"Beelzebub, are you alright?" I asked quickly, far more worried for him than myself. I cupped him gently, checking his tiny body. He blinked up at me with sleepy eyes, perfectly unharmed, and a wave of relief loosened the tension in my shoulders.
I pushed myself up, a little dizzy from the impact. That fall did not feel natural. A part of me wondered if something had nudged me, but maybe I was imagining things. Ice could be treacherous. Sometimes you simply lose your footing without warning.
Then a faint sound brushed past my ears. So soft I almost dismissed it as a trick of my mind. A low, continuous hum, like wind trapped behind a sealed door. I held my breath and listened, waiting for it to return, but the sound faded into the cold and left nothing behind.
[Exploration: 22%]
