The winter nibbled on her toes with bitter-cold teeth. She sighed, feeling the cold air rush into her lungs, tasting the faintly metallic flavor of snow on her tongue. Still, she was almost there. She had only a little farther to go. The cold slashed at her skin, but she could almost get there. Almost. In front of her, she saw the sloping bridge, slick with clear ice that even snowflakes couldn't stick to. There was a reason that nobody tried to take this journey in the winter months, once the snow started falling. There was a reason that was the punishment for those who broke the code. They were cast out of the Family, told that they had to go through the welcoming ritual again, to prove that they were true and without fear --

Inspiration: Livejournal writing prompt, about using all the senses to describe a winter scene. I didn't get them all in, got more interesting in the whys and wherefores.
Story Potential: Low.
Notes: An interesting little scenelet, and I do like the idea of a normal initiation becoming a really harsh punishment--maybe even death sentence--because of changes in conditions.