3 2. Where were you?

 When Cynthia teetered on the brink of tears, a flicker of movement caught her eye, accompanied by a distant sound. Simultaneously, Cynthia and Richard pivoted, their gaze fixated on the opposite fringes of the forest There, emerging happily, and singing in harmony with the birds and the gentle forest creatures, was their friend, Tiana.

 A sigh of relief escaped Richard, while Cynthia, succumbing to her emotions, she dropped her basket, she had brought for Tiana and darted towards her bellowing, "Tiana!". Richard, understanding the pent-up anxiety within Cynthia, made no effort to stop her.

 Cynthia reached Tiana and enveloped her in a tight hug. The suddenness of the hug caught Tiana off guard, causing both of them to tumble to the ground. It took a moment for Tiana to register the unexpected collision, and upon realizing it was her friend, she burst into laughter.

 "What's gotten into you? You just arrived, and you've knocked me to the ground with yourself on top of me," Tiana said mischievously, laughter dancing in her eyes. Cynthia, seeing her friend's joyous reaction, couldn't help but think how carefree she would have been if she hadn't learned what she did from A city.

 Richard approached the fallen pair with the dropped basket in one hand and asked, "If you two want to chat, kindly do so after you've both risen and retreated inside the cottage," he suggested, extending his free hand to Cynthia. Accepting Richard's hand, Cynthia, in turn, offered her hand to Tiana, saying, "Let's get up."

 As Tiana accepted Cynthia's hand, they both rose from the ground. Tiana, looking at Cynthia, remarked, "Cindy, it's good to see you back. I was starting to feel lonely here." At these words, tears welled up in Cynthia's eyes.

 Cynthia, with tear-streaked cheeks, gazed at her friend. Witnessing Tiana's carefree smile, Cynthia couldn't contain herself and hugged Tiana once more. Tiana, at a loss for words, was puzzled by Cynthia's intense reaction. Glancing at Richard, who stood behind his sister with a calm demeanor, Tiana felt a swirl of confusion. If something had transpired within Cynthia's family during their visit to the council, Richard wouldn't be so composed. This left Tiana pondering, "Why was Cynthia reacting this way?"

 Lifting her eyebrows inquisitively, Tiana turned to Richard, who simply smiled. Closing the distance, Richard suggested, "Cynthia, now that you've seen Tiana is unharmed, why don't we retreat inside and relax a little?" He gently guided Cynthia away from Tiana. All the while, when Cynthia ran to Tiana after seeing her and after seeing Tia safe, Richard had been looking around them to see if he can spot someone who might have followed them.

 "Why do you say that? What peril could befall me? I mean, not many are privy to my dwelling here, and..." Tiana hesitated.

 "And what? Why this hesitation?" inquired Cynthia. When Richard interjected

 "Must we delve into this outdoors? Richard asked in a worried tone. I—mean—we—are—not—safe," Richard stressed his words, rolling his eyes to signal both women that he perceived an unseen presence. Richard has always had good intuitions and his mother had thought him to be alert. So it was no surprise that he felt someone there. 

 Tiana felt a sense of omission while Cynthia ushered her inside the snug cottage. Richard brought up the rear, cautiously scanning the surroundings for any signs of an intruder. Once inside, Cynthia remembered how void this little cottage looked without her friend and also remembered her frustration at not finding her. Placing her hands on her hips, she addressed Tiana in an irate tone, "Where were you upon our arrival? Do you really not understand the peril of solitary wanderings in this forest?"

 "What dangers do you think could come that haven't come so far?"

 "Well, the good times are over, Tia. It's time for you to seek safety," declared Richard.

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