The sky was blue, as the best of skies always were.
It stretched from here to there, a glorious expanse. There was nothing to block the eye from seeing forever, or so it seemed. It was wonderful. Peace abounded in the heights, and filtered to the depths.
No storms. No overcast clouds. No obstacles. Nothing to block the view.
Occasionally, the sky was dark. The sun was elsewhere, having turned the watch over to the multitude of stars that stood guard in glimmering luminescences. The gleam sparkled from point to point to point and spread out in ever-widening spirals of light that struck distant fire through the sky.
Again, no storms. No overcast clouds. Nothing to block the view.
Still, there was something missing. As beautiful as this was, there was something that filled a hole of lost and not found. A longing that needed to be made content by being made not-missing. That thing was known but when it would be found was yet to be seen. It would require a continual alert manner but that was easily done. It was important, so there was no issue with doing it. That something was important beyond all else and had always been.
A watch would be kept. A search would be held. A tally would be taken. Over and over and over.
No matter how long it took. No matter how interminable it became. No matter what.
The watch would be kept without ceasing, without fail until the keen eyes finally saw him and the snowy feathers met his loving hands again, and the laughter and tears and hoots of welcome rang out.
Until then, the sky was blue, as the best of skies always were.