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With a hunting knife in my pocket and a scarf around my throat, my nose reddened with the continually decreasing temperature. I began back out to find Walt. I had gotten myself mentally prepared to go on a five hour trek through heavily wooded forest. I knew where I was going, my feet knew the ground and where I had to go. I’d brought along a water bottle for myself and a small snack for the walk. I wasn’t looking forward to it, especially with the perishing breeze picking up messing with the bandage on my lip, causing my lip to sting again. About twenty minutes into my walk, a tiny cold poke on my nose snapped me out of my daydream. I stopped and looked to a white overcast sky, expecting to see rain drops, I was left momentarily confused. I continued feeling cold little taps on my face. I placed out my palm, my fingers a bit swollen from the cold, to find a little snowflake drift onto the palm of my hand. I took a moment to decide if I should turn back before it picks up. I was never a well-equipped person for the cold. The image of Walt’s sorry excuse for a home came to my mind. I frowned at the idea of the tiny guy freezing out here in the cold, all by their lonesome. My tail dropped between my stifles. I continued walking as a gentle snowfall began.
The snow subtly picked up minute by minute, beginning to stick to the red and brown leaves that had yet to depart from their now dormant hosts. I moved my knitted wool scarf over my cold pinched nose, tossing my head in an attempt to shake off some of the snow that stuck on the top of my brown hair. It wasn’t very effective. The snow fall continued to pick up.
Thirty some minutes went by and I was back at the same shed I was at the night before, surprised - but relieved- that it was significantly closer than I had originally expected. It was hard to make out at first, the identifying road that led out from it was covered by a light blanket of snow. Though, I was able to differentiate it from the grass’s mushy and brownish coverage of snow. Furthermore, I couldn’t spot the strawberry blond anywhere.
“Walt!” I shouted, cuffing my hands around my mouth in an attempt to amplify my quiet voice. There was a jolt from the roof, what looked to be under a pile of snow. “Walt?” I shouted again, tilting my head. There was another rustle from the roof.
“Who’s there?” I heard the silvery voice shout back.
“It’s Burton, I’m sorry I left you last night,” I shouted back.
“Yeah, I know you, ” They replied.
“Where are you?” I asked, they promptly poked their head out from under the snow covered tarpaulin in which I had completely forgotten was there.
“Oh shit that’s why it’s so cold-” they hissed to themself, pinning their ears back. Once they turned their face to me I caught a glimpse of the harsh black eye they had and blood stain under their nose. My ears went down. They scurried their way out from their hideout and took a moment to stumble into their balance before turning my way and shuddering.
“Are you alright Walt?” I ask, dropping my hands.
“I’m very cold.” They were quick to tell me they didn’t have anything to cover themself up with, with a seeming weirdly cheery and hyper mood even as they were shivering up there. “Why are you out here anyways?”
“Came out to bring you back to my place,” I said hugging myself to hide from the cold.
“I’m not into you like that, Burton,” They said was a deranged little grin.
“Get off the roof so we can get you somewhere warm, you’re practically vibrating up there with how much you’re shivering,” I told them, concerned about their health, though a little amused by their remark. Not amused enough to react to it with the cold air stiffening my face.
“No, but why are you here, seriously? I don’t even think Marquis knows where this is,” Walt reiterated.
“Like I said, to get you back to my place. Mark left to try and get Winfred home after what happened last night. He wants me to take care of you until he can get back,” I explained, my jaw jittering.
“Mark and Winfred left? Aww… I liked that Winfred guy. Marquis too, I like Marquis too. But the Winfred guy seemed nice,” They pouted.
“I know, but I’m sure Winfred wants to be back home with his family where he’s not wanted by the government. Now come on, I’m freezing my balls off,” I told them, jerking my head to guide him over.
“Is your mum making dinner tonight?” Walt asked, grabbing a book from under the tarpaulin before sliding down the side of the shed.
“No clue,” I said, watching him with my head tilted to the side. “Walt, I thought you were illiterate?” I asked, looking at the book.
“Yeah, I’m completely illiterate, never read a thing in my life. Why do you ask?” I pointed to the book. “This is a sketchbook, idiot.”
“My bad,” I said. “Let’s quit the small talk and get you home, you need to get some better clothes on, it’s far too cold for just a single button down…”
“Wanna see me in something nicer, ey?” They asked with a big smirk. They winked at me once I looked over at them.
“Hush up,” I said and rolled my eyes.
“Then go at it, lead the way, Mr.Foxford,” Walt said triumphantly, followed by a giggle. I concluded that these next weeks were going to be long ones.
There continued to be playful banter between us as we began our journey back; well, more so Walt taking every shot they had to try and make me uncomfortable. They had some good lines in there, I couldn’t lie. Though the fun was cut short as the snow began to pick up more and more. I began to worry about the other two’s safety. I hoped they were finding some shelter as the early winter storm began to grow angrier. Walt faded into silence as well. There was no more playful back and forth, just shared shivering. I thought it had to be some sort of sign that Mark and Winfred shouldn’t be out there. It was early November, still supposed to be autumn, lord knows why the weather decided to act up and it didn’t matter to me why. It only mattered that everyone got somewhere safe. I was too busy worrying about the other two to notice we’d made it back home in one piece. Once we passed over a broken fence and onto the property and got a glance of the annex with its lights off, I was reminded of the stable chores Marquis always did in the evening. Now with him gone I was going to have to cover for him. I walked Walt up to the main house and dropped him off, quickly going in to grab some thicker paw wraps and some gloves before heading back out for the evening chores…
With the horses rugged and turned out, the stalls cleaned and grains ready for the next morning, I said goodnight to a few of the barn cats and hurried inside. I slipped off my boots and unrolled my paw wraps to check for frostbite on my burning feet. Thankfully, there was nothing of the sort. I glanced around for Walt, instead of looking for them, I took the next easiest route.
“Walt, where are you!” I called out.
“Fireplace!” I heard them shout from the living room.
“There you are,” I said once my feet touched the carpet in the living room.
“I’m cold,” Walt stated, looking over their shoulder at me. The den was a well decorated room that lead into the piano room. Walt was sitting up close to the lit fireplace with a blanket wrapped tightly around them, their ears held up high. The lighting in the room wasn’t the greatest in the evening, it relied mostly from the sunlight that came in from the piano room. Though at this time of the day the only light was a flickering lamp and the equally flickery fire. I hadn’t even noticed my father was sitting on the couch reading a book until he acknowledged me.
“What did Walt do this time, Burton?” My dad asked, keeping his eyes on the book. I flinched. I took a moment. The best answer I could give him was a shrug. He rolled his eyes at me. “You just don’t know what’s going on. ever,” He grumbled.
“Don’t worry, I just got in a fight with someone over something stupid.” Walt said, switching which shoulder they were looking over. “I won though.”
“I’m so... proud. Now, where’s the other one, he’s usually with you two?” My father followed with, looking up at me.
“Uh…” I wasn’t sure how to answer. I looked at Walt.
“Marquis is feeling sick so he went to bed early. I didn’t wanna stick around and catch whatever he’s got so I came up to the main house instead. He was being all cranky and pouty and that’s annoying. Now I’m here,” Walt explained before I sat there in silence long enough for my dad to become suspicious. “I wouldn’t go bug him at all, right Burton?” Walt asked, switching shoulders again. I quickly nodded.
“Oh. I hope he’s doing alright, he rarely gets sick. It’s probably this sudden weather change. I wouldn’t be surprised if he got a cold. The weather would probably make it all the worse,” My dad theorised, putting his book down on the side table. “It should be gone by the morning. The radio said it was heading west. Said it’s supposed to get worse as it gets closer to Fenland. Yet again, who knows if the weathermen are right,” He sighed. “If it does clear up by the morning, I’ll go check on him then. Gave the animals some extra food this evening and I imagine the horses can wait an extra hour before going in. I get to sleep in for once,” He scoffed, the tip of his tail flicking. I looked at Walt again.
“Nice. I don’t enjoy freezing to death all that much,” Walt replied.
“I’d be very concerned if you did, Walt,” my father added. My ears went down. I guess we just weren’t acknowledging the fact Marquis wasn’t going to be there in the morning? Just more to add to my list of concerns.
“I’m going to go change…” I said quietly.
“Be down shortly, dinner is almost ready,” My father advised me before I was off the hook and hurried on upstairs… Relieved my father had nothing to report from his trip into town…
After dinner, Walt and I hung out in my room for a little while. I was trying to find something better for Walt to wear to sleep instead of the old hand-me-downs they had on the day. It was difficult. Walt and I were a similar build, stick thin with disproportionately long legs and prominent shoulders, though that didn’t change the fact the top of Walt’s head was just up to the bottom of my adam’s apple. (albeit, I didn’t really have an adam’s apple, but it was the best comparison I could think of. )
“Walt what size of clothes do you wear?” I asked, looking back at them. They shrugged as they sat on my bed.
“Don’t know. Usually Mark and I both go clothes shopping. He remembers what size I wear…” Walt paused. “Shame he’s not here. I have some of my clothes at his house.” Walt stayed quiet for a moment, thinking. “You know, I could probably just sleep in my boxers.”
“True, but wouldn’t you get cold,” I asked as I closed my dresser drawer.
“I think I’d be alright. The guest room has a heater in it, right?” I nodded. “Yeah I’ll be fine,” they said, kicking out their feet impatiently.
“If you say so,” I said as I turned back to him, tilting my head as I thought to myself with a sigh. “Walt,” I started.
“What?” He replied, his grey ears swiveling my way. I figured I might as well try to confide in Walt about a particular worry of mine.
“Do you think Mark and that other guy are going to be okay out in the snow?” I asked, placing my hands behind me and leaning onto the vanity.
“I think they’ll be fine. If it starts snowing I would imagine Marquis would be smart enough to go get a hotel room or something instead of staying out there and freezing his toes off!” Walt explained, their tortoiseshell tail swishing back and forth. I agreed, even though I had my occasional doubts about Mark’s commonsense. “Hopefully he’s back for Christmas,” Walt added, frowning. I tilted my head. I wasn’t the most enthusiastic person when it came to Christmas, the holiday was three days before my birthday and it always interfered. I much preferred Nikolaustag and Advent.
“You don’t reckon he’d be out that long, would you?” I asked.
“I don’t know how long it takes to ride a horse to Fenland. I’m just saying, I hope he’s back before then,” Walt clarified. They gave a big yawn and flicked their ear.
The conversation faded from there. I hadn’t much else to say after that and neither did Walt. We were both achy and tired after our incident with Sir Rosco and neither of us really wanted to ramble on about Mark and Winfred, whether it was out of boredom and sleepiness, or trying to not make yourself anxious before going to bed. Anxious dreams cause anxious mornings. An anxious morning means a bad morning and a bad morning makes for a terrible day. With that, Walt and I said goodnight and they headed to the guest bedroom. I closed the door behind them and headed to bed.
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