Xiao Xiao tilted his head slightly toward Shaggy Ghost, his eyes and brows smiling as he murmured, "Goodbye, Shaggy Ghost."
"Thump, thump~"
Shaggy Ghost followed Xiao Xiao all the way to the edge of the woods.
Then it went no farther.
Xiao Xiao turned around and saw Shaggy Ghost climbing up a tree and sitting on a branch. Its brightly colored clothes stood out in the night.
He waved slightly.
The girl walked along lightly, gazing up at the sky. She didn't notice Xiao Xiao's gesture behind her.
"Thump, thump~"
Shaggy Ghost waved its own hand, too.
It thought that was probably what people did when saying goodbye.
Many of the things humans said and did seemed novel to it.
Humans were annoying, to be sure.
It didn't like crowded places.
The heavy presence of so many humans made its chest feel tight.
But humans were interesting, too.
If it only had to interact with one or two of them now and then, and watch what they did from the sidelines, that might not be so bad.
Xiao Xiao turned and followed behind the girl, matching her pace.
It was quiet all around them.
A faint rustling sound carried on without end.
Perhaps it was the chirping of insects, or perhaps it came from other small animals.
The sounds made the mountain wilderness feel less frightening and a little more lively.
"Master Xiao."
The girl suddenly spoke.
She turned around, clasped her hands behind her back, and walked slowly backward.
Just then, she'd remembered a detail.
When she'd first entered the woods, she'd been somewhat uneasy.
So many years had passed, and she wasn't sure she could still find the spot where the animal trap had been.
But she hadn't dared voice that concern.
The dead rabbit