[page 55]

	[lick adrift in the black water, holding tightly onto dusty still. they're looking at their muzzle; the ice is melting into the water. dusty is looking up at lick with grave concern.
dusty: "lick... are you okay?"]
	[lick strains against the ice as it continues to melt away.]
	[the ice is finally gone, and lick opens their mouth wide.
lick: "*WHEEZE* ugh, FINALLY--"]
	[a farther away view of them floating through the river of shadow, which has flooded the forest as far as they can see. various wolf heads bob along with them in the direction of the current.
dusty: "lick!! i'm so, so glad you're okay..."
lick: "i'm... i'm glad you're okay too, dusty."]
	[dusty looks to the side, at a wolf figure swimming along beside them.
dusty: "... why... why did they help us?"]
	[a panel depicting the forest from farther back, where the water has just finished passing through. dark undergrowth and blades of grass are sprouting among the few remaining spots of snow, at the bottoms of the tree trunks.
lick: "...there's a lot we don't know about this world, dusty."]

[page 56]

	[up ahead, the wolves are approaching the train, whose front wheels are still frozen solid. lick and dusty watch curiously.]
	[the figures gather on top of themselves to form the giant head again in front of the train.]
	[the wolf opens its jaws wide.]
	[the figure passes right through the train, leaving trails of shadow-y sludge that melts the ice clean off. the water pools on the forest floor, absorbing the surrounding snow.]