A chilly wind howled as Dazel cowered for shelter within the long fronds which edged her pond home. The frogs shivered on their lilypads.

“Isn’t it too soon for such harsh winter?” asked Ribbit the frog. “We usually don’t hibernate in D’Land till the beginning of January.”

“Yes, this winter has approached swiftly! It has never been this frosty in this part of D’Land. It’s usually the mountainous areas which get such winds. If I didn’t know better I would think it might be about to snow!” mused Grandfather Frog as he huddled next to his grandchildren for warmth.

But when it became unbearably cold and Swain the swan began to feel that her webbed feet were turning blue Grandfather Frog said, “Let’s seek warmth in Wiz Rooster’s home.”

Once the pond animals had battled the cold wind and made their way to Wiz Rooster’s wooden, sheltered home near the Aviary School, they finally felt safe.

“I’m so glad that you came here,” said Wiz Rooster in concern. “This kind of extreme chill is so unexpected in D’Land. Come in, please, I will light a fire in the fireplace,” the rooster said hospitably as he offered his guests nuts.

The night was spent with all the assorted pond creatures including the insects, amphibians and birds crammed together. In any other weather condition it might have been uncomfortable but in this case it was a cozy squeeze which provided them much-needed warmth.

However, when they awoke the next morning, Dazel was stunned to see the blanket of white which covered the area outside Wiz Rooster’s home.

“Oh my goodness! It’s snow!” exclaimed Dazel. The other creatures peered out of the window and gasped.

“But It’s never snowed in this part of D’Land,” whispered a stunned Grandfather Frog.

Dazel who had seen snow in her adventures to the Northern Mountains just nodded in awe.

“I’m going out to explore,” she said and despite everyone’s protests she waddled out on her webbed feet.

Dazel stepped onto the bed of snow. It was soft, yet firm. She was just about to grin at the novelty of the experience when her webbed feet slipped on the ice below her.

“Owww!” she exclaimed her backside aching and sore. She could see the other pond animals eyeballing her from the window of Wiz Rooster’s abode. So this time around she chose to fly. She flapped her wings and was off towards the lake to see her best friend Delma the dolphin.

But when she reached the lake, her breath was knocked out of her. The sparkling blue water of the lake was now a frozen sheet of ice.

“Oh my!” Dazel exclaimed still flapping her wings in midair. “Delma!” she cried. “Where are you?”

When there was no reply, Dazel flew around in search of any other creature who would give her news about her dolphin friend. But the silence around her echoed that the hibernating animals had already begun to retreat to a den, a burrow, or a hollow log for protection and shelter. She remembered Grandfather Frog telling her that such animals hibernate as they experience a drop in body temperature. Their rate of breathing slows down and they rely on their body fat to give them nutrition.

Struck by panic, she flew back to Wiz Rooster’s home to find that the frogs had left to hibernate underwater near the oxygen-rich water of the pond.

Only a few pond creatures remained now at Wiz Rooster’s home and they too were being guided as to how to seek warmth and shelter in this severe chill.

“Wiz Sir,” Dazel said panting. “The lake! It’s frozen! I’m worried sick about Delma. I know dolphins cannot bear such extreme cold. It’s never been so cold in this part of D’Land and she will not know how to adapt.”

Wiz Rooster’s feathered brow crinkled into a frown. “The lake has frozen? This has never happened before. I just received news that there has been uninterrupted snow storm in the mountains. That’s the reason these relatively warmer areas have begun to experience such weather.”

“Please tell me what to do?” pleaded Dazel.

“I’m so caught up with helping these animals prepare to hibernate. Winter has struck a fortnight earlier than usual,” Wiz Rooster said shaking his head. “Go to the Fruit Park and take Din Din with you, scour the rest of the lake area to see what has become of Delma.”

Without wasting another second, Dazel flew towards Fruit Park. Even the fruit-laden trees were dusted with the ivory powder of snow.

“Din Din!” Dazel hollered outside Din Din’s cave home, her webbed feet making imprints on the snowy ground.

Din Din trudged out. “Dazel?” the dinosaur exclaimed in surprise. “What are you doing outside in this chill? Come in, we have lit a fire.”

“Din Din! The lake has frozen and Delma is nowhere to be seen. We have to go and hunt for her. Please come with me,” Dazel cried desperately.

End of part 1

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