Chapter 5

Brielle dream about her family who are eating dinner peacefully, she walks towards the dining table with a wide affectionate smile.

They talk for hours while eating their dinner, Brielle couldn't help but tear up when seeing her family happy and alive that she thought what happened yesterday was just a nightmare.

Hoping this scene would last longer

Not wanting to wake up from reality.

Suddenly she felt her eyelids were heavy, knowing that her family is here with her, she fell asleep in the table with a gentle smile on her face.

After a while, she felt warm on her back. Imagining it was her parents who put a blanket on her back, she slowly opened her eyes but as soon as she opened her eyes, her eyes widen when she saw a pool of bloods on the table where she slept.

The whole room was red, full of scratches and she can even smell the gasoline. She slowly looks down the table, she saw her parents and her little brother laying on the ground lifelessly.

Her eyes widen, she could feel her heart began to beat faster. Her unfocused gaze looks at her brother's face and saw his dead eyes move to her direction, as if his looking straight at her mind.

Brielle suddenly move her head upward, as soon as she woke up from her dream, she breath heavily as she squeezes both of her arms. The sun hasn't risen yet when Brielle abruptly woke up.

It took her a minute before calming down.

When she calms down, she could still feel the heat on her back just like her mother gave her the blanket in her sleep. After realizing the heat on her back, her senses improve and she felt something fluffy on her neck.

Brielle slowly twist her head to her left to see what was on the top of her neck, although Brielle couldn't properly see her back but she saw a fluffy tail wagging at her back.

She suddenly stands up to her surprise when she saw a white furry tail on her neck, her sudden action makes the small snow fox who were sleeping peacefully on her neck fell to the ground while it let out a small yelp.

Brielle was shock to see a snow fox in this type of environment, she steps back as soon as she the fox move. Brielle clench her teeth before turning back and walk away from the fox.

It seems that the fox notice Brielle walking away from her, the fox slowly followed Brielle with her small paw.

Brielle heard the small footsteps on her back, she glances back and saw the fox slowly following her.

"Why…? Why are you following me even though I could hurt you?"

Brielle talk to the fox even though she knew it won't answer her, her voice was hoarse due to being dehydrated.

The fox heard her voice and look up to her while titling her head, Brielle look at the fox eyes, it was so clear that if the fox was telling her "Why?".

Brielle slowly close her eyes before ignoring the fox who are following her, she clenches her hand into a fist before walking forward to her destination.

Brielle walk for almost an hour before the sun rise, it helps her a lot to see the path clearer when the surroundings brighten although Brielle is already used at seeing in the dark.

[Grumble]

Brielle suddenly felt her stomach grumble, she touches her stomach and heard another grumble. But it wasn't her stomach who make the sound, she slowly looks at the fox who followed her despite walking for an hour without stopping.

She raised her eyebrows when she saw the white pups with majestic blue eyes, she now only notices the facial features of the pup that was following her.

(A/N: Fox babies are called pups)

She was mesmerized by the look of the pup that she stops her tracks and slowly sat down, she took a bread from her bag and took a small chunk before extending her arm in front of the pup's face.

The pup stared at her for a second before it took one step closer to her hand, Brielle could see the pup's nose move as it sniff the bread.

"Don't worry, although it came from my bag but it's not spoiled…though I don't know if this is okay to you"

Brielle talk to the pup with a slight smile on her face, seeing what happened to her family, Brielle had a hard time gently smiling at the pup in front of her.

The pup was now in front of the bread, before taking a bite, the pup sniff it first before biting it.

Brielle took back her hand and took another small chunk while taking a bite from the bread, she waited for a while for the pup to stop chewing before extending her hand again.

The action was repeated before the pup sat down and tilted its head, Brielle took a last bite from the bread before standing up and walking toward the pup.

"Are you thirsty? I'll find a river"

Brielle crouched down and patted its head before asking it, the pup nodded its head as if she understood her words.

Brielle slowly reach out her hand to the pup, it wasn't afraid when it saw Brielle's action. Brielle took the pup from the ground and carried it; she slowly stands up from the ground before moving forward to her direction while looking for a river.

Brielle walk for 30 minutes before finding a river with the pup on her hand, the sun hit her face that she started to slightly sweat from the head of the sun.

She took out one of her hand that was holding the fox and place it to her neck, the cold temperature that was coming from her hand spread to her neck, giving a cool feeling on her neck.

She glances at the pup on her arm and found that it was sleeping peacefully on her arms, she knows that the pup couldn't survive at this heat because the pup was supposed to be in the north.

She took her hand from her neck and carefully place it on the head of the pup, the white pup snuggles when it felt cold temperature on its head.

After a couple of steps, Brielle arrive at the river. She crouched down and carefully place the pup on the ground, trying not to wake it up but the pup opened its eyes as soon as its body touch the ground.

Seeing that it woke up, Brielle let out a sigh before heading toward the river to take a handful of water.

The pup notices her movement and copy it, the pup's face reflected on the river, the pup titled its head sideward before lowering it and drink the water on the river.

The two drank until they're belly was full of water. The pup walks toward Brielle and extended its paw to her leg.

Brielle look down and saw the pup titled her head, looking cute. Brielle couldn't help but pet its head however just before her hand touch its head, the pup suddenly turns ahead and leave, leaving Brielle behind.

Brielle look down on her hand before letting a sigh, she sat down on the ground as she waits for the pup.

Hoping it would come back.

Brielle wait for 20 minutes but the pup still hasn't come back, assuming that it already left, Brielle stand up from the ground with her eyes downcast.

Just as she steps to move forward, she heard a small footstep on her back. She looks back and saw it was the white pup who came back.

Brielle's eyes widen slightly as she stands there, waiting for the pup to approach her. Brielle saw something on its mouth, Brielle kneeled down as she investigate on what's on her mouth.

The pup looks at Brielle with bright eyes, the pup lowers its head and release the fruits on her mouth. Brielle raise her eyebrow when she saw the fruits on the ground.

"Is this for me?"

She asks as she point at the fruit then at herself while speaking.

The pup nodded its head as if it understood Brielle's word.

Brielle took the fruits and wash them on the river, she could see her black hair appearing on the reflection of the river, she then places the fruits on her bag.

The pup walks toward her, she heard the pup sniffing on her. She took a glance at the pup before raising her arm and sniff at herself.

Although she hasn't shower for a day, her smell wasn't that bad but due to the pup's action she pondered to herself if she smells but she doesn't smell it.

The pup sniffing wasn't the reason because of Brielle hasn't shower yet in fact, it was different reason why the pup smells her however, Brielle doesn't know that.

'We've rest for a while now, I--- we should get going now or we'll run out of food and hasn't reach the military yet'

Brielle thought to herself as she stands up, she patted her but to get rid of the dust and dirt on her clothes.

The two walks together while eating the fruits that the pup brought. On the way to the nearby village, Brielle notice that the pup started getting exhausted. She stops her tracks and walk toward the pup who walk very slowly compared earlier.

'We've been walking for hours now nonstop'

She thought to herself as she wipes the sweats from her forehead due to the scorching heat of the sun, she kneeled down to pick up the pup and started walking again without a rest.

It took her an hour to reach the nearby village due to her walking slowly because of the fatigue that she's feeling.

She saw a wall surrounding the village, the wall was bigger than her village but the wall was only big as 2 adult grown man standing each other while her village was 1 and a teenager's height.

Brielle took out a spare cloth from her bag and rap it up to the pup to cover its identity, after wrapping the pup, she combs her hair slightly and took a quick sniff on herself.

She entered the village; she saw the knights giving her contempt look. She remembered that she hasn't look at herself in a while, she already guesses why the villagers and knights look at her that way.

'I wanted to ask them for water but knowing how they look at me, I guess I will only be ignored or get beaten up'

Brielle thought to herself as she imagines her appearance as having a messy hair, dirty clothes and having a bad smell, just like a beggar would be.

'What date when will the military would recruit some peoples?'

She ponders to herself as she wanders around while holding the pup on her arms that is covered with clothes.

Brielle remember when their town posted an announcement to their board, she closed her eyes and think really hard, trying to remember the date.

Fortunately, Brielle had really a good memory. She remembers the date and it will be 2 days from now on, seeing that she only had little time, she opened her eyes to look for a carriage.

But when she opened her eyes, she saw her colliding with someone.

"Ah!"

It was a young girl's voice, about the same age as her.

Brielle froze up when she saw the girl, the young girl was wearing an expensive fiber yet the design was plain that you could look at her as someone who are slightly well-off.

Yet, Brielle knew that this young girl came from a really well-off family because she could instantly recognize the fiber thanks to her mother for educating her.

"Are you not going to say sorry?"

A sweet young voice was heard with slight irritation on her tone, she had shoulder length red hair and yellow soft eye.

Brielle lowered her head while gripping her cloth tightly as she holds the pup on her arm.

"I…im sorry"

Her voice was so quiet that the young girl was slightly having a hard time hearing her apology.

'I…don't want to die yet…I still had my mission'

Brielle thought to herself as she imagines the outcome of offending someone from the well-off family, her eyes was blank as she looks at the ground.

"Haa, it's okay, I just hope you would look at your view"

The young girl let out a sigh as she patted her cloth to get rid of the dirt, she glances at her back and saw her guard waiting for her confirmation.

She waves her hand before looking back to the boy who collided with her, she couldn't saw the appearance of the boy as he keeps lowering his head.

Thinking that this boy is shy, she walks forward as she throws her crazy idea that was pop on to her mind. The crazy idea was the boy knew she's from a really well-off family that's why he lowered his head but it was thrown away as his appearance was a look of a beggar.

Seeing that the young girl left, Brielle let out a sigh before leaving the spot and went around to look for the station where the carriage is.