text: [Themes: Slice of life, outdoor]
  
  > go down
  You come crashing down the chute into a pile of wood...
  
  Charcoal-stained stones form a shadowy alcove that culminates in a chute overhead. The strong smell of smoke is rivalled by more savory scents to the east.
  
  You can see a pile of wood here.
  
  The Provider grumbles at you. You're not sure if this is because you disrupted his wood pile, because he spotted you with the shiny egg, because he fell into a snow hole, because you stole a strip of kindling, because you tracked snow into the cottage, because you failed to defend your food bowl, because you stirred up a swarm of insects, because he suspects you brought a bird into the house, because you mewed excessively, or because you scattered ash everywhere.
  
  > Go east
  Here the Provider divines food from the cupboard's magic containers, and prepares it on the ledge above you like only a Provider can. It seems that all roads lead to your food bowl: there's an alcove to the west, a small flap northward, a lumpy mountain to the east, and a pile of blankets southward.
  
  On the floor, lies your food bowl, full of hard food.
  
  You can also see a yellow feather here.
  
  The Provider lunges after you, then clutches his breast and steadies himself.
  
  > Go north
  You duck through the flap in the front door...
  
  A tree stump pokes through the otherwise unbroken blanket of soft, powdery snow. A slatted fence traverses the snow to the north, while the cottage entrance lies southward.
  
  You can see a hole (which is empty) here.
  
  Was that a dark shape scuttling in the snow?
  
  > Wait
  Time passes.
  
  The Provider lunges after you, but looks rather whoozy.
  
  > Meow
  The Provider growls at you. You're not sure if this is because you disrupted his wood pile, because he spotted you with the shiny egg, because he fell into a snow hole, because you stole a strip of kindling, because you tracked snow into the cottage, because you failed to defend your food bowl, because you stirred up a swarm of insects, because he suspects you brought a bird into the house, because you mewed excessively, or because you scattered ash everywhere.
  
  > wait
  Time passes.
  
  The Provider lunges after you, only to be overcome by a fit of hacking and wheezing.
  
  > Go north
  You bump into a sooty stone wall.
  
  The Provider reaches in from the east, arranging the pile of wood.
  
  > Go east
  Here the Provider divines food from the cupboard's magic containers, and prepares it on the ledge above you like only a Provider can. It seems that all roads lead to your food bowl: there's an alcove to the west, a small flap northward, a lumpy mountain to the east, and a pile of blankets southward.
  
  On the floor, lies your food bowl, full of hard food.
  
  You can also see a yellow feather here.
  
  The Provider is bent over the alcove.
  
  > look at the shape
  There's nothing there now, if there ever was.
  
  You hear a low-pitched growl.
  
  The sun sets behind a pink cloud in the western sky.
  
  > listen
  Perhaps the growl was only your stomach.
  
  A faint, improbable scent rides the wind.
  
  > Go south
  You duck through the flap in the front door...
  
  Here the Provider divines food from the cupboard's magic containers, and prepares it on the ledge above you like only a Provider can. It seems that all roads lead to your food bowl: there's an alcove to the west, a small flap northward, a lumpy mountain to the east, and a pile of blankets southward.
  
  On the floor, lies your food bowl, full of hard food.
  
  You can also see a yellow feather here.
  
  The Provider is bent over the alcove.
  
  > get kindling
  You gingerly pick up the kindling with your teeth.
  
  > go to the north
  You duck through the flap in the front door...
  
  A tree stump pokes through the otherwise unbroken blanket of soft, powdery snow. A slatted fence traverses the snow to the north, while the cottage entrance lies southward.
  
  You can see a hole (which is empty) here.
  
  Did a dark shape scuttle behind you?
  
  > go to the east
  Beside an open crack in the floor stands a glinting beast, the centerpiece of this dusty vault. Its glassy eyes and shiny skin reflect the sunlight that streams through an opening to the west. Various cartons and barrels are stacked against the opposite wall.
  
  Above, a wicker basket dangles from the huge door.
  
  You can see a small white box here.
  
  > look under the basket
  The wicker basket is up near the ceiling.
  
  > look under the car
  You crawl under the beast for a closer look...
  
  Shiny, intertwined tubes--presumably his exposed entrails--hang from the underside of the beast. From one of his stomachs, he slowly bleeds.
  
  A pool of clear liquid shimmers on the floor.
  
  > put kindling in the liquid
  You drop the kindling into the pool.
  
  > Go outside
  You crawl out from under the glinting beast...
  
  Beside an open crack in the floor stands a glinting beast, the centerpiece of this dusty vault. Its glassy eyes and shiny skin reflect the sunlight that streams through an opening to the west. Various cartons and barrels are stacked against the opposite wall.
  
  Above, a wicker basket dangles from the huge door.
  
  You can see a small white box here.
  
  > go west
  To the east, icicles hang like fangs within a giant maw of snow. A large pair of matching tracks lead out of shadows of the snowy mouth and to the west. A path loops north and south.
  
  > go north
  A tree stump pokes through the otherwise unbroken blanket of soft, powdery snow. A slatted fence traverses the snow to the north, while the cottage entrance lies southward.
  
  You can see a hole (which is empty) here.
  
  Did a dark shape scuttle behind you?
  
  > look at the shape
  There's nothing there now, if there ever was.
  
  You hear a malicious, low-pitched growl.
  
  > wait awhile
  Time passes.
  
  > hit the fence
  Violence isn't the answer to this one.
  
  Your nostrils detect that improbable scent again.
  
  > Smell
  That's strange. For a moment you thought you smelled your Rival.
  
  > Go north
  A slatted fence bars your way.
  
  You hear a malicious, low-pitched growl.
  
  > go east
  Overlooked by a high window of the Provider's cottage, a trail follows a north-south stream through a grove of aspens.
  
  You can also see a hole (in which are a morsel of hard food and a buzzing log) here.
  
  > Meow
  You watch the boy through the fence. He runs crazy circles in the snow, tugging the red balloon behind him. With a cry of joy the boy runs toward you. You hear a familiar "Thuck!" as he cracks open the shiny egg. Clambering halfway up, the boy is barely able to reach over the fence. Your eyes never leave the open shell of soft food as it falls and lands upright in the snow beside you.
  
  Your nostrils detect that improbable scent again.
  
  > get Food
  That's plainly inedible.
  
  > eat Food
  (first dropping the kindling)
  Dropped.
  
  A blend of tuna and chicken livers, your entire consciousness swims in its taste, texture, and smell. You lap up its succulent juices, and slaver down every delectable mouthful. After a moment of complete rapture, you find yourself staring into an empty shell, grease dripping from your whiskers.
  
  Smoke rises from the cottage chimney.
  
  > Examine can
  Alas, it's empty.
  
  Smoke rises from the cottage chimney.
  
  > go south
  You duck through the flap in the front door...
  
  Here the Provider divines food from the cupboard's magic containers, and prepares it on the ledge above you like only a Provider can. It seems that all roads lead to your food bowl: there's an alcove to the west, a small flap northward, a lumpy mountain to the east, and a pile of blankets southward.
  
  You can see a yellow feather here.
  
  Hearing the flap close behind you, the Provider rises from his newly lit fire, and angrily approaches. You wonder if you've finally driven him insane. As you turn to retreat, both you and your Provider are startled by what emerges through the flap.
  
  First, a creature's swollen head pushes through, then its matted, bloodied body. Its eyes burn with hatred as it drags a lame leg through the opening. Thorns and stingers are knotted in its fur, embedded and broken off in numerous sores.
  
  The Provider shoos the hideous creature toward the flap, but it only growls with increasing resolve. The Provider lunges for the creature, then pauses dreamily as if staring at something distant. He gasps, clutches his breast, and collapses on the floor.
  
  The creature sniffs your fallen Provider, then closes in on you.
  
  > eat provider
  The creature's relentless claws interrupt you.
  
  Sprawled on the floor is your Provider.
  
  The creature rakes you, drawing fresh blood.
  
  > go north
  You duck through the flap in the front door...
  
  A tree stump pokes through the otherwise unbroken blanket of soft, powdery snow. A slatted fence traverses the snow to the north, while the cottage entrance lies southward.
  
  You can see a strip of kindling, a shiny empty shell and a hole (which is empty) here.
  
  The creature follows you.
  
  A thousand stars shimmer in a moonlit sky.
  
  > Meow
  You watch the boy through the fence. He runs crazy circles in the snow, tugging the red balloon behind him.
  
  The creature closes in on you.
  
  > get kindling
  The creature's relentless claws interrupt you.
  
  The creature rakes you, drawing fresh blood.
  
  > get kindling
  The creature's relentless claws interrupt you.
  
  The creature closes in on you.
  
  > get kindling
  You gingerly pick up the kindling with your teeth.
  
  Smoke rises from the cottage chimney.
  
  Your nostrils detect that improbable scent again.
  
  > Go south
  You duck through the flap in the front door...
  
  Here the Provider divines food from the cupboard's magic containers, and prepares it on the ledge above you like only a Provider can. It seems that all roads lead to your food bowl: there's an alcove to the west, a small flap northward, a lumpy mountain to the east, and a pile of blankets southward.
  
  You can see a yellow feather here.
  
  Hearing the flap close behind you, the Provider rises from his newly lit fire, and angrily approaches. You wonder if you've finally driven him insane. As you turn to retreat, you are so startled by what emerges through the flap that you drop the kindling.
  
  First, a creature's swollen head pushes through, then its matted, bloodied body. Its eyes burn with hatred as it drags a lame leg through the opening. Thorns and stingers are knotted in its fur, embedded and broken off in numerous sores.
  
  The Provider shoos the hideous creature toward the flap, but it only growls with increasing resolve. The Provider lunges for the creature, then pauses dreamily as if staring at something distant. He gasps, clutches his breast, and collapses on the floor.
  
  The creature sniffs your fallen Provider, then closes in on you.
  
  > Go west
  Charcoal-stained stones form a shadowy alcove that culminates in a chute overhead. The strong smell of smoke is rivalled by more savory scents to the east.
  
  You can see a crackling wood fire here.
  
  The creature follows you.
  
  > examine creature
  Its swollen eyes burn with hatred. Though mingled with an otherworldliness, and a stewing putrefaction, its scent is unmistakably your Rival's.
  
  Sprawled on the floor is your Provider.
  
  No match for the creature claw to claw, its relentless attack overwhelms you. You are numbly aware of your belly being lashed open. You smell the monster's putrefying flesh, and the rot of its breath. Its swollen eyes glower for a moment before its jaws close on your throat.
  
  > Go north
  You duck through the flap in the front door...
  
  A tree stump pokes through the otherwise unbroken blanket of soft, powdery snow. A slatted fence traverses the snow to the north, while the cottage entrance lies southward.
  
  You can see a shiny empty shell and a hole (which is empty) here.
  
  The creature follows you.
  
  A thousand stars shimmer in a moonlit sky.
  
  > Go west
  To the east, icicles hang like fangs within a giant maw of snow. A large pair of matching tracks lead out of shadows of the snowy mouth and to the west. A path loops north and south.
  
  The creature follows you.
  
  > Go west
  A north-south trail runs beneath a canopy of chestnut trees. You've seen giant glinting beasts stampede here, especially in the mornings and evenings. A lesser track leads east.
  
  The creature follows you.
  
  You hear a distant rumbling approaching from the north.
  
  > Wait
  Time passes.
  
  The creature closes in on you.
  
  To the north, a pair of headlights comes into view.
  
  > wait awhile
  Time passes.
  
  The creature rakes you, drawing fresh blood.
  
  The pair of headlights bears down on you!
  
  > Go up
  You scramble up a chestnut tree, pieces of bark falling beneath you.
  
  Below, the creature stands frozen in the oncoming headlights. You catch a glint of fear in his swollen, tortured eye as the thundering headlights close in on him, carrying him swiftly and mercifully into oblivion.