Snowball Effect: Sweater Weather (December 2022)

 

Indra had been looking forward to winter for months. She loved the snow, the crisp air and the pristine beauty of a winter wonderland. She had already stocked up on warm furs and clothing for herself and her brother, but something was missing. One evening she found herself pondering on something that she could give Khione to protect her against the chill of winter. Sure she had a thick coat of powder blue feathers, but it just never felt like it was enough. Especially when their city was hit with blizzard like conditions.

 

So that night Indra went out again, this time searching for a special gift – something she knew Khione would love even if she didn't realize it yet.

 

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Khione stood outside of the shop, watching the dark-haired rider slip inside. She had accompanied Indra into town, ambling with her down the cobbled streets, watching her rider peer through the frosty windows for something in particular. After much searching, they came across a small store tucked away in an alleyway, its windows glowing with colorful lights that seemed to beckon her inside. So being the ever dutiful stryx, Khione shifted her large body more to the side and kept herself out of the way of the bustling patrons eager to escape the chill or busy with their gift shopping.

 

When Indra reemerged, Khione had to shake herself out of her light doze, having become quite comfortable with her improvised roosting spot. Her human carried a sack clearly stuffed with items.

 

"We're all done here." She beamed.

 

Khione tilted her head to the side with a chuff before following her rider back out onto the secluded pathway back to the the De Basequin estate. A sprawling land of snowy hills, dense trees, and a majestic mountain range serving as the backdrop. A babbling brook marked the beginning of the property, winding all the way back and into the thick woods. Along with the brook marking the beginning of the property, a short stone wall surrounded the property's outskirts, breaking off into multiple wooden fences deeper within to separate pieces of the land, much like pastures.

 

 

Once they had reached the homestead, Indra wasted no time in heading up to the stables to unpack her purchases. Khione could sense her riders excitement and followed her inside, eager to see what was inside the bag.

 

Indra wasted no time, thrusting the sack at Khione who quickly caught it with her claws and cocked her head to the side in confusion.

 

"Go on, open it." Indra encouraged.

 

Khione dug around, a bit of fabric peeking through the bottom of the bag. When she pulled it out, Indra's eyes lit up in excitement while Khione struggled to keep her face neutral. It was a large, powder blue sweater, the same color as her feathers. Khione held it up, examining the knit fabric and taking in the detail of the pattern. It was a powder blue sweater, crafted from a wool-like material with intricate snowflake detailing.

 

"This should keep you warm, Khione."

 

Khione begrudgingly allowed Indra to pull the sweater over her head and around her wings. Though it was warmer and more comfortable than she expected, she felt confined and constricted.

 

Frustrated, she quickly tore the sweater apart with her beak, desperate to get rid of the fabric. She didn't understand how humans could deal with such a feeling day in and day out. Indra's mouth fell open in disbelief.

 

"Well, that was unexpected," Indra said, her eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

 

Khione ducked her head sheepishly and began to nudge the torn pieces together with a talon.

 

She cooed softly and conjured the image of a very small room along with the tight, suffocating feeling she had felt. A different kind of drowning on land.

 

Indra clicked her tongue, realizing that Khione wasn't used to the restrictive feeling of clothing and perhaps didn't have a way to express her discomfort. She took the larger piece of what was left of the sweater and draped it around Khione's shoulders.

 

"Let's find something more suitable for you," Indra said, her eyes twinkling.

 

Khione glanced around, feeling the cold embrace of the alpine air through the window. She had always loved the cold — it was one of the few places she felt comfortable and content.

 

"Perhaps," Indra continued, "a coat or cape like mine, something that will allow your wings to move freely and keep you warm?"

 

Khione perked up at that and nodded. As Indra began to brainstorm through the town's fashion catalogue, Khione gazed out over the rolling hills and crisp snow.

 

It was then that her eyes were drawn to a distant figure. Through the white blanketed landscape, two horses broke off from the nearby herd to gallop through the ankle-high snow, each wearing a dark furred blanket to keep them warm. They were De Basequin horses, belonging to Indra's family as valuable competitive stock. From what Khione could see, the blankets were fastened in front with two buckles and a crisscrossing belly strap. She analyzed how they moved as they galloped and played in the snow and found their movement to be fluid and most natural looking.

 

She gave a short trill to catch Indra's attention and conveyed the mental picture of what she had just seen to the woman.

 

Indra sidled up next to her and took a glance at what the tyto was looking at. "Ah, you might be too big for the horse's turnout blankets, but I think I can make something work. The gussets on the legs do allow for a greater range of movement."

 

Khione ended up following Indra back into town, the two of them stopping at a few shops to collect the materials for the new turnout blanket. Their next stop was a small leather shop.

 

The shopkeeper was a bit curious but warmed up quickly when Indra explained what she needed. The shopkeeper had some standard sized turnout blankets for horses, but unfortunately not one large enough for Khione.

 

"Well, if you're willing to wait, I can make you a custom one," the shopkeeper said, glancing around her small space for the necessary materials to get started.

 

Indra agreed, and waited patiently as the shopkeeper began to measure and cut material to fit Khione's wingspan. It took a few hours of stitching and piecing, but when the shopkeeper was done, Indra and Khione had a beautiful blanket to ward off the wind and chill.

 

The turnout blanket was a powder blue and lined with fleece on the inside and two gussets on the side that allowed for Khione’s wings to extend outwards. It was slightly longer than a standard blanket and had an extra piece that could be wrapped around her neck for extra warmth. The silver buckles in front and silver belly strap were similar to the ones the horses wore and didn't scratch or press uncomfortably into her quills.

 

Khione found herself shuffling her wings and circling for a couple of paces to test it out. She was used to the weight of the wind or the snow on her feathers, but never the snugness of something meant to warm her. Yet, this blanket felt like the lightest layer of snow. The blanket was perfect and soft and light.

 

She quickly realized how much of a difference this made. Rather than feeling constricted and uncomfortable in clothes, she could move around without any worry and be able to fully enjoy the cold of winter. She was one of few stryx that could wear a blanket with such ease and style, and Indra was thrilled at how pleased the tyto looked.

 

Indra smiled, proud of her own ingenious solution, and thanked the shopkeeper for her hard work before paying her for the custom order. The shopkeeper in turn told them to ask for her if they ever needed repairs.

 

Indra was sure that once her friends got word of this, the shopkeeper would end up with a lot more orders to fill.

 

Khione gave a satisfied chirp and nuzzled her rider's side, fluffing out the feathers on her chest.