CH. 13

"Big Brother!"

"Grrrnnn."

"Biiiggg Brrootthhheerrr."

"…"

"BIG BROTHER!"

"WHAT?!"

"Nothing! Teeheehee."

For whatever reason Lilly had found a new game to play that I was a part of involuntarily. The whole getting someone's attention like you have something important for them, then when they respond give them nothing.

The kicker on top of this was that she would then run away for a short period, before returning and doing it all over.

If I didn't reply, then it would be constant 'big brothers' until I would. This had gone on for far longer than I could count.

Man kids can be annoying.

"Where are you off to?"

Mera was hanging clothes out to dry as I wandered past.

"I think I might go for a walk somewhere."

"Ahh, needing a break from Lilly is it?" She smirked.

"Something like that I guess…"

"You know, even if you do disappear, she will probably follow you or at the very least, find you."

"I suppose so… Though I don't think being separated for only a little bit will hurt."

"Haha ok. Take care then, don't go too far ok?"

I waved my goodbye and headed off with no real point of destination in mind. I'd done a fair bit of exploring around the home and town lately and was pretty familiar with the area now.

The only place I hadn't really explored was the forest that surrounded the town.

Reason being was because I wasn't quite sure what was contained within its boundaries. Keiran and Mera had discussed with me previously about the dangers of wandering into it. Mostly, I had obeyed their instructions.

I got it, parents caring about their child, scared he might wander off and get lost.

But not me. Oh no. This me had a wealth of experience in navigating places I was unfamiliar with. Namely forests and the like. Hours of RPG games, hours of survival games and the like, I was full of experience points in this department.

"Besides, as long as I keep somewhat close to the town and the main road, it shouldn't too hard in avoiding getting lost."

I suppose it might seem odd that I would want to check out a forest. But hear me out.

I had already checked out everything in the town. Home was now as familiar to me as the back of my own hand. With no television, games, internet, phones or anything else electronic to keep me occupied, that left the forest.

Hiking was never something I had spent any time whatsoever doing previously. But this new me wasn't a shut-in. I had a younger body, with a new world to experience.

Besides, what was the harm in enjoying nature through a little walk?

"Don't leave meeeee!"

"Haa…"

Dang. I thought I would be able to escape without the extra baggage, but no dice.

Lilly ran towards me, froggy of course in her hand, like she was terrified I had literally left her somewhere like a neglected puppy.

Those big brown eyes certainly reminded me of an abandoned puppy for sure.

"I'm not leaving. I'm just going exploring."

"I'm coming!"

I'd learnt my lesson by now. There would be no shaking her. She stuck to me tighter than the stickiness of super glue.

"Haa… Fine but stick close then. We're going into the forest and I don't want you wandering off. Keiran and Mera would never forgive me."

"Ookayy. Muma and papa? Why do you call them by their names?"

She fell into step behind, taking up position as the physical embodiment of my shadow.

I suppose it was strange for her to hear me call them that. Did they see a personality change in their son prior to his death and now me? I couldn't answer that confidently. They say love is blind after all, so maybe that clouded their perception of me.

"There's no reason… It was just an accident is all."

"Oh. Okay."

Humming a tune to herself, Lilly kept pace with me as we meandered our way through the forest. As far as forests went it wasn't anything special, or different. It was rather normal.

The sound of various creatures in it carried through the air, the wind causing the branches of trees to creak and groan under their weight from the movement it caused.

I even spied new animals that I had never seen before!

Being outside and doing something I hadn't done since I was a child and had been camping with the family, back when we all got along, was actually pretty invigorating.

Even if Lily was tagging along.

Then it hit me….

What if we stumbled across a dryad? Or a water nymph? Both of them were alluring elemental beings that were each protectors of their individual domains respectively.

And they were almost always absolute babes.

If I managed to find one…

"Hehe…"

A drip of drool ran down the corner of my mouth at the excitement.

"You're thinking something dirty big brother."

"No I'm not! I'm just thinking of dinner tonight…"

"You don't look like that when it's dinner time…"

Lilly glared reproachfully from my side and pouted.

Damn, I forgot she was with me while lost in my own self-created fantasy. Can't blame a guy who's a virgin. If I had a kryptonite, that would be it.

Girls. The awkward dork in me became weak at knees and swallowed in nervousness when faced with them.

The only reason I'd been able to speak with Loriell of the elves rather cordially was because I was more interested in the magic she spoke with me about. Apart from when she leaned close to me…

I felt the drool pool up and want to run down my face again.

"Hmph."

Yikes. That venomous attitude radiating from her wasn't hard to miss… If looks could kill…

"Don't look at me like that Lilly. Your big brother isn't thinking anything naughty."

"So were!"

"So wer- huh?"

What was that?

Was that a scream I just heard?

Maybe it was my imagination. You know, when everything is quiet around you that you unconsciously imagine that you're hearing sounds which aren't there. Sounds like crazy talk I know but hear me out.

Like when a feeling of unease settles over you because you feel that someone is watching you. But there's no one there.

Or when you're in a dimly lit space and you're jumping at shadows because you somehow believe that you've seen something that isn't actually there.

"Big broth-"

"Shush!"

I clamped a hand over her mouth and muffled what she was trying to say. Straining my ears, I stretched my hearing to the limit in an attempt to locate the scream I knew I had definitely just heard be repeated.

Sooo not my imagination then.

Nothing good could come of me investigating its source. Hell, I'd seen way too many horror movies and anime to know exactly what went down in forests when presented with an unknown dangerous situation.

Keiran would definitely hit the roof if he knew I went towards it. After the last two incidents the guy put the description of 'overprotective' to shame. Mera, of course, wasn't far behind Keiran when it came to it either.

Especially since Lilly was with me. If something happened to her, they would never forgive me.

The logical choice was to walk away. The safe choice was to return home.

"Uh… damn it. Lilly run back home."

I was way too curious for my own good. Lilly could run on home and I would go check it out on my own.

"No." She shook her head.

"Lilly, listen to me. I'm going to go see what that screaming is all about. It's probably super dangerous. So you need to go home."

"Don't wanna. I'm coming."

Clutching froggy to her chest she stood in defiance of my order. Seriously, why couldn't she be a good little girl and do as she was told?

"Fine. But only of you stay quiet and do exactly as I say. If I tell you to run, you run as fast as you can home and don't look back."

"Mhm!" She nodded.

It didn't take long to locate the source of the commotion. As we drew closer to it, the sound of ringing steel, clashing weapons and crying of horses rose in volume.

As did the yelling and screaming of those involved.

"Saying this isn't good, is an understatement…"

"Uhh…"

Lilly whimpered and clutched the hem of my shirt. I had told her not to come, so she had only brought it upon herself.

Still. It wasn't something that she should be seeing at such a young age. The altercation taking place on the road before us must surely have been terrifying for her to witness.

Not that I was trying to be harsh with how she felt about it. I too, was panicking about what to do with what I saw.