Chapter 4: Journey Begins

The sky is painted with soft blue and pale purple. The forest is quiet only with the distant coos of birds and caws of ravens. Yuki walked alone. The path ahead was barely visible, swallowed by the forest that stretched endlessly before him. Mount Hakurei. That was his destination. And the only way there was through this forest.

​The air felt different here. Heavier and colder. Yuki tightened his grip on the wooden torch in his hand. The flame flickered weakly, casting uneven light across the trees. The evening had already begun to fade. The sky dimmed slowly, colors bleeding into shadows as the last light disappeared behind the hills. Something felt wrong. Yuki slowed.

​His eyes shifted slightly, scanning the darkness between the trees. Nothing. Just shadows... "It's nothing," he murmured. But his body didn't believe it. His grip tightened. He kept walking while his skin shivered from the cool air. Then the silence broke from a sob. He stopped. Then he hears a faint wailing. It is faint but clearer. He turned around to locate the whimpering but all he could see is trees and darkness.

​He is sure it is a woman who is crying. "...Hello?" he called out softly. The sobbing continued. It was clear like it is right beside him. Then— He sees her. A woman kneeling on the ground. Her long dark hair fell over her face as her shoulders trembled. The closer he got, the clearer it became. This wasn't normal crying. It was filled with grief, deep, heavy and unending.

​"...Are you okay?" Yuki asked gently. "...Why are you here? It's dangerous." The woman didn't respond. She just kept crying. Then slowly, she lifted her face. Yuki's breath stilled. She was young and beautiful. Her eyes wer red not just from tears, but like she had been crying for years.

​She looked at him and then her sobbing turned to keening. It was louder and piercing. Yuki felt something shift. A strange uneasiness crept into his chest. "...Hey—" before he could say anything, his vision blurred. The world spun and he felt his body heavy. "...What—" Everything went dark.

​The woman remained. Still kneeling and keening.

​His eyes flickered in the room lit with a warm candle. He was lying on a bedsheet. Then he sees a little kid looking at him with wide innocent eyes "Grandpa! He woke up!"

​Yuki's mind spun with the incident again and again. He could still feel the woman's keening in his mind. He tried to wake but his head ached like he was hit by an axe. "You are safe here kid. No need to wake up just rest" his voice is deep and gives a strange feeling of warmth and something entirely different. "Reo you shouldn't be awake its late so go to bed."

​Reo gave a tired smile he is the grandson of this old man. Yuki understood they live alone but wondered why they are living in a dangerous place like this. "You too young man." The old man looked wise and safe reminding of his own grandpa.

​The old man blew the candle out and walked outside to bring water pot. The darkness settled as the faint moonlight comes throught the window with a cool breeze. As Yuki was trying to sleep, Reo rolled over to his futon to Yuki's futon. Yuki looked down at him with a gentle smile.

​Reo smiled back at him and whispered "Hey! What's your name?" Yuki whispered back "My name is Yuki." Reo curled to him "Nice to meet you Yuki. My name is Reo." Yuki held his hand gently "Cute name.. Glad to meet you too." Reo then whispered hopefully "...shall we be friends?" Yuki chuckeld "I am glad to be your friend..." Reo got excited "Really!? Then will you play with me?"

​For a moment Yuki saw Lilly in Reo. He stroked the boy's hair gently "I will but not now." Reo noded eagerly and kept his little hands on Yuki's chest. Then Reo curled closer to him. Yuki felt how this little boy got too close to him very fast. It was... quiet strange. But he said nothing. Then—

​Reo spoke again quietly. "...Why is there a scar on your chest?" Yuki stilled and his breath paused. It was the wound from the wendigo which is hidden beneath his clothes. "...It's nothing, I got accidently hit," Yuki said lightly.

​Reo smiled, but it didn't feel childish this time. "Why are you lying to me?" he whispered. "We're friends, right?" Yuki froze. That didn't sound like a child. Reo's small hand tightened slightly on his arm. "It's okay if you don't want to tell me..." he said softly. "But..."

​Yuki forced a small smile. "...Go ahead." Reo's expression shifted, it was subtle and quiet but different. "...I sense something..." a pause "...different in you." Yuki's eyes narrowed slightly. "...almost like—" before he could finish "Reo!" The old man's voice cut through the silence. "I asked you to sleep didn't I?" Reo slightly pouted "go to your futon and don't disturb him" Reo obeyed and rolled over to his futon "Fine..."

​The night settled but his mind didn't. He couldn't fall asleep quickly but somehow in the cool breeze he slept.

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