Erin waited on a hill overlooking the bottoms, where the door stood open, casting a bright light of clear blue skies through the dim of dark smoke. The fire roared around it, the smell wafting to Erin. She waited for the smoke to clear, for the creatures to vanish into the forest. Another lion would join them, the birds would soar for a few years more. She wanted to get home, he was waiting on her. There were good years to be had.

A few, at least.

A cough. Erin turned around to face Pamilia, coughing into her arm. Only a few tendrils of smoke made its way to where they stood, but enough to choke the old woman. In her other hand, she held a leash to West Donaghy, who began jumping and pulling.

"Westy!" Erin called. She ran to him and dropped down on her knees, petting him while he pawed at her and tried to crawl in her arms. "I have missed you, buddy."

"Still recognizes you after all this time," Pamilia said. She suffered another coughing fit.

"You need to get back home, this can't be good for you," Erin said.

"You think I've lived a life like mine avoiding things that are bad for me?"

"How old are you anyway?"

"Old. Too old, honestly."

Erin smiled. Talking to someone other than Ry, what a novelty. She should have brought him. But he wasn't there before, he shouldn't be now, right? She continued to pet Westy, who started to calm a bit.

"I saw you here," Pamilia said. "So, I recognized you when you were young. How does that work? Do we just keep reliving it all? Keeps me up at night."

"I don't know. I thought about ignoring the door. Just keep walking. But I knew someone needed me. She was so lost."

"Not anymore."

"No." Erin smiled. Her smile faded. "There's a man who doesn't belong. A hunter wearing a mask and one of their jaws."

"What do you want me to do about him?" Pamilia asked.

"Stay alert. But don't kill him. That's for me."

"Understood. See you again?"

Erin laughed. She hugged Westy's neck and kissed the top of his head. "Get him home safe. There's birds and lions out."

"And devils," Pamilia said.

"And devils."

She stood up and shook her head. She could hear West Donaghy whine as she started walking down the hill to the open door.