animal ears

?Entered the eastern forest again, still hot and humid inside.

The woods are like a claustrophobic space, the tall and criss-crossing branches above the head completely isolate the sunlight, and the humid and hot atmosphere of the ground is mixed with the sultry air, which is almost suffocating.The ground is covered with rotting leaves and ferns all over the place. Not only is it difficult to move forward, but even identifying the direction has become a huge problem.

However, for Sarah, who is away all year round, this is not a problem at all.

After resting, he gently picked up a leaf, then raised his head and looked at the surrounding branches.Sarah then turned her head and said to Cole: "The trees here are desperately stretching towards the sunny place in order to compete for the sun. Since this forest is located in the north, the direction of growth of the branches must be the south. Of course, rely on this to identify the direction. It’s not completely accurate, but it can only give you a general idea of ​​the location.” After finishing speaking, Sarah faced the south and said, “There is a river in the southwest direction, as long as you follow the general direction, you can always find that river, and that river , will lead you all to the central forest."

Listening to Sarah's patient explanation, Cole nodded, and then said with a smile: "Sarah, you know a lot."

"I often go out, so I naturally have to find out the direction." Sara smiled lightly, and said calmly, "Because except for the occasional habitat in the tribe, the rest of the time stays in the forest."

Cole was surprised and asked, "Sara lives in the forest? Isn't it dangerous? There are so many wild beasts in the forest..."

"Hehe." After laughing twice, Sara looked up at Cole, "Are you concerned about me?"

Of course it is!

Because there are too many unknown dangers in the forest, many times they will encounter situations that cannot be controlled, and it is difficult for orcs to deal with it, let alone females?

However, Sara looked back at Cole and said lightly: "At the beginning, you will encounter many problems, and then you will gradually understand a truth. The forest has its natural laws. If you adapt to it, you will not be afraid. It, get used to it, and you will find that the forest has more to offer than you fear."

Sincerely agreeing, Cole nodded: "You are right."

At this time, Palanch, who went to explore the way ahead, came back. He also brought some fruits and put them on the clean leaves.He picked up a fruit, stood obediently beside Cole, wiped it carefully, and handed it to Cole.

"Thank you." Cole took it and thanked him.

Palanch blushed and jumped back up the tree.

"Palanche?" Sure enough, Palanch disappeared again.

Along the way, Palanch always followed behind like this. Although I told him that he could walk directly beside him, I don't know if he has been working as a secret guard all year round, and he has become used to it.Palanch always hid elsewhere except when necessary, which made Cole very nervous.

"Why does Palanch keep hiding?"

Seeing this, Sarah shook her head and smiled, "That kid is just shy."

"Shy?" Cole held his chin, very puzzled.

Sarah couldn't help giving Cole a blank look, and said, "Hey, you should be a little self-conscious, okay?"

conscious?

Cole was confused.

Seeing Cole like this, Sarah couldn't help but give him a blank look, then straightened up and said, "I've had enough rest, I'll go around."

"Aren't you eating?" Cole asked.

"No more." Sarah shook her head.

With a clear look in his eyes, Cole said: "Okay." Then he bent down to pick up the extra fruit and put it in his bag, "When you want to eat it, tell me, I'll take it first-"

Before he finished speaking, the bag was snatched away. Looking back, it was Palanch who came to him quietly. Before Cole agreed, he carried the bag and said seriously: "Very Heavy, I'll do it."

Then turn around and disappear again.

Cole had quick eyes and quick hands this time, grabbed his wrist and said, "Wait a minute, Palanch, don't hide."

"..." Palanch moved his lips, unable to escape, turning his head.

"Sit with me." Cole said slowly and softly.

His eyes flickered slightly, and Palanch lowered his head without making a sound.

"If you don't talk, I'll pull you." After that, Cole grabbed Palanch's hand without hesitation, and led him to sit down. Palanch froze, his eyes carefully fixed on being caught. Blushing to the ears, he sat beside Cole in a daze, then glanced at the back of Cole's neck intentionally or unintentionally.

I didn't expect to be held by Cole personally, it's really... so happy!

At this moment, Palanch wanted to wag his tail very much.

Cole didn't think anything of it. In his eyes, Palanch was a cute child, and it was not strange at all to hold the child's hand.

"Eat?" Cole asked Palanch.

As Cole said, he handed over the fruit. Palanch took the fruit carefully, then moved his ears, and turned his face away secretly. His two shining eyes were fixed on Cole's cheeks, itching, and then took advantage of Unexpectedly, Palanch suddenly leaned over and licked Cole's face fiercely.

"Huh?" Cole noticed and turned his head blankly.

Palanch, who realized what he had done, was extremely nervous, and wanted to run away in a hurry, but his hand was still held by Cole. In desperation, he had to pull it away desperately, but he didn't pay attention to the bar. He stumbled on the dead branch on the ground, stumbled with his left foot and fell straight down with his right foot, pressing on Cole, and was even more panic-stricken.He was so frightened that his body was stiff, and at this moment he suddenly felt a hand touching his head.

very tender.

From the bottom of his heart, Cole thought that Palanch was so flustered because of lack of communication, and gently stroked his head with his hand, but the more he did this, the more rigid Palanch's body became.

His face was so red that he was about to bleed, but because he was flustered, he still lay on top of Cole.

Then he changed into beast form.

A pure white adult snow wolf, with beautiful silver fur and silver eyeballs, is just like an elf.

Perhaps it was not so shameful to become a beast, so Palanch gradually calmed down. He pressed his head lightly on Cole's chest, panted with his nose, and put his paws down obediently, but the thumping heartbeat showed that he Very tense now.

"Good boy, good boy..." Cole said softly, embracing the beast-shaped Palanch with one hand, and gently stroking his furry body with the other.

Turning back and licking Cole's hand, Palanch wagged his tail, quiet and obedient.

Probably because they were very warm together, so one person and one wolf soon fell asleep in a daze.

So when Sarah came back, he saw the two people sleeping soundly on the ground, he couldn't help but twitched the corners of his mouth, and laughed in a low voice: "Hmph, two idiots, can they fall asleep so peacefully in the forest?"

Then he sat quietly on the side, staring at the two of them with his chin resting, then shook his head without disturbing them.

After a long time, Cole finally woke up. When he opened his eyes, he saw the beast-shaped Palanch staring at him, and then Palanch jumped to the side, tilting his head and looking at Cole.

"Woke up?" Sara said, and passed the water bladder.

Shaking his head, Cole asked, "I... fell asleep?"

"It may be hard to travel these days." Sara said, "It's good to have a rest." Then she got up, "But it's getting late, I want to reach the river before dark, let's start."

Palanch immediately took human form.

"Has Sarah stayed by the side all the time?" Cole raised his head in a daze.

"Of course." Sarah closed her eyes and smiled, "Do I want to watch the two of you being swallowed by wild beasts in your sleep?"

"……Thank you."

Scraping Cole's forehead with her fingers, Sarah turned her head and said softly, "Fool."

"Huh?" Cole blinked.

What did you do again?

"It's okay." Sara turned and left.

Before dark, we arrived at the small river.

I found an open space to light a fire, found out the food that was still stored a few days ago, and handed it to Sarah first, but he still shook his head and waved his hand: "I'm not hungry."

"But you haven't eaten all day." Cole said, "At least eat some fruit to fill your stomach."

Sarah still shook her head and said, "I really can't eat it."

"No." Cole insisted, "It takes a lot of energy to walk through the forest. It's absolutely impossible not to eat after walking for a day."

After finishing speaking, he carefully stuffed the food into Sarah's hands. Cole looked directly at Sarah and said, "I'll watch you finish eating here."

It seemed that Sarah would not leave unless she ate.

Frozen for a moment, facing those firm and clear red eyes reflected by the firelight, and that stubborn mouth, Sara finally turned her head and sighed: "...I really can't do anything about you."

So he moved his mouth slowly.

Cole couldn't help laughing, and then handed the water: "Here you are."

Then he turned to Palanch and said, "Eat first, I'll go find some dead wood, it seems like there isn't enough firewood."

"Let's go together." Palanch said immediately.

Shaking his head immediately, Cole said, "Sara can't be left alone, you stay to protect him."

"Can……"

"Listen to me, I'll be back soon." Cole said seriously.

Palanch could only nod.

After Cole walked away for a while, Sara stared at Palanch who was working on the bonfire sullenly, then laughed and said, "Why didn't you follow?"

"He asked me to protect the master." Palanch looked over while rubbing the branches in his hand.

Sarah couldn't help raising her eyebrows and said, "But it sounds like he is your master?"

"..."

"Hmph, because you identified him before...at that time."

The air fell silent, and Palanch slightly grasped the branch in his hand.

"It's a good thing he's forgotten everything," Sara said with a sigh.

"I..." Palanch spoke softly, lowered his eyes, and clasped his fingers tightly, "I'm sorry for him..."

"Put away your guilt. Regardless of whether you have done those things in the past or not, his fate cannot be changed. You know very well that if he doesn't follow this path, he will become like your parents." Sara turned Looking across the line of sight, looking at the endless darkness, his face became silent, "Besides, I was the one who ordered to kill him."

"Owner……"

Cutting off the conversation, Sarah looked at Palanch and said sternly, "Speaking of which, the person who revealed Cole's movements to us at the beginning seems to be someone from the northern tribe."

"Yes," Palanch said. "According to my investigation, they seem to have a very close relationship with the southern tribes in recent years."

"Which tribe does the other party belong to?" Sarah rubbed her chin and asked in a deep voice.

"I don't know yet." Palanch replied, and then continued, "I only know that their leader seems to be called Barton."

"Barton?" After pondering for a moment, Sarah said, "Could it be the Snow Wolf Clan."

"..." Hearing this name, Palanch's eyes were slightly prickled.

"You care?"

"A little bit, but not a lot." Palanch calmed down, looked at the bonfire, and said seriously.

Shaking his head, Sarah changed the subject. He closed his eyes and said, "It's a pity that there has been no news from the south, and I don't know who the leader is." Then he slowly opened his eyes and looked at his fingers, "But He was smart enough to lead me to Cole."

Palanch took over the conversation: "Perhaps they want to use this to find out the location of the beast ears?"

"It's not that simple," Sara said. "If it's just to find out where the Beast Ears are, why bother to tell me about Cole since he already knows my whereabouts? Besides, how does he know that Cole is a beast?" Ear family? How can he be sure that I will definitely bring Cole back? Not only that, isn’t it strange that Cole has been back with us for so long, and there is no movement at all in the south?” After thinking about it, Sarah went on to say , "And the relationship with the North is also puzzling..."

After thinking for a while, Palanch stepped forward and said, "Let me go to the north to check?"

"No." Sarah immediately vetoed, "You will be recognized by them."

After all, Sarah stood up and patted the dust on the cloak, as if she was about to leave.

"Master?" Palanch hurriedly called Sarah.

Slightly squinting behind him, Sara, who was in the dark night, put on her cloak, then raised her arms slightly, as if greeting something, staring at Palanche, and whispered: "I'll send you here for now, then You know the way, and you go to the south with him, you are not allowed to leave him for half a step, and you are not allowed to act rashly, once I find out, I will naturally go to you."

Sarah's words were full of majesty and could not be refused.

"I understand."

As soon as Palanch finished speaking, Sarah disappeared into the forest like a gust of wind, accompanied by a disturbing buzzing sound.

The pitch-black night soon swallowed everything up, except for the fire that still accompanied him.

Of course he would never leave Cole.

Palanch clenched his fists tightly and swore secretly. ?