1) Snowfall

The destruction behind Roksanni occupied most of her mind, up until her feet touched something cold.

She stopped in her tracks, looking down in wonder. She hadn’t felt snow in what felt like forever. She breathed deeply, filling her lungs with the cold air, the bitter bite of the wind on her skin… It was incredible - the truest freedom. Snow fell into her hair, melting in it and wetting it. She found herself smiling, found herself laughing for the first time in years.

When a human came sprinting through the complex’s gates, her smile faded, and her eyes burned as her gaze landed on him. A clenched fist, and fire surged around them. Their screams were little balm to her fury.

It wasn’t until they were ash that she could breathe again. The wind was there for her, and the snow around her feet.

She could enjoy her freedom once she had removed the aliens from the village. Once she was actually safe from them. She would never be trapped again, she promised herself. She would get to dance in every snowfall after this one.

For now, though, she could not do that - she had work to do. She could hear more humans coming, and she was determined not to let a single one of them survive.