It is dark. It is always dark to him.

There is a little starlight. He can't see it but he knows it is there.

It is cold. He feels it but ignores it.

There is snow on the ground. He is guided safely through it.

The guide is the reason he's here and he addresses them after sitting on the bench they had sought.

"I know you're upset. Neither of us saw it. Not even Shi-Shi knew. Sora warned us that something wasn't right but even he didn't see the other one. No, no stop growling at yourself Old Friend. It's not your fault. You can't see everything you know."

He tilts his head as he listens to a series of growls, yips and thumps of tails.

"Yes I know, for all our disagreements she is going to need our support now. Through no fault of her own her family is going to be viewed with suspicion, and rightly so. If two can be agents of the Evil Realm then others can be as well."

Another series of thumps and growls.

"She will clean her own house, Old Friend. I am sure of that. Hopefully her distractions have lifted the same as the veil on my Sight. And no, I am not going to order the slaughter of all corvids just because one is Evil. Your feud with the Little Teacher's crow has nothing to do with this and you know it. You're better than this."

Some quieter growls, ending with some whines. The seated one takes some time before answering.

"I thought it might come to this. There's going to be some very sad young ladies in the morning."

More growling.

"Yes, at least you won't be wearing the kimono again . . . and the stick? What stick?"

A yip, happy and amused.

"Oh . . . I suppose he'll be happy you finally gave it back then . . . really? You were worried about not having time to return a stick?"

He laughed lightly and allowed the guide to snuffle and lick his hands before there was a final set of growls.

"It is time? Goodbye Old Friend, you will never be forgotten."

One last nose bump to his hands and then the guide trotted off into the garden foliage with a swish of tails. He sat quietly for a few minutes, ignoring the cold until he heard an animal approaching stealthily through the snow.

"Over here friend."

He held out a hand and waited for the slow approach and touch of a cold nose sniffing it.

"Hello Little Friend. Het-Het isn't it? Why don't you guide me inside and we'll see if we can find some cold chicken for you? Your first treat as my new companion, neh?"

He stood and the much smaller guide than before yipped before leading him back inside and away from the snowbound, cold garden.

--

Come Day Nine the Imperial Consort has a new vulpine companion, a yearling fox named Het-Het.
Doji Hikaru awakes to find The Stick on his pillow beside him.