Hours to day. Days to weeks. Weeks to months. Time continued moving, and no sign of home. Steadily, Lugh grew weary of the foreign lands, vast and white, pristine snow like the ivory surface of a porcelain doll. It was cold. No more was there fire to sit by, to warm his little hands—at least Ma was still around for a cuddle, and the heaps of silken fur she donned made it all the more comfortable.

Life had changed, time and time again. Da was still gone. He'd finally met Beibhinn, Shiloh, reunited with Fleta, got introduced to a heap of nieces... nieces! Ma was a grandmother! He was an uncle!! Evens were flipping back and forth between fortune and tragedy... too fast for the young boy to process.

He wanted to see Da again. Sometimes, in a melancholy voice, he would softly question to himself if he would ever see him again.

Yet, Lugh remained with the one staple he never parted from: nature. The wild, untouched forest, crawling with little critters and large monsters alike. And, as snow thawed into a muddy slush, he could catch sight of greenery sprouting here and there along the ground and upon the branches of trees. Rodents crawled out of hibernation—the sky's golden rays grew stronger, warming the air into a comfortable climate.

He could hardly contain his excitement for the season to come, as all that lay dormant began to rouse beneath the sun's tender return. He rolled about against the vibrant plants—shades of ochre and blush that he'd never seen before. Giggling at the insects that flew away from his rambunctious frolicking, half-heartedly chasing as they flew up higher than his colorful eyes could follow.

An excited few yips escaped his lips. The pup raced down a hill, for once carefree about where he was, how he got there... all he cared about was the vivacious colors, sweet scents, and pleasant warmth around him.