there was an echo, far and faint

Atreyu moved through the brush of the garden with relative ease, learning the deer trails with Bigs in the lead. He always walked in front of her, his little mohawk of hair billowing back and forth with his tiny steps. The little chihuahua and Chinese crested mix was something altogether special to Atreyu. He was her age, had witnessed the massacre of Judila, and never once flinched in doing what she asked him to. He was an absolute spunky treasure, and Atreyu loved him deeply.

The smell of freshly moved earth hit her nose on the wind, and she rounded the corner to see its source. The woman who was responsible for the digging was burying plants on the other side of the garden. Atreyu could recognize a transplant when she saw one and made her way over to the stranger to see if she could help in any way. "Hello there, I don't mean to pry but I was wondering if you could use some help? That looks awfully tiresome." Her tones were warm, and sincere, as she meant to help not to harm.

Bigs eyed the stranger with suspicion, but then, he always looked at others like that. Atreyu was only now coming into her own true confidence, but she had always been an outgoing creature. Her family's downfall wouldn't be able to change that. In fact, perhaps she could ask this stranger if she'd seen anyone matching any of her pack members' descriptions. She would never give up the hope that some of her family and pack survived the genocide that the demon king had brought to their door.