Chapter 33: What Remained

The sun ascended once more in the vast expanse of the Fiora forest, its golden rays casting a warm embrace upon the ancient trees that stood sentinel within. These arboreal giants swayed in a choreographed dance, responding to the whispers of the gentle breeze. Nature's orchestra played on—the melodious chirping of birds, the soothing murmur of a distant river, and the haunting howls of creatures lurking in the depths of the woods.

Within this pristine wilderness lay the heart of the Gold Mane tribe, the last bastion of a once-thriving civilization believed to be long extinct. The village consisted of humble abodes constructed from sturdy wood and crowned with roofs woven from dried, towering grass. Lionkin inhabitants, despite their recent capture and near-slavery ordeal the previous night, embraced the new day with smiles on their feline faces.

For the Gold Mane tribe, calamity was no stranger. Yesterday's attack had merely become a routine event, not due to their strength, but because they understood the harsh truth—they had to be strong to live another day, even as fear lurked in the recesses of their minds.

Amid this tranquil chaos, a voice broke through the morning haze. "Good morning, Lucy," greeted one of the lionkin women, her arms laden with clothes stained with the telltale signs of battle.

"Good morning, Seilan," replied Lucy with a nod. As she continued her stroll through the village, she exchanged waves and nods with fellow lionkins, all bearing a facade of resilience.

Lucy's journey led her to the outskirts of the village, where the forest's boundary met civilization. Here, she halted before a colossal tree, her hands resting confidently on her hips. But her gaze was not on the tree itself; instead, it was fixated on a peculiar hole at the base of its trunk.

Approaching the hole, a cheerful smile painted itself on Lucy's seemingly delicate lips. "Gideon, good morning," she called out.

Her words hung in the air, met by silence. Undeterred, Lucy crouched in front of the mysterious hole, her curiosity piqued.

"Gideon? Breakfast is ready," she repeated.

From the depths of the hole, a long snout emerged, followed by the rest of a clear, white body. At the sight of Gideon, Lucy's smile widened.

"Good morning, Lucy," Gideon greeted her with a tone brimming with gentleness and warmth. "What do we have for breakfast today?"

Lucy stood up, her eyes sparkling with delight. "Fortunately, the dried boar meat I've been preserving remained unscathed from yesterday's chaos. I've prepared a hearty soup, garnished with potatoes and carrots."

Gideon's stomach rumbled audibly. "Ah, it sounds absolutely delicious. My appetite awakens at the mere thought of it."

"Then, let's not keep Grandpa Pino and Big Brother Leo waiting," Lucy said as she gently lifted Gideon, placing him on her stomach and securing him with both of her hands. "You know, last night, you seemed sharp and dangerous, but now, you're as soft as a pillow—fragile to the touch."

Gideon's eyes narrowed playfully, though he made no effort to resist Lucy's embrace. "I'd appreciate it if you kept your observations about my appearance to yourself. I happen to be somewhat conscious of it, you know."

Lucy chuckled softly. "My apologies, Gideon. I'll refrain from such remarks in the future." With that, she began to sprint back toward the village, Gideon perched comfortably in her grasp.

As they traversed the village, Gideon and Lucy encountered several lionkin villagers, each reacting with varying degrees of surprise at the sight of Gideon. His two distinct forms left them momentarily befuddled, struggling to reconcile the sharp and dangerous creature from the previous night with the soft, vulnerable companion that Lucy now carried.

Lucy stood before the wooden door that guarded the entrance to the largest house in the village. Despite its size, it still retained an air of makeshift construction. With a determined push, she creaked the door open, revealing a surprisingly spacious interior. The vastness was only emphasized by the scarcity of furniture—an old wooden table and a bed fashioned from wolf skin were the sole occupants of the room.

"We're here! I brought Gideon!" Lucy announced joyfully as she bounded inside.

Leo, who had been seated at the table, rose to his feet with an impatient expression. "What took you so long? My stomach's been rumbling—"

His words trailed off as he took in the sight of Gideon, who had just hopped onto one of the wooden chairs. Leo tilted his head, a quizzical look in his eyes. "You look... Different from last night."

Gideon responded casually, "This is my true form." He attempted to climb onto the table to join them, but his diminutive size made it impossible.

Without hesitation, Leo fetched a sturdy piece of wooden slab and placed it on the chair, creating a makeshift booster seat for Gideon. Meanwhile, Pino observed the scene with an amused smile.

"To be honest, I prefer him this way. He looks even cuter and more huggable," Lucy remarked, a warm smile on her face as she began serving food.

Gideon arched an eyebrow and flashed a sly grin. "Lucy, didn't I mention something about that earlier?"

Lucy instinctively covered her mouth with her hand, her cheeks flushing. "Oh, I forgot."

"It appears Lucy has grown quite comfortable with you rather quickly. Usually, it takes much longer for that to happen," Leo remarked, settling into his seat next to Gideon. Lucy and Pino occupied the chairs opposite them.

"Perhaps she simply finds me pleasant to be with because I can tolerate her," Gideon teased, a playful glint in his eyes.

Lucy defended herself, saying, "Don't say it like that. You know that's not true. It's because you're our hero."

Gideon let out a gentle chuckle. "I wouldn't go that far," he replied modestly before standing in front of the wooden bowl of soup. Skillfully, he used the wooden spoon to sample the broth, nodding in approval. "This soup is actually quite good. Your brother must not be exaggerating when he praises your cooking."

Lucy chuckled and scratched the back of her head, accepting the compliment with a bashful smile.

"These youngsters are easily impressed," Pino chimed in as he dug into the hearty soup.

"Now that you mention it, Grandpa Pino, I've noticed something," Gideon began, his eyes narrowing as he fixed his gaze on the elderly man. "Except for you, all the inhabitants of this village are quite young—mostly in their early twenties. Why is that?"

A heavy silence descended upon the room, and both Lucy and Leo cast their eyes downward. Only Pino met Gideon's inquisitive gaze, his eyes reflecting the weight of his memories.

Pino nodded slowly, his voice carrying the burden of a painful past. "This village is made up of survivors, young ones at that. Our tribe, the Gold Mane tribe, has long since vanished."

Gideon nodded solemnly, his face betraying no emotion, though his eyes shimmered with intensity. It was clear that he was already formulating a plan based on this critical piece of information. "I see. I'm truly sorry to hear that."