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Winter had come and with it, a bitter chill to the air that froze unsuspecting fingers and noses. A normal child would be spending her winters bundled up in snow clothes, building snowmen with her friends and sledding until it got too cold, and then they would retreat into the warmth of their home and sip hot cocoa.

Kaleidoscope Dreamwynter had never been normal. All she'd ever known was the cold dorm rooms of the Lucky Tails Orphanage, the itchy second hand blankets and clothes that never fit right. She'd never once felt the softness of a mother's touch, nor had she ever been tucked in at night and read a bedtime story. Orphans didn't get that privilege...but then again, she didn't know any better.

Still, after so many years in such a lonely, unloving place where potential parents passed her by again and again for the cuter, sweeter kids, Klei was tired of it. Tired of the disappointment. Tired of the tears unshed. Just...tired. And so, still a kit but old enough to take care of herself, she planned her Great Escape.

Of course, now she was on the streets in a jacket too big to be warm and boots with holes in the bottoms of them, begging for scraps out of the dumpster. It wasn't that she'd given up on humanity, but...she was done with people. From here on out, this was her life and she was going to live it to the fullest.

She was still lonely.

"Mrg. Unf," she mumbled, half bent-over the side of the big black dumpster, digging through the rubbish with dirty fingers. Nothing good. Nothing edible, anyway, and Klei's stomach gave a rumble of disgust mixed with anger. God, how long could one last without food before they passed out? With a soft whine, she slid back down to rest on damp pavement, slush under her boots--just in time to be greeted by a very peculiar creature.

Her ears folded back, startled, wide-eyes staring at the cat. It WAS a cat...but it was also NOT a cat. A plushie, as if made for a child, turned to real through magic? Yeah, Klei believed in magic...though her beliefs were dwindling. Hard to stay optimistic as an orphan. She looked down at the black patchwork cat and grinned when she saw the fish lying in the snow. "Oh! Hi there, sweetheart. You..." She glanced back at the cat. "You brought this for me? Aren't YOU hungry?" Pink and black curls fell around her face as she seemed to hesitate.

Don't take food from strangers, and yet... She was hungry. And the cat couldn't be evil or villainous. It was a freaking cat so with a laugh, she scratched the kitty behind the ears and picked up the fish. "I'll share it with you, but first we need to cook it! I know how to make a fire. C'mon kitty, here kitty!" She snapped her fingers and tossing the fish over her shoulder like a napsack, she skipped towards where she called home.

It was nothing more than a windblocked corner of old sheets and cardboard boxes, an old firecan still smoking nearby. It was the only thing that kept her warm, kept her from getting sick. Then, as if remembering something, she bent down to the cat. "I'm Kaleidoscope, but most everyone calls me Klei. Do you have a name?"