Maria lost all sense of how long or far she had walked, all her focus just on going forward. The windy snow making it hard to see far in any direction. Her breathing shallow as she gasped for breath, using all the strength she could muster in her search for Shadow.
At one point a sharp pain hit her chest and she covered her mouth as a harsh cough overcame her. Once it subsided, she panted slowly to catch her breath again. Her vision a bit fuzzy as she looked down at the hand she had used to cover her mouth. Red splotches lay across it and was only then she noticed the taste of copper in her mouth.
She stared in stunned silence for a moment before looking up, realizing she had no idea where she was now. Reaching out as she tried to take another step. Her vision blurred as she grew light headed and tumbled over into the deep snow.