored in a warm house with lots of food and no real need for the world beyond the frosty glass. Winter is the only time that sees me shut indoors, but I can leave whenever I ask.

My wild sister Shiili is cautiously curious about it all. We play most days, even in the falling snow. She won’t come inside yet, but at least she wears the little hat and scarf we got for her…