Footprints

xxi. dolore

The lake was a huge, glittering mass, slicing through the snowy humdrum with a dazzling sheen. It was, Ichimi soon realised, a solid sheet of ice, absolute and unchinked. Stretching around in a titanic circle, the farthest edge was only barely visible from where she peered through the trees.

But the lake took a backseat to Home, who was crying profusely on the shore. Chloe was comforting him. Chloe was comforting him! Her chest flitting, Ichimi raced out of the trees to comfort her one true love in Chloe's place.

The sobs and wails were reaching their crescendo. Shiny little tears rolled down Home's face; Ichimi felt her heart throb. "What's wrong, Home?"

"It's that," said Chloe, gesturing to the little wooden thing. It looked vaguely like a tree branch, although smooth and unweathered. Along its length was some stringy, wiry rope, very nearly incorrigible after its time in the snow, and at its tip was a sharp point. Ichimi wondered if it had pricked him.

"Home," sobbed Home.

"Home, can you please stop crying?" comforted Chloe. Chloe was not the best at comforting.

Home did not stop crying. He dug into the thick snow, burying the stick-thing and stood resolutely, his teary face shining like the ice. "Home!" He pointed towards the shadowy woods far beyond the lake.

Ichimi nodded amazedly. To her, this was somewhat of a puzzle, some sort of conundrum for her to ponder, and not for the first time she wondered just where it was Home had come from, what he was looking for in the endless woods, and why certain things gave him such sadness.

They were going somewhere. Were they nearly there? She couldn't wait to find out!