Letter

The next day, Mahina woke up a few hours before dawn as usual to prepare her husband's breakfast before he went to hunt. Yesterday, Bobo did not join the hunting teams as they went to the forest because they were worried about Ling but now, the family decided that it was enough for Mahina and her children to wait for the announcement.

Because of the current issue, the family thought that Ling should also forgo today's hunt. He hadn't had a proper rest since the previous night as he was hiding in the forest, mind full of worries at that time.

The clatter of the utensils in the kitchen was ongoing but the rest of the family were still deeply asleep. The loud snoring of the chief added to the soothing noises but there was not the smaller boy's snore joining the melody.

Usually, her son was also up at this time, having woken up by the clatter in the kitchen. Her eldest, Una, was also like that before when she was small. Then, she would start to help her mother until all the family members woke up.

This time however, it looked like her child was too tired with the events yesterday that he slept in. Mahina just smiled to herself when she did not hear the light barefooted footsteps coming behind her.

As she started setting the table, she noticed there was a piece of paper stuck underneath the center vase. Thinking that it was garbage and it would not be good to have it in the table during their breakfast, Mahina lifted the vase to get the paper.

What surprised her then was that her name with her son's handwriting. Forgetting everything else with the sudden feeling of foreboding, Mahina opened what looked like a letter from her son.

The shout that followed soon after the banging of their bedroom's door woke up Bobo. "BOBO! M-MY BABY'S GONE!"

"Wh-what is it?"

"THIS! I FOUND ON THE TABLE! READ IT YOUSELF! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!"

Despite the pounding of her wife's small hands on his chest, Bobo managed to get up and grab the letter in her hands. Rubbing the sleepiness in his eyes after opening the window to get some light, Bobo started to read the letter. Mahina was still shaking him while sobbing but he could somewhat read the letter slowly.

~

My Dearest Mother, sisters and Father,

I have decided.

Like what you also have seen yesterday, Maga, my dragon friend, will not be safe in the village. Our clan might hesitate to hurt him if the elders asked but he will still be treated as a problem or a prisoner before everything about dragons was clarified.

Therefore, I have sticked with my decision to leave the village with Maga. He is still young so someone should accompany him and with one person, he could fly and travel faster. We will try to get news about Kal'wa Island but if we could not go there, then we will proceed to Syudad in Gitna and live with my sister, Una, until the issue in the village was resolved.

Please do not worry about me. I have talked about this with my master and he agreed. He told me that most youngsters should have an adventure of their own to understand our world. This will be his announcement today (or at least the day that I expect you to read this) so I also requested for him to explain the decision to you if you asked.

I know that you will not allow me to go that was why I left when you were still asleep. I hope you could forgive me for that.

Also, please apologize to my friends, Rin, Yabang, Lino and Tang'ga, for me. They wanted to help with Maga too and join our travel but I don't want to burden them and their family too.

And if you're worrying about my food or other stuff I would have to trade to get, then do not worry. I together with Maga actually found a gem mine and we have enough gems with us. It was also easier to carry instead of our trade items and I talked about the mine to my master too.

Thank you very much for everything. I will see you again. Just remember that I love you.

And I admit, I want to explore the world on my own.

Your Beloved Son,

Ling

~

Due to the continues noises in their parents' room, the sisters also woke up earlier than usual. They were shocked by the chaos their mother was doing, punching her husband while their father was keeping still and looked like he was reading. It was not the usual noises they heard in their parents' room when they wake up.

___

That morning, the villagers welcoming the next day were surprised when they saw the chief running with his daughters following behind him and his wife on his back. The direction where they were going was Shaman Matnaad's house.

Riding on her husband's back, Mahina was telling her husband to go faster in a rather loud voice while holding onto his dark hair. If Una was present, she would remember that time when Ling was also seen riding a dog while shouting 'Yah-yah!'.

When the family reached the shaman's house, the old man did not show a suprised expression. Rather, he asked his servant to offer the still panting children and their parents some tea and asked them to sit.

"Hmm.. So you've read Ling's letter?" The question was not expected to receive an answer since it was the only reason these family would seek him.

With his fingers tented in front of his face, the shaman eyed all his clanmates faces before saying only this three words, "Let him be."

"B-but–"

"Your son is old enough and he knows what he was doing. Soon, I will send another group to follow him and to also go to the central islands for more answers. Now that our people thought that the problem is gone, we have to send another group to explore the mountains and volcano again, as well as the gem mine Ling mentioned. We have to observe the volcano's activities too.

"In case the dragon leaving would not solve its eruption, then that will be a faster way to get Ling to come back. I'm not sure if this could be considered as good news though."

Later, the shsman's booming voice announced the exile of the dragon. Many were happy but the others have frowns on their faces seeing the chief's family's reactions, knowing that it was not only the dragon who left.

Suddenly, the Mal'it Clan was startled again by a louder boom coming from past the forest, to the active volcano still spewing its smoke and lava. But the boy was long gone by then, far away from his village, his family.