Faster?
Shoe could do faster.
Shoe could outrun a human easily. Certainly she and her mother would be able to outrun Life.
She shook her head, tossing her fur about, and broke into a full-on sprint. I am good. I am a good daughter. Let's find Life.
Her nose pointed up in the air, sniffing for traces of Life's soul. They would find her. Shoe and her mother would find her.
Once more, Malin hefted Life up on his back, adjusting his grip. He began to run once more, not wanting to waste time.
"Don't sweat it," he insisted. "I've been looking for you as long as I can remember. This is the least I can do for the entity that brought life into the world."
He paused. Talking to Life felt strangely comforting...maybe it was just the joy of knowing he was no longer alone.
"The others don't understand." A strange feeling pricked in the back of Malin's throat, and he swallowed, trying to force it back down. "Always taking souls for no reason, always using their powers just for the heck of it to torment people, always taking advantage of the souls they take...treating them like they don't matter. Like no one matters but them. I can't even remember the last time I used my powers, I have maybe two souls up in my realm and it's because they were already dead and I just didn't want my family to have them. We play board games together. O-or whatever."
Fatal disease?
If Life contracted one of those, wouldn't she die? If she died, there would be no more souls. If there were no more souls, Bennie would be so bored.
"Small," she said, turning around. "Long, black hair. Asian, I think. She had fairer skin than usual, though. Short? Was that her?"