She trotted after him, curious now. She used rejuvenation every so often as she walked, producing vegetation in some of the bare patches near the path. Given the smell, it was likely people brought their dogs around here on occasion.
Though her curiosity was now piqued even more. He didn’t go to the shrines? Yet he had that smell of some purified object with him. Curious. Still, he reminded her of Waka, between the odd accent that didn’t match anything else she’d heard before and the blond hair.
It was a little further up the trail that Hakuba finally decided to stop. There was a grassy incline with large stones, warmed from the filtered heat of the sun, perfect for perching upon. He crossed over the red-stained wooden trail marker on the side and climbed up to the rock, sitting down with the briefcase in his lap.
Then he paused, glancing back. Something white? A dog, perhaps, further down the trail. Hakuba couldn’t be sure. He only hoped that the animal wasn’t lost. Still watching, he took a sip from the coffee cup and winced. Still too hot.