The Light

Felix blindly followed the path on and on, higher through the chill, crisp air. The blustery weather grew more vicious as the biting cold managed to gnaw its way through Felix's feeble clothing. The only way that Felix knew he was still on the path was the occasional wisp of light and the sound of his tread cutting through the constant wailing of the wind. The straps of his bag were rubbing so he stopped to adjust them.
There was the sharp sound of a footstep on the path.
Felix held his breath and listened. His body stood frozen, but not through cold. The sound came once more; then stopped. Felix didn't know how to react. This could be somebody who could take him away from here, return him to his home. It could be someone sent to help him, or a kind stranger. On the other hand, it could just as easily be Shandor himself, checking Felix's progress, or even planning to make things more difficult. There was no certainty that the footstep even belonged to a human. Felix didn't know what kind of wild animals or monsters lived here. Should he call out? Try to make contact? Or should he hide?
Felix did nothing.
There were no more footsteps. The uneasy feeling remained.
A brief memory of the morning entered Felix's head, in particular he recalled his mother in the kitchen before they set off. He hadn't been thinking straight but he remembered her packing the bag that was now causing him extra discomfort. He had a flash of inspiration and scrabbled with the fastenings. He fumbled until the bag was open and gently groped inside. His fingers reached the softness they had been seeking and grasped the blanket. Felix pulled gently. In this poor light he wanted to make sure that he didn't let anything else fall out. The blanket was freed and Felix gently ran his hand over the dark, rough ground. He didn't find anything lying there, but waited for the next shaft of moonlight to appear before he felt confident enough to move on.
Felix used the blanket to shield his head and shoulders from the worst of the gusts and continued to make his way towards the fork in the path. From there he knew he would need to find the wise man's house. He also knew that it would not be easy. He consulted the map once more and realised with surprise that he was almost there. He grasped the map tightly, keeping it ready for the next chance to look, and stepped forward carefully.
As he walked, eyes fixed in the blackness, Felix noticed a tiny, yellowish glow far ahead of him. It seemed to sway from side to side. Hardly believing it, Felix became mesmerised, watching the light swinging, moving forward. After walking for so long in the dark, it was a wonder to have something to focus on. Felix moved faster and with less care than before, onwards towards the light. His feet no longer made the crunch that had been his companion for so long and the next time that the moon cast her light Felix realised he had left the path behind. A quick look at the map showed that he was in the area between the two branches of path and a glance ahead showed the outline of a small wooden house with a cheery glow flooding out through the window.