Milo waited at the edge of the meadow, basking in the warm light generously bestowed by the sun above. A gentle breeze rustled his fur from time to time.
His gaze was fixed on the old man slowly making his way back, returning from a journey deeper into the forest. Groaning and panting heavily, Thyme halted a few feet away, observing the surprisingly calm animal.
"Woof," the wolf barked.
"Where have I been? I had things to take care of," the grandpa responded, furrowing his gray eyebrows.
"Woof!"
"So what if you had to tend to the kids? You can do something other than marking every damn tree with your piss!" The old man raised his voice, gasping and continuing his walk.
Milo got up and walked alongside him, whimpering and shaking his head in clear disapproval. He added a few snorts to the mix as if he had something in his nose.
"It was important! I had to go... We have some uninvited guests in the forest, so I had to make sure they would be properly welcomed," Thyme replied, his gaze fixed ahead as he spotted Yura and Yue-liang approaching. "Now hush... They don't need to know what they don't need to know…"
The wolf didn't respond, assuming a calmer posture and silently walking beside the old man. They continued until they reached a point where the children blocked their path.
"Where have you been?" Yura asked. "We looked for you everywhere."
"I went to check on the forest. And then I also went to wash in the river," he lied, flashing a broad smile.
"There's a river somewhere here?" Yue-liang asked, a hint of surprise showing in his raised eyebrows.
"Yes..." Thyme turned and pointed back in the direction he had come from. "Not too far away, in this direction."
With that, he resumed his walk, passing by them. Milo, however, stayed behind, observing the kids as they glared at each other.
"The last one to the stream is a stinky tofu!" Yura suddenly shouted, then sprinted ahead. The boy, only with a brief delay, chased after her, laughing, reminiscing about their younger days when they would often race to the stream near the village to wash their feet.
The wolf joined in the race, bounding after them. They sprinted at first, but the energy quickly ran out, making them slow to a jog as they passed the line of the first trees, but even that had to change since the path ahead of them was not as short as they thought.
Soon they were venturing through the woods at a much slower pace. Yue-Liang and Yura stumbled upon a large stone jutting from the ground beside a winding river. The distant sound of water had accompanied them for a while, resembling the gentle rustle of leaves overhead.
Sunrays pierced through the canopy, casting an enchanting glow on the scene ahead. The crystalline waters flowed with vitality, skirting around sizable boulders adorned with green lichen and smaller, grey stones. The vibrant greens intermingled with the earthy browns, beckoning them to continue their stroll ahead.
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Now quite well rested, the girl wasted no time and dashed toward the massive rock, her laughter echoing through the air. The boy chased after her, joining in the mirthful run. They came to a halt in front of the landmark, and she turned around.
"I won, you are the stinky tofu!" she exclaimed, a wide smile gracing her beautiful face.
"I let you win," he playfully argued.
"No, you didn't! Look..." She pivoted, pointing to the river as it curved slightly around the largest rock. "I can take the right side, and you can take the left." She glanced back at him.
He averted his gaze, cheeks flushing. "Right."
The simplicity of his response, coupled with what she observed, caused her own cheeks to blush. She avoided further words, venturing forward toward the riverbank.
Yue-liang decided to cross to the other side of the rock, where he promptly shed his clothes. Despite being naked, the air felt surprisingly warm around him, a sensation that swiftly changed upon his toes touching the brisk current. The water was chilly, yet he pressed deeper, submerging himself until only his head remained above the surface.
On the opposite side of the rock, Yura mirrored his actions, though her modesty was poorly concealed beneath the rush of the crystal-clear liquid. After briefly indulging in the refreshing water, her ears caught the sound of scratching against the stone.
Turning her attention to the source of the peculiar noise, she spotted Milo scaling the massive rock. He settled at its pinnacle, keeping watch over the two children.
The boy continued his casual cleansing, his thoughts drifting elsewhere but never too far. The fact that Yura was in such close proximity nagged at him like an irritating fly refusing to leave. More and more, he found himself captivated by her presence. Even in her worn attire, it was evident that the girl was blossoming into a remarkable woman. She possessed the right curves, a realization that had recently dawned on him, intensifying his growing attraction.
His gaze fixated on the boulder, and gradually, he ventured deeper into the river.
‘Just a quick peek... I'll only take a quick peek,’ he reasoned in his mind.
"Woof!" A loud bark nearly startled him, causing him to slip on a stone and plunge headfirst into the river. Emerging rapidly, gasping for air and making quite a commotion, he found Milo's head peering down at him, the wolf growling in disapproval.
"Are you alright?!" Yura shouted, raising her voice to be heard over the rushing water.
"I-I slipped, b-but I'm fine!" the boy quickly replied, scrambling out of the river to retrieve his clothes.
Due to how deep he went into the stream, his return took some time. The wolf watched his every move, ready to pounce at the slightest indication that Yue-liang would venture to the other side. Meanwhile, Yura joined them, showing herself standing on the riverbank on the boy’s side. Her garments clung damply to her form, accentuating the graceful contours beneath.
A blush graced the girl's cheeks upon noticing her friend’s naked body in the clear water, and she hastily averted her gaze. "Let's go back," she mumbled, starting to walk away. Yue-liang quickly emerged from the river and dressed himself even faster to follow in her footsteps, as she was already slowly walking back.
Milo leaped from the stone, landing amidst the forest litter, and darted past the two, leading the way to the cave.
They journeyed in silence, too embarrassed to even steal glances at one another. After some time, they arrived back at the meadow, where Thyme sat serenely on the grass, immersed in meditation. Ignoring their presence, he exuded an aura of profound tranquility. Two birds perched atop his head and shoulder, drawn to his calming presence.
Approaching cautiously, they startled the birds, but the old man remained undisturbed.
"Are you meditating?" Yura inquired, receiving no response.
Milo, driven by curiosity, drew closer and sniffed at the old man, then abruptly lifted his leg to relieve himself on Thyme.
"I swear to all I hold dear!!" Thyme snapped, leaping to his feet.
The wolf bolted away, immediately pursued by the old man, leaving Yue-liang and Yura in fits of laughter, rendering them unable to follow even if they wished to.