The whistling wind pulled the barren branches of tall, dark trees like it was drawing a marionette overhead. It cast the ground in shadow. Only the neon white of snow marked where the air stopped and the forest floor began. The force of the weather made it hard to breathe and the nipping ice rooted everything in place.

Also 'it was cold.

Also it

sucked.

'I forgot my scarf... ' Dazai whined.

'

Shh!

They 'll hear us, pea-brain! '

His winter cloak was not helping

at all.

And Angel wouldn't huddle under

his

clothes like a portable space heater with claws. Dazai looked to the two mysterious figures again. They hadn 't moved. Maybe they were frozen in place, too.

'It 's fine. ' He insisted, ducking into his collar. 'They can 't hear us. Hell,

we

can 't hear them. It 's too windy. Can I borrow Angel,

please ' '

'