Grandfather had told her once, that when she was lost, she was to follow the white raven.
He was not her grandfather. He was not anyone’s, she knew, but he had been Grandfather longer than she could put to words. He had lowered his head and brushed his whiskery muzzle against her face until she giggled, and told her again. ”The white raven. If you are lost, Sayuri, follow the white raven. It will lead you home.”
The snow was blinding. It stuck to her eyelashes, weighing them so heavy they almost fell over her eyes. White blotted out all color, turning everything shades of monochrome. The wind burst along the side of the flower, and she stumbled at its touch. Her mouth opened in a silent cry, her body sinking into the snow. Why was she fighting? Sayuri hauled herself back up, shaking, but resigned, as she scanned the branches. The white raven, watching her from a branch. It tipped its head.
She followed its lead. Into the snow, swirling around her, until she was swallowed by it.
She couldn’t see the raven anymore. She couldn’t see the snow. She couldn’t see anything. Sayuri blinked open her eyes, finding herself caught in a beam of winter sunlight. She was tucked into the cradle of roots beneath a tree, legs tucked like a fawn. The wooden quork of ravens brought her gaze up to find an entire unkindness looking back. Her ears shriveled back, eyes looking for-.
“ ホワイトレイヴン! ” She called. Nothing answered her. Nothing at all.
He was not her grandfather. He was not anyone’s, she knew, but he had been Grandfather longer than she could put to words. He had lowered his head and brushed his whiskery muzzle against her face until she giggled, and told her again. ”The white raven. If you are lost, Sayuri, follow the white raven. It will lead you home.”
The snow was blinding. It stuck to her eyelashes, weighing them so heavy they almost fell over her eyes. White blotted out all color, turning everything shades of monochrome. The wind burst along the side of the flower, and she stumbled at its touch. Her mouth opened in a silent cry, her body sinking into the snow. Why was she fighting? Sayuri hauled herself back up, shaking, but resigned, as she scanned the branches. The white raven, watching her from a branch. It tipped its head.
She followed its lead. Into the snow, swirling around her, until she was swallowed by it.
She couldn’t see the raven anymore. She couldn’t see the snow. She couldn’t see anything. Sayuri blinked open her eyes, finding herself caught in a beam of winter sunlight. She was tucked into the cradle of roots beneath a tree, legs tucked like a fawn. The wooden quork of ravens brought her gaze up to find an entire unkindness looking back. Her ears shriveled back, eyes looking for-.
“ ホワイトレイヴン! ” She called. Nothing answered her. Nothing at all.
the staff team luvs u
