Chapter 11

Nang makabalik si Rod bitbit ang mga nahuling hayop ay nadatnan niya ang babae na may kausap na isang maliit na ahas na halos isang dangkal lang. Katulad ng basilisk na tinawag ni Kurohana, kulay itim din ito at may itim na pakpak.

"Saan ba kasi siya nanggaling?" halata sa boses nito ang pagkayamot habang lumilipad sa harapan ni Kurohana. Subalit bago pa man sumagot ang babae ay sabay silang natigilan at napalingon kay Rod.

"Kanina ka pa ba diyan?" bungad ng ahas na sinabayan niya ng matalim na tingin.

Umiling lang si Rod na dumiretso sa sasakyan para ilagay ang mga supplies nila. Matapos maisalansan iyon ng maayos ang sumilip siya saka nagtanong, "anong gusto niyo? Magluluto ako ng makakain."

Nagkatinginan pa ang dalawa bago sabay na sumagot.

"Fish will do." Kurohana

"Meat will do."

Kumikislap ang mata ng dalawa at takam na takam habang iniisip ang ni-request nila sa lalaki pero agad din silang natigilan ng ma-realize na magkaiba sila ng gusto.

"Sly, we don't have time to hunt meat for you," sabi ni Kurohana habang nakatingin dito na tila ba bata ang kausap. Halos manlaki naman ang mga mata ni Rod sa narinig na tinawag ng babae sa lumilipad na ahas.

"Sly? That worm, er, snake was that monster's name?" Rod probed.

"Yes. He's name is Slytherin. Sly for short," Kurohana answered nonchalantly. She also has that 'are you an idiot' look while staring at him.

"Isn't that the name of the big serpent earlier?" he asked again. He is still wondering since the previous monster was also called Sly.

"That's him."

"I morphed," Slytherin said, who also had the same 'what an idiot' look.

Rod was left speechless. The thought that powerful monsters can morph into anything has slipped his mind. When he recovered, he returned to the wagon and ready the animals he caught earlier.

As soon as Rod left, Slytherin started probing the man's identity only to be answered with the man's name.

"What I meant was his background, his clan!" Slytherin irritatedly hissed. "I've never met a human who can completely remove his presence."

Kurohana fell into silence. She knew that what Sly said was right. That no ordinary human can conceal its aura to the point that he's already standing behind them but they didn't even notice him.

"I don't really have any idea about him," she sighed while pondering. "We only tried to check if he has powers using an orb. It lit bright red only to be turned to black immediately."

Slytherin didn't answer. It just stared at the nothingness in front of it as if it was thinking of something.

"He said he lost his memory. I'm just accompanying him since we both have the same destination," then Kurohana showed the crest that she found on his watch before continuing, "to Rehgiam, the land of the cursed clan."

Rod took two hours preparing the food. He grilled the boar's meat that he caught earlier before cutting it into pieces. The remaining parts were added to the mushroom soup that he made together with some herbs that he also picked out.

Nang matapos ay pinuntahan niya ang wagon na kasalukuyang tinatambayan ng dalawa. Pagsilip niya sa loob ay nakita niya si Kurohana na mahimbing na natutulog. Hindi na siya nagulat ng makitang may yakap itong batang lalaki na tingin niya ay nasa apat or limang taon na.

"Sly, Kurohana, wake up. It's time to eat," Rod whispered, waking Kurohana up.

"Come on, Sly, get up," she said in a loving tone when she saw the sleeping boy. When the boy didn't budge, Kurohana just carried the sleeping child outside the wagon.

Inabutan ni Rod ng tasa ng soup si Kurohana paglapit nito pero imbes na kumain ay inuna nitong subuan ang batang hawak nito.

"You're not going to eat yet?"

"I'll feed him first," she answered as she continued spoon feeding him.

Rod took the boy from her. She was about to disagree when he said, "I'll feed him so you can eat."

Dahil sa sinabi nito ay bigla na lang bumilis ang tibok ng puso ni Kurohana kasabay ng pag-init ng kanyang mga pisngi. Agad na nag-iwas siya ng tingin saka nagsimulang kumain.

"So he can also morph into a human?"

Agad na natigilan si Kurohana saka dahan-dahang nag-angat ng tingin. Medyo nagdalawang isip pa siya bago sumagot, "that's his real form." Pagkasabi niyon ay marahan niyang hinaplos ang buhok nito. Bakas na bakas sa kanya ang pagmamahal sa bata base sa pagkislap ng kanyang mga mata at ng malambing niyang ngiti. "It's been five years since I found him in the forest."

Si Rod naman ang natigilan sa narinig saka napatitig sa inaantok na batang nakasandig sa kanya. Marahan niyang hinaplos ang puti nitong buhok na tumatabing sa nakapikit nitong mga mata, habang patuloy na ngumunguya. Wala sa sariling napangiti si Rod sa ka-cute-an ng bata.

Pagsapit ng umaga ay agad na naghanda na ang tatlo para ipagpatuloy ang byahe. Napalitan na ni Kurohana si Slytherin ng damit dahil hindi na ito nag-morph pa ulit. Ipinasuot niya dito ang pinakamaliit na damit ni Rod na nagmukhang duster dahil sa liit ng bata.

"I'm bored," ungot ng bata habang nakaunan sa hita ni Kurohana. Nasa loob sila ng karwahe at parehong nanginginain ng mga prutas na pinitas nila kahapon. "Kailan ba tayo makakarating doon?" tanong pa nito. "I told you, we should fly instead of traveling by land. Mas mabilis sana tayong nakarating doon."

Hindi na siya sinagot ni Kurohana na biglang bumaling kay Rod, "you've got better as a coachman, huh."

"Of course I will. You're my teacher after all," Rod answered smugly making her laugh.

"You should be grateful that I taught you," her face beaming with a smug look. She even wriggled one of her brows, thus making me laugh.

Seeing that Kurohana's attention was no longer at him, Slytherin rubbed his face to her tummy making him look like a kitten; however, Kurohana just gently stroked his hair before handing him another apple as he was already done with the first one.

"Really, who is that doofus? Ever since I returned, Kuro's attention is always fixed onto him!" Slytherin thought

Kurohana is still caressing his hair but her eyes are still at Rod.

"Kuro~" Slytherin whined and hugged her tightly. She also hugged him back and even kissed his head. "Ah, my sweet Kuro!" he thought before glaring at the back of the man who was currently reining the wagon.

"Ew~ what a weirdo!" he muttered when he saw the man taking a glance at them with a smile plastered on his lips, then returned his stare at the road.

Rod couldn't stop himself from smiling upon seeing the two who looked like a lovely mother and child pair. The thought gives him the warm feeling of having his own family of three, with his wife and child.

"Family," Rod whispered.

"Come here, ***, we're going to play." A guy wearing a cloak and has pale skin said.

He knew that even though he couldn't see the man's face clearly, he could sense the killing intent the man was emitting coupled with a wicked smile.

He quickly picks his pace up just to lose him but to no avail. He couldn't understand why but his steps seemed a lot shorter than what he used to have. When he passed by a mirror that's when he realized that he was currently in a little boy's body.

He knew that no matter if he ran at his full speed, it would be useless. He won't be able to increase the distance between the two of them.

"Don't be scared, I don't bite," the guy said sarcastically. "We're just going to play. What do you want, hide and seek, or catch?"

Suddenly, the guy laughed devilishly. He no longer hid his intentions as he glared openly at the boy.

Cold sweat ran down on the boy's body upon sensing the huge and powerful aura emitting from the man. He took a step back unconsciously and almost stumbled because of fear. He tried to turn around to escape but he was immediately caught by the man before he could even reach the wide alley.

"Gotcha!" the guy said while grabbing the little boy from the back collar.

"No!"

"Rod!"

Kasabay ng pagsigaw ng bata ay siya ring pagkakapukaw ng atensyon ni Rod. Agad siyang napakurap saka ibinaling ang tingin sa kanyang harapan.

Halos manlaki ang kanyang mga mata ng makitang pilit inaagaw ni Kurohana ang hawak niyang tali ng kabayo habang pinipilit itong mapahinto. Noon niya lang din napansin na palapit na sila ng palapit sa bangin.

"What am I doing losing focus while driving! He thought. We almost had an accident if not only for Kurohana's quick response!" he muttered, still shocked by what happened.

"Are you alright?" Kurohana asked after she stopped the horses. Worries are evident in her eyes.

Rod stared back at her but his attention was caught by the shocked yet mad little boy inside the wagon.

"You idiot! Are you trying to kill us?" the boy shouted. He was covering his fear with anger.

"I'm sorry."

"You're sorry?" he fumed. His eyes are seething with rage. "If not for Kuro, we're already dead by now! You wouldn't even have the chance to uncover who you really are!"

After he spoke, a palm suddenly hit the boy's face. Rod and Slytherin were both stupefied by what had just happened as they both stared at Kurohana with wide eyes.

"W~why?" Slytherin asked. His voice was shaking in disbelief and shock as his eyes started to moisten. He was caressing his aching face while trying to hold on to his tears.

"Why? You're being rude, that's why!" Kurohana said sharply. Her eyes were filled with disappointment towards the boy's attitude.

Seeing the anger in the woman's eyes, Slytherin felt betrayed. That the woman no longer wanted him because of Rod thus, his hatred intensified. He glared at Rod as he swore, "this is all your fault! I hope you die!"

After the boy's outrage, he ran towards the forest, leaving the two adults in shock.