Outside a small town in the Northern Region, a donkey slowly approached, pulling a flatbed cart.
The cart that had once hauled firewood now carried two people, one in white and one in red.
An old woman, bent at the waist, staggered along as she slowly led the scrawny donkey into town.
"Grandmother, did you go out of town again?" A butcher by the roadside saw the old woman returning with her donkey, immediately put down his knife, and ran over to support her. "At your age, you really shouldn't go into the Snow Domain anymore. The snow comes hard and the wind blows fierce out there. It's too dangerous!"
"It's all right... I only went out to see if there were any dry branches or such, to gather a few." The old woman smiled and waved a hand, kindness showing on her aged face. "The cold came earlier this year than in years past... I fear it'll be another long winter. Best to stock up on firewood!"
The butcher immediately shook his head. "Oh, listen to you! If you're short on firewood, come get some from my house! We have some to spare. Don't go into the Snow Domain again. I hear it hasn't been peaceful there lately!"
Just then, the butcher's wife came out of the house across the street and chimed in, "That's right, don't go out of town again. We have plenty of firewood. Come take some of ours!"
"It's all right, it's all right..." The old woman shook her head, the aged wrinkles on her face gathering into a smile.
The old woman shakily led the donkey cart toward the house across the street. The butcher stared at the two people lying on the cart.
"Grandmother, who are these two?"
The old woman turned back,