Ch 2. Ashes, ashes, they all fell down

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She was sitting against the stone of the well, holding a plush lion doll.

She had sandy beige skin and thick, wavy, red hair that went to her knees, along with bangs that covered her eyes, and freckles that covered her face and went to her shoulders.

Her dress was white with long hanging sleeves and a red bow on her neck, the ruffled skirt was a reddish-orange color that went to her ankles and revealed black dress shoes.

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He looked at the girl as she stared off into the distance, with not a hint of fear on her face, as if she wasn't fazed by the menagerie of corpses littering the village

"Oh. . . oh dear" he whispered, "Um, hello child, I take it you're from here?"

The girl nodded, not even lifting her head to look at Wolfey.

"They. . ." she started

"Hm?" 

The girl's voice was soft and quiet, almost a whisper "They began fighting, momma tried to protect me, but she also began fighting. I just stood there in the middle of the carnage, and they ignored me as if I wasn't even there, I don't know why. . . I'm sorry"

Wolfey knelt down to meet the girl's eyes "I am so sorry that you had to witness this, child, and I am sorry that I couldn't have come sooner to save them"

The girl turned her head to look at Wolfey, then dipped her head to look at her doll's paws, as if she was remembering something.

"And how would you have saved them?" the girl asked

"I. . . I am not sure, but I would've found a way"

The girl got up from her seat against the well, which inclined Wolfey to rise from the ground as well. The girl was small, about 3'9, and began to walk away from him towards one of the buildings.

"Wait! Where are you going?" asked Wolfey

"Everyone is dead, and you will need a place to stay, I am escorting you to the Inn" replied the girl

A bit surprised, Wolfgang untied his horse and followed the girl as he stepped over decomposing bodies.

When they got to the village's Inn Wolfey set Magnolia in the Inn's stable, and brought each of his heavy bags up to his room as fast as he could, to hopefully thank the child before it got dark.

When he finally finished bringing all his stuff up to his room, he searched for the girl but to no avail, until he went outside to see the child on the Inn's porch, looking up at the sky. With only candle lighting the porch.

"And what are you doing out here at this time? It'll be completely dark soon-"

"I'm looking for mamma"

"What. . .?"

"Mamma once said 'if you lose me, just look at the sky, the stars will guide you to me' but. . . there aren't any stars to guide me"

Wolfey sighed and sat down next to the child on the porch "I am deeply sorry about what happened to your village, and to your mother, and now you are all alone"

"It's alright, sir, I'm never alone, I have Fritz with me," she said, gesturing to her plush lion doll in her arms "He'll scare off anyone who comes near me- well- that's what mamma said"

"Haha, yes, the mighty lion, I am sure he will protect you"

There was a pause

"Sir. . . " said the girl

"Yes?"

"In the morning- when it's lighter outside- can you. . . help me bury them all?"

Wolfey sat there wide-eyed, and it might have looked weird if the girl was able to see his eyes through his mask.

"Yes. . . of course I'll help"

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