Toby sat in the snow covered forest with his back against a tree. He had been at home with his parents and extended family for the holidays when his father made an awful comment on Lyra death only moments before. His sister had died only weeks before and this was his first christmas without her, so understandably Toby was quite upset about that.

He left the house and ran into the forest, no actual destination in mind. Now he was taking a few moments to rest, tired from all the running and.. life in general.. he was probably lost too. He assumed he was all alone in the forest since all he could hear is his ocassional ticks, but that thought quickly disappeared as he heard a twig snap in the area near him..