Three days come and go. On the first day snow falls, and Dan, Phil, and Moon all spend the day outside, building snowmen and making snow angels. Dan informs Phil that it doesn't snow on Scara and that Earth gets more fascinating every day, and Phil laughs and tackles him into the snow.

On the second day, Dan and Phil make sure the animals are warm and dry before heading inside to make tea. They watch the snow drift gently to the forest floor as they drink their beverages, content in the silence. Moon sleeps on the floor, her head resting on Dan's feet.

On the third day, Dan and Phil are woken by the sound of Moon barking. The sound is more frantic than usual, which makes Dan sit up, blinking and rubbing his eyes as he turns to his wolf.

"Moon?" he mumbles.

She continues to bark, her hackles raising as she holds herself up against the windowsill and looks out the window at an angle. Phil sits up as well, his eyebrows furrowing. From the bedroom window there's a view of the garden, but Moon isn't looking at anything in the garden. It looks like she's trying to see the front of the house.

"Something's wrong," Phil says, meeting Dan's dark gaze. "She's never barked like that."

Dan gets up and throws some clothes on, heading out of the bedroom with Moon leading the way. Phil does the same, trailing after Dan moments later.

From the kitchen window, they can finally see the source of the problem. Phil's blood runs cold as a small army from the nearby village approaches the cottage, torches and swords held in their hands. Moon growls low in her chest and wags her tail slowly, staring at the front door.

"Dan," Phil breathes.

"Phil," Dan replies.

"There's only one exit."

"Yeah."

Phil grabs their travelling cloaks and tosses Dan's to him, the two fastening them around their throats with haste. Dan grabs a small novel from the living room and tucks it into his pocket just as the shouts of the men outside grow louder and there's a large bang on the cottage door. After another bang it flies open, the wooden hinge shattering and allowing soldiers into their home.

Dan and Phil race for the nearest window, but they aren't fast enough. A soldier grabs hold of Dan's cloak and yanks him back, manhandling him out of the cottage. Dan kicks and struggles, his breathing growing more rapid as panic takes hold. Behind him another soldier drags out Phil, throwing him to the ground outside the cottage. The door of the cottage slams, Moon's panicked barks coming from inside.

"Burn it down," the captain orders. "The barn as well."

Dan tries to scream, but his panic clogs his throat. Thankfully, Phil doesn't go silent when he's afraid.

"Moon!" Phil yells, trying to get to his feet. A soldier holds him down with a foot in the small of his back, pressing harder every time Phil struggles. "Leave her alone! Leave my home alone!"

Soldiers throw their torches onto the cottage, the wooden structure engulfed in flame in mere moments. Glass shatters, but Dan doesn't see it happen. The soldier holding him starts to drag him away, and as much as Dan wants to yell he can't. His fear stops any sound from leaving him, so he just struggles and pulls and fights against the hands that hold him. Phil sobs as he watches the home he built get destroyed, and when he's dragged away towards the village he can barely put up a fight.

The trek to the village feels like the longest one in history. The soldiers march back, the captain at the head of it all, and Dan and Phil are dragged along with them, eyes haunted and clothing damp from the snow they were thrown into. Dan desperately wants to cry, and he knows the moment he's alone with Phil he'll completely break down, but he can't do anything right now. For now, he just has to keep walking and try not to think too hard about the cottage or the garden or Moon.

When they reach the village, the soldiers lead them to the jailhouse. Dan and Phil are tossed into a dark cell with hay covering the stone ground, the door locking with a clang behind them. The captain gives the soldiers a few orders and they depart, leaving Dan and Phil alone.

Dan immediately turns to Phil and Phil turns to him, their expressions holding the same fear. Dan reaches out and squeezes at the guardian's fingers, his eyes welling with tears. The dark, gloominess of the cell closes in on him, and he desperately wishes it was light enough that he could see the full blueness of Phil's gaze.

"Moon," Dan whispers, his voice choked with emotion. "What... what if she's not... okay? What if she couldn't escape?" As he speaks his hands start to shake and his eyes dart away from Phil's gaze, but he doesn't stop talking. "Phil, she has to be okay. She can't be..."

"We'll find her, okay?" Phil replies.

He wishes he was more sure. He wishes he had more to go on than just a hope that somehow, their wolf managed to escape the cottage consumed by flames.

Dan sobs and curls up, his body starting to emanate the galaxy. Phil moves towards him and wraps him in his arms, barely holding back his own sobs. Dan hugs back, trying to comfort Phil as much as Phil is trying to comfort him.

"What..." Dan begins, his entire body trembling.

"What now?" Phil asks. Dan nods and Phil shakes his head, wiping the tears from his cheeks. "I don't know."

Dan presses closer and tucks his face into the crook of Phil's neck. Phil rests his head on Dan's, his fingers pressing into his spine.

"You don't have to talk anymore, Dan. It's okay."

Dan nods again.

"I'm going to keep you safe, no matter what."

Dan exhales and Phil holds him tighter, shutting his eyes and hoping to block the whole world out.