Bruma's White Snake

Back then, the Sky's Fire was called storms season here in the Glacial forest. We have always had the same capricious lightning they have in half the dessert, but not many were out there to see the sky burn. They were hiding from the freezing rage of the wind.
Just like everybody else, An Na was at home that day, burning magic and ice to keep her home warm. Her youngest child has been crying for two days, and she was counting the snowflakes to run out and visit a healer in the village.
She could have thought he was just scared. Most children are scared of the storm and will cry or tremble every time the wind hit the walls. There must had been a tree that she had forgot to trim, because there was also a lot of scratching that seemed to come from a different window each time. She was scared herself. But her child has always liked the noises of the storm. He would spend the whole day (and sometimes the nights) looking through the window and babbling about going outside to play in the snow.
He was never bothered by the low temperatures, either. He loved to sit next to the fire, but only to cuddle with his siblings, who would complain about him being too cold as they held him lovingly.
He had been doing all those things a couple of days ago. Now he wouldn't do anything but cry.
It wasn't a tantrum either. His tantrums where unintelligibly speeches after one of her siblings refused to play or An Na served him meat for dinner. That always ended with them apologizing (because he was so adorable when he was angry) or An Na convincing him to eat.
Just a few days ago he had done one of those speeches, when his sister closed the window that he had somehow opened. She had bribed him with a piece of cake and a story over the fire. He had seem happy and healthy then. And now...
An Na couldn't stop thinking about her oldest son's coat, enchanted to repel the wind, and the last fragment of a broken ice spear that could be used as a torch. But her husband had ventured outside with the same coat and a better torch two years ago and he had caught the fatal snow breath. She could't risk her son to face that fate. So she ignored the bawling just like she was ignoring the outside noises that sometimes resembled the shriek of a bird or the cries for help of a dying human being.
It was the 16th degree, barely the start of a new day, when the toddler stopped crying and the mother forgot all reasoning. He had been pale and cold like the dead and now he was just as quiet. it was a matter of time before he was what he seemed to be. There was nothing to think about. She put on the magic coat, wrapped the little child in the warmest blanket she had, let the oldest of her daughters in charge, and said the word to lit the ice spear on fire before leaving the house.
She didn't see any lightning, because the storm was blinding her. She could barely see the few inches that the wind was avoiding around her thanks to her magic. Basically, she could only see white, heard was the roar of the storm and smell the stench of burning clothes. The latter was a bit odd, but she paid no mind to it and continue to walk as fast as she could.
Until she couldn't.
The magic fire died unexpectedly, living them at the mercy of the storm darkness. And the only thing less merciful than the night, is the storm.
She thought that that was her and her son's end.
Then the roar became whispering, and seemed to be separated from the wind's howls. The stench was so close that she couldn't breathe.
An Na's son giggled.
"Grandpappy," he babbled.
She felt the toddler jump and tried to held him closer. He went trough her hug as if he was made of snow, and a second after she heard the sound of soft steps and... gliding. The burning smell receded slowly, while she patted the snow even knowing, deep in her soul, that she would find nothing.
Only days after, talking to her neighbors, she would remember that the storm had stopped and the night had gone quiet. She could hear nothing but the whispers and her own desperate voice calling for the toddler.
She listened to the voice of her child one more time, and raise her head just in time to see the biggest snake she had ever seen, with dozens of sharp claws that shone under the lightnings that had suddenly started. Being as whit as it was, An Na would have missed it if not for that glint. Its small, malign eyes shone too. Something cartilaginous hanged from it's neck.
An Na saw a sort of movement between it's bloody fangs. ¿Was it licking it's teeth? ¿Or smiling kindly?
The monster seemed to nod to her and walked away, following the trace of a smaller snake.
She meant to chase it, even if it was pointless, but the darkness was back. The next lightning spread over the sky in a heartbeat, but it was already too late. She stood there listening and feeling the electricity in the air, until it disappear behind a world of snow thrown around by the wind. Only then she noticed that her torch was burning again.

Date of First Recording

Early Community Age

Date of Setting

Sky's Fire, 126 Co

Historical Basis

While we are not entirely sure of the veracity of An Na's story, the disappearance of her child actually happened and her windows were indeed scratched and no tree was close of any of them.
Besides, there are reasons to believe that the storm did paused a couple of times during that night, even if it has been impossible to verify the time.
Other stories describing the creature, despite having as little -or even less evidence- share the most relevant details. It would be easy to assume that they are all telling the same fictional story, but most of the witnesses are Pragmatics and people tend to believe them whenever there is no obvious reason for them to lie.
Therefore, most oghenses -and a good number of outsiders- believe that this creature is more than an urban legend.

Variations

(A few will be added)