“……Go away, Monster!”

“…”

She was floating in space.

The first thing she sense was a scene of familiar place, house, and people. Then, something she never want to heard again.

Her sight fell on the young girl, she surrounded by familiar mean people.

“Go away!”

“You monster!”

“Cursed Child!”

“Leave from here!”

The little girl yelled by children, receiving so many hurtful words. They watching the little girl with fear and contempt, as though her form was an ugly monster.

The scene changed.

This time was a familiar room.

*Slap*

“You cursed Child!”

A woman slaps the little girl.

“You’re not my child! You’re not!”

Hysterically denied the little girl existence.

The scene changed again.

This time the little girl surrounded by scary adults.

“Throw her.”

“Get her out of here.”

“Send her to the forest.”

The adults repelled by her presence, coldly treating the little girl like a dirt.

The scene continued.

The little girl alone in the forest with painful wounds on her body.

That little girl terribly confused and frightened by their treatment. She was naïve, young, and clueless child. The little girl doesn’t understand why she deserves to be treated like that by the people around her.

‘Why?’

‘Please, don’t throw me out.”

‘Help me’

Little girl cried and hurted by the cruel reality.

Although Little Girl was young, she smarter than any children around her. she realizes the severity of her situation.

She cried, begged, ask for help. But the people around her cruelly ignored her, throwing little girl to dangerous forest, sending her to death.

‘…Please, help!’

Little girl stretched her painful hand in sorrow, hoping there’s someone would come to help her.

However, the people turned their back to her, indifferently leaving the girl to her harsh fate.

“…”

She watching the scene from far above, looking the little girl indifferently.

Then, silently, she vanished in background.

*****

***

*

A shaft of sunlight penetrates through her eyes.

“…Ngh…!”

“…Is it done?”

“Wait, it’ll soon.”

“Hurry, I’m hungry.”

“Just wait little longer.”

There’s slightly commotion near her, and faint fragrant spread in her nostril. Helping to clearing her mind from slumber.

‘Dream?’

For some reason, she dreamed the past she doesn’t want remember. The little girl at that time already dead in the dark forest, what left just a beastly shell of her that want survive.

“…”

Wakened from her past nightmare, she calmly scrutinizing the surrounding.

There’re the pair of home invader, not far from her position. Looks like they are cooking… No, it just the male was cooking, the girl waiting from the side with drool on her mouth.

That pair of humans, somehow, they didn’t kill her, even they had chance to do.

‘…I lost, huh?’

She still clearly recalled what happened last night. The human boy fight with her, then human girl struck her in surprise. Last she remembered, human boy drove a powerful fist on her head, robbed her consciousness.

Stirring her body lightly, she notices she couldn’t move. Her hand and feet tied with rope. She tried to use her strength to snap it, yet the rope won’t break no matter she does. She spotted some strange pattern on the rope surface, seems like something that preventing her from snap it.

“Oh, you are wake.”

The human boy airily called her.

She turned at him. The atmosphere around the human boy no longer tensed like the time they battled.

“Sorry for the bind. I just do not want get attacked before breakfast.”

Said the boy in joked tone.

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“Hey, Arc. Focus on you pan!”

“Since when you become gluttonous, Misha?”

“It couldn’t be helped. I’m hungry after used too much magic to restraint her.”

“Her, huh…?”

“You haven’t accepting she was a girl, Arc?”

The boy and girl having carefree conservation in front of her.

“…”

Flabbergasted, that the apt description for her mood, as she watching her enemy now in different state. They no longer menacing, but be carefree as possible, even though they’re in front of their assailant last night.

From what she heard, the boy’s name is Arc and the girl’s Misha.

This’s first time she ever in weird situation. Her first defeat after became strong enough to survive in this dangerous forest. First time she watches someone doesn’t kill their opponent… And first time she ever smelling food can be so fragrant.

What’s he’s doing?

Is that truly food?

How could it be smelled different from ones she cooked?

Somehow, the wariness she had slowly replacing with curiosity.

Hurriedly, she restrained herself as she almost gave in temptation.

She hasn’t fully let her alertness, as she knew how ugly and deceive human can be. She learned human nature since living in the forest, as she watching their ugliness from afar.

“…”

However, the human in front of her somehow different.

She could feel that, there’s something distinguishes them from human she ever met. She doesn’t know what is it yet, but trusts her instinct.

Watching them made her contemplating many things.

After live long inside forest, her mind close like a beast. She almost couldn’t think normally like a human. Living under the rule of survival of fitness, she would never leave her opponent live after she defeat them. So long she living like that, learned never would rely anything except herself to survive in harness of wilderness.

As she defeated by them, her human reason somehow returned. Maybe, that’s reason why dreamed the past, dug back the emotion that have been long buried.

A hope she long abandoned, along with her weak self.

No matter how strong and smart she was, she still a young girl. Her frail heart couldn’t truly stand against the loneliness and harness in the wilderness.

Somewhere inside her, she felt so tired.

“…”

Even while she in despondency, she never let it show it on her face, maintaining her cold outward.

As for now, she decided to observes the human in front of her first.

Her focus shifted, as the human boy lifted his pan.

“Food was ready.”

*****

***

*

“Food was ready”

Arc put his pan on the ground, as the food already cooked.

For breakfast, Arc made simple potato porridge. It’s easy make and isn’t need much seasoning. Also, a perfect light food to eat at morning.

Arc made serving for three people; him, Misha, and their last night assailant.

“Here, Misha.”

“Thank you… Then, bon appetite!”

“Please eat the food more slowly.”

“Mhhm, mhhm!”

Arc smile wryly, watching Misha munching her food greedily. Misha inserted so much food, made her cheeks popping out like a squirrel.

Then, Arc went toward Savage Child place with a food bowl in his arm.

“…”

“This your share.”

“…!”

Arc put the bowl in front of Savage Child.

Savage Child watching him with confusion and wariness at Arc act, seemed bewildered by his conduct. She clearly never expecting Arc would treat her, and slightly widening her eyes.

“Can you understand what I’m said?”

“…”

She doesn’t react from Arc inquire. She maintaining her cold silent, eyeing each Arc step. But Arc could spot the glint in Savage Child’s eyes when he asked her.

“I’ll release you, if you promise to not attacking us.”

“…”

Seemed not trusting his word, as she still coldly watching him in silent.

“First, just savor the food I had made.”

“Mgh!”

Exasperated by her hostile and cold attitude, Arc drove a spoonful food into her mouth.

Savage Child couldn’t resist much, as she was tied up. She obviously wary and alerted with anything Arc gave no matter how fragrant it was. She truly frightened when the food pushed into her small mouth. Even so, she still maintains her coldness.

“!”

Then, the wrinkles on her brow slightly shifted as she savoring the food. There’s not much change on her cold exterior, but Arc could feel the wariness air around her greatly dissipated.

Arc quietly observing Savage Child, who currently eyeing the bowl in his hand for a while. Then took out a knife, cut the rope that bind her.

“!?”

Dumfounded by flow of event, she looking her freed hand, the boy in front of her, and the bowl of food. She unsure to what to do in this situation, as she never expected her enemy would release her just like that. She carefully examining her state, checking if there any trap.

Arc let her be alone, sit back beside Misha.

“…So, how is she?”

“Don’t know. But at least, I confident she won’t attacked us now.”

“It’s good to know.”

Misha smiling of relief, they won’t have to kill a child even she was an enemy.

Honestly, Arc and Misha uncertain to what they have to do with Savage Child. She might an enemy that come to kill them, but they couldn’t do same toward a child, especially Misha. Although she had been kills human before, that because it was self-defense. She wasn’t a cold-hearted human who could kill anyone who threating her.

Arc also decide not killing her. While he isn’t soft as Misha, he won’t do something unpleasant in front of her. Also, something tugged his heart, preventing Arc from kill Savage Child.

Not know what to do, they decide to tame her, or make sure she won’t attack them at least, at least. That’s why they tied her when she was out of cold. If it fails, they could just leave her alone in the bind.

When they roping her, Misha notices the lot of scars on her skin, and felt sympathize. Misha couldn’t think any circumstance that led a small girl living in dangerous forest.

No, Misha actually could guess several reasons. She had read many story that have similarity with Savage Child situation, but she subconsciously denied that. She afraid to acknowledge any of them, as she couldn’t accept the deep of human malice.

Saw Savage Child was pitiful, Misha thinking to help her.

“…What we have to do with her, Arc?”

“…Honestly, I don’t have idea.”

“Do you think we could bring her with us?”

“……That’s depend. If she willingly following us, we could bring her.”

“…Looks that’s won’t do.”

“Yeah, I could predict we would be attacked if we try that.”

Sighing at her powerless, Misha couldn’t do much for Savage Child, even when Misha sincerely wants to help her. Like Arc Said, there’s high chance they would be attacked by her if she perceives their help as threat.

“…”

Inside Misha view, Savage Child warily approaching the bowl, glancing between the bowl and them as she striding forward. Cautiously, she sniffed the bowl, then slowly, brought the food into her mouth.

Misha giggled at the scene as found it was cute. Savage Child appearance somehow looked like a wary hamster.

Then, whenever Arc and Misha do was stopped.

The next scene they saw stuck voice coming out from Arc and Misha’s lips.

As Savage Child savoring the food, tears pouring out from her eyes. Her tears slide on her cheeks even while her face frozen in stillness.

They found it was quite bizarre scene for there’s would someone cried unemotionally, especially a child.

Observing her, stuffed their heart with pity and mercy. The child before them may just slightly older than them, but she might had been through many things until she lost her expression. Her current state was the proof of her tormented life.

They walk toward Savage Child, give her hug and pat as she eating her food heartly, as attempt to soothe her in her exploding emotion state.

Misha felt Savage Child present state similar with a certain boy in the past. She found her appearance overlap with him at that time.

The bowl emptied quickly, and Savage Child looking at Arc and Misha intently, no longer cried. Her cold demeanor back as if the cry was a lie, if aren’t for her red eyes and wet cheek.

Her expressionless made it hard to guess what she was thinking, but Arc could see hidden frailty and lost reside in her eyes.

Arc continue patting the lost beast-like girl before him.

*****

***

*

Currently she was lost, thoroughly lost.

Her body was warmed, her head felt comfortable by the gentle touch of two human that was her supposed enemy.

She learned in wilderness and experience to never trust enemy, especially human. Yet, there she was, accepting the food made by her enemy, and letting them touching her freely.

Confused, she didn’t know why this happening. They just met last night, even tried to kill each other, however she found entrusting herself in their arm.

Even she intending to break from their arm, she found her body seemingly weakening. That because she realizes their arms have something she doesn’t expect.

Warm.

Their arms filled with kind warm.

The warm she was long forgotten and longed.

Her eyes felt little heavy as she shrouded by that warm.

“…”

What I should do now?

That question crossed on her mind.

She no longer haves the will to fight or pursue against them. Should she do that, she might just get roped again. That was her instinct told.

As if he could see her faded battle will, Arc stopped his hand.

Her attention drew on him as he pulled his hand.

Arc pointing at himself with gentle smile plastered on his face.

“Nice to meet you, I’m Arc.”

“…”

She cocked her head.

Misha also stops hugging and point herself.

“I’m Misha.”

Puzzled, she doesn’t know what they attempting, then realize they were introduced themselves.

For a moment, she oblivious how to respond.

Yet, something in her heart pushed her into action.

“…Ra..i..na…”

Then, coming out from her dry long-unused voice, Raina told them her almost forgotten name.

For first time after long time, she chooses to trust someone.