The First Snowfall

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Pip had seen snow before. He lived in a world of snow. Snow covered the hills, rested on the rocks, and gathered in soft heaps around his little den.

But Pip had never seen snow begin.

One quiet morning, Pip was walking beside Bram when something small and white floated past his nose. Pip stopped. Another followed. Then another. Pip looked up.

“Bram?”

Bram stopped beside him. “What is it?”

Pip pointed his nose towards the sky. “It's falling.”

Bram looked up and smiled. “Yes.”

Pip watched another tiny snowflake drift down. It landed gently on the end of his nose. Pip went cross‑eyed trying to look at it. Bram chuckled.

“What is it doing?”

“Melting.”

Pip looked disappointed. Then another snowflake landed on his ear. And another on his tail. Soon there were hundreds. Tiny white flakes floated silently through the air.

Pip jumped at one. Missed. He jumped at another. Missed again. Then he spotted a particularly large snowflake. Pip crouched. His tail wiggled. His ears pricked forward.

And…

Pounce!

Pip disappeared headfirst into a soft pile of snow. For a moment, only his fluffy tail could be seen. Bram waited. Pip's head popped up.

“There were more down here.”

Bram laughed.

The snow began falling faster. Pip raced in circles, trying to catch every flake. He caught one on his paw. One on his nose. And somehow three on his tail.

Eventually, Pip grew tired. He wandered back to Bram and sat beside his enormous paws.

The world around them had changed. The rocks had disappeared beneath soft white blankets. The little footprints they had made were slowly filling with snow. Everything seemed quieter.

Pip leaned against Bram. “Does it always do this?”

“Every year,” said Bram.

Pip looked up. “And every year is it this beautiful?”

Bram thought for a moment. “Yes.”

Pip smiled.

They sat together while the snow continued to fall. No chasing. No pouncing. No talking. Just Bram and Pip beneath the pale winter sky. A tiny Arctic fox beside a great polar bear. Watching the world turn white.

And although Pip had lived among snow his whole life, he decided there was something very special about seeing it arrive. Especially when you had someone beside you to share it with.