Spirits On Ice

"speech"

Cendrillion was tired, her little paws had traversed more land in the last few weeks than they had in the previous month of her life. To be fair her papa had carried her a lot but she had had to walk from time to time and the girl didn't know enough to really complain about the trip. After mama had left, after she'd been buried she only had papa to cling to, and cling to she did. He hadn't been as fun since mama had left but he still clearly cared for her and he played with her each night before they went to sleep, helping her to work off any of the energy she had built up during their travels.

It had been a little sad, the girl didn't know where they were going but she did know they were leaving mama behind... papa had said that mama couldn't follow them but she couldn't help but feel that this was more and more true as they walked further and further away from where they'd left her. It was as the wind picked up that papa had asked her to walk with him, his massive form helping to buffest the wind so she wasn't knocked off her paws. In fact as she pressed to his legs she was almost untouched by the blizzard that whipped around them. They moved slowly and Cen noticed something blooming below her paws. "Papa?" She asked, a little nervousness creeping into her voice. Her father however seemed unphased and as he pushed on so did she, her gaze on her paws to start as she felt how unstable the ice was under her paws. But as she stood another thing drew her gaze, something moving through the blowing snow. "Who's that?"

Her father's response sent a shiver down her spine and she stepped in closer to his forelimb, a soft whining pulling from her lungs. She wanted to turn around, wanted to go back to where they'd left mama but it seemed her father had other plans and she looked up at him with wide-eyed fear as he tipped his head back and howled, calling for the spirit that was gliding across the ice.