3. Light

I sigh and collapse to the ground, panting; I've been following that scent for days, weeks maybe, and even a Hellhound can get tired. There's snow on the ground; I wouldn't know what it was had I not heard it called that by a child I saw on the street earlier. It's cold and I'm so tired; I just want to curl up and sleep, but I can't.

I climb to my feet, my legs trembling with exhaustion; I start running forward again, tracking that scent. I have to find the source of that scent; it's so familiar and comforting, but so very different and strange at the same time. I turn a corner and skid to a stop, shutting my eyes tightly as I do so.

It's so bright. Why is it so bright?

Suddenly, there's another scent; this one--one of mistletoe and spice--is threatening and relaxing, dangerous and safe all at once. I feel my hackles rise and I try to back away, to escape from this unseen threat; I don't back up, though. Instead, I open my eyes, despite the incredible brightness; once my eyes are open, I kind of wish I'd kept them shut and just turned to run.

Standing before me, white wings outstretched and long silver hair billowing, is an angel; the bright light surrounding him--Heaven's light--slowly fades to a dim glow and he smiles softly. It's such a gentle, caring smile that I almost approach him, but I stop myself, remembering that he's an angel.

That's it; my legs finally give way and I collapse to the snow-covered ground, too exhausted to move. The angel sees me and I tense as he approaches; I want to run, but my legs…I'm so tired…

"Hi," he whispers kindly, kneeling in the snow in front of me. He reaches out and gently touches my ears, scratching them in such a loving manner that I can't help but wag my tail. "You're not hunting a soul, are you?"

"No," I respond, knowing that he will understand me. "I'm tracking…something different…"

"Something different?" he asks curiously as he stops scratching my ears.

I nudge his hand slightly and he continues his caresses. "Yes. It's…I don't know. It smelt almost human…like…there's a human scent to it, but there's something else there, too, being masked by the human scent, but not quite…"

He nods and I wonder what he's going to say or do next; he could kill me. After all, he's an angel and they can be vicious when they want, at least towards Hellhounds. He moves his hand and I flinch, half-expecting him to hit me, but he doesn't. Instead, his hand glows slightly with heavenly light and he touches one of my frostbitten paws; it heals instantly and he moves on to the others.

"There," he says with a gentle smile. "That should make your traveling a bit easier."

"Thank you," I say, stunned at the kindness of an angel.

"No problem," he says as he's surrounded by Heaven's light again. I shut my eyes against the brightness and, when I open them again, he's gone; I continue walking, my legs feeling stronger now than ever before. I wasn't so deep into the darkness that light couldn't reach me, I suppose.