Suzie stepped past a snow-dusted pine. She froze.
A bright red cardinal lay in the snow, too still. Then — a tiny peep.
Suzie peeled off her wool scarf and wrapped it around the cardinal like a red blanket.
The cardinal lifted its head. Its eyes were bright. It fluttered its wings against the scarf.
She walked deeper into the trees with the bundled bird on her palm.
They reached a frozen creek. The cardinal hopped — once, twice — and pecked at a sliver of ice.
The bird suddenly fluffed its red feathers and shook snow from its wings. *Poof.* Suzie smiled.
A cold wind rushed through the branches. Suzie pulled the scarf tighter and tucked the cardinal against her chest.
The cardinal stopped shivering. It pressed flat against her coat and let out a steady peep.
Suzie sat on a mossy stump and stayed very still, listening to the forest breathe.
Sunlight turned the snow gold. The cardinal hopped onto her shoulder and groomed a feather.
She rested her cheek near its bright red head. The forest went quiet. They stayed there, together.