Shinobu sat there for a while, staring angrily after Michi. The chickens, which had only been temporarily scattered by the wolf leaping among them, gradually went back to pecking at the dirt. They seemed as unconcerned about the large fox sat nearby as they did about the dog which stood silently in their midst.

"...She'll come back."

But as Shinobu told herself that, the chasm at her feet seemed to reach down into a black infinity.

"She always comes back."

"Come sit with me then, Yoshi."

Yoshi put her hands up. "No, no, it's fine," she said uncomfortably. "I'll just call you once you get to Vlad's, all right?"

But Shinobu pushed the framed picture into her chest, forcing her to take it. She didn't quite look at Yoshi, but murmured, "I don't want anything left unsaid."