Summary:

According to widespread folklore, a red cardinal is a spiritual messenger or a sign that a deceased loved one is near.

Snow has been falling since late afternoon the day before and has only just stopped, from what Ilya can tell anyway. The whole house is quiet beneath the blanket of snow. It feels so empty and he would feel lonely if he wasn't so fucking happy to be away from Andrei and The Colonel.

And he's not alone, anyway.

Because there is a red something just outside.

___

Ilya keeps seeing cardinals when needs them most.