Robin ducked beneath the crooked door and stepped into the house. She heard the fire before she saw it, and looked up from the creaking floorboards to see a milk crate turned upside down, and a slumped over figure seated on it. She tiptoed forward quietly, and took a seat on the floor crosslegged, directly in front of the fire. It was warm, and the house smelled like smoldering cardboard. Serenity ducked into the house after Robin got away from the doorway and stepped over a spilled inkwell, taking a seat on the second milk crate, parallel the boy.

      The warm orange light flickered across their faces, and Robin’s whole body was bathed in the glow.

      Jonathan coughed. Serenity leaned forward, seated on the edge of her crate, and pulled his deep red cloak tighter around his shoulders. He arched an eyebrow upward at her, and straightened his posture. His homemade deerskin boots shimmered as the nearby flames melted the snow that had once been on them, and his lightly frosted hair, too, was beginning to thaw. A soft, murky green aura surrounded him, and ever so often, it would brighten just slightly, so that he appeared to be glowing, and the snow would reappear on his clothes and in his hair once more.

      Robin piped up, always intrigued to see the snow fall around Jonathan Spice. It was a sure sign, every time, that the strawberry blond boy was lost in a daydream, pondering the contents of a troubled mind.

      “A penny for your thoughts, Jonathan?”

      He leaned back some, and extended his legs in a stretch, so that the flames from the hearth were close enough to swallow his calves whole if they wanted to. A heap of powdery snow fell off of his shoulders with the movement. He exhaled deeply.

      “You wouldn't believe me if I told you,” he smiled. Robin smiled back, but she wasn't sure whether or not his was even real. Lark shifted on Serenity’s shoulder, and his bells jingled softly, interrupting the silence. Jonathan perked up, a real smile lighting his face.

      “Hey! I almost didn't even notice you,” he chuckled, extending an arm to the bird. Lark cocked his head to the side, debating the offer. Serenity lifted a finger, and poked him in his side, encouraging him to walk toward Jonathan.

      Lark contemplated it, and hopped onto the wrist that had been offered to him. Jonathan cringed as the falcon’s talons shifted against his skin, but slowly untensed as he grew accustomed to the feeling. Serenity pulled her hood back and smiled.

      “You should come watch us practice one day,” she suggested, her eyes following her little companion as he shifted and walked up Jonathan's arm to perch on his shoulder. Jonathan nodded, his mind seemingly taken off of whatever had been running around inside his thoughts beforehand. Robin watched all of the snow in his hair melt, and no more took its place. At least he was distracted from whatever had been bothering him earlier, she thought. She didn't pretend, however, that she wasn't curious about what it was.

      Jonathan's response drew her out of her thoughts.

      “Yeah, I probably will, sometime soon. You're lucky to have such a loyal companion.” He reached into his pockets, with a slight struggle, and produced a small piece of jerky. Lark stared it down, for a moment, before flipping it in the air and swallowing it whole.

      Serenity glanced to the fire. The embers were still glowing red, but the flames had died down, and the room was growing cold again.

      “Shall we walk home?” she asked, moving to stand. Jonathan rose to his feet, pulling the blood-red hood of his cloak over his head.

      “Yes, I believe so.”

      Lark took to the air before settling back down on his master’s olive-cloaked shoulder. Serenity flipped her bouncing caramel curls out of the way, and extended a hand to Robin, who grasped it firmly as she was pulled to her feet. Robin turned, and ducked out of the house first as Seren stole a glance at her cousin. Jonathan once again, arched his strawberry blond eyebrow, and a smile that had been hidden snuck onto his face. Serenity laughed, and bumped his arm with her shoulder, before stepping beneath the slanted door and into the crisp, evening air.

      The sun had set while they were inside, and the fall breeze whispered through trees, which were hardly more than outlines in the moonlight. She could see Robin, just ahead of her, and she seemed to be nothing more than a shadow, waiting for its friends. Jonathan’s footsteps rustled through the grass beneath them, his heavy footfall rhythmic, and soothing as they made their way across the yard. All of them wore smiles as the two cloaked figures came to stand beside the brown and bue-eyed girl.

      ‘Perhaps walking in the dark is alright when one is in good company,’ Serenity thought to herself.

      Lark let out a soft screech, and Serenity laughed to herself. He was agreeing with her thoughts, it seemed.