Leyon

VII*

*

The door is widely opened.

"Wait! Leyon!" said the young boy's mother. She tried to run after him but her husband blocked her way.

She held her husband's arms and said, "Chase him, Lalapupu! Hurry! Please chase him!"

Lalapupu shakes his head sideways. "Let him be, Sora. Let him know what would be the consequences of his actions," he said.

Sora's eyes widened, and eyebrows raised. She bit her lips and held his husband's arms, tighter.

She said, "Let him!? Do you know what time it is right now!? If you don't want to, then I will go instead! Let me go!"

She's pushing her husband with her hands on his arms, tears streaming down on her cheeks.

Lalapupu said, "You cannot leave our house, she will find you." He paused and hugged Sora, tightly. "Our child is growing, I know he will become like me soon, no, he will surpass me and my fellow hunters. It is for the better, he must learn from his experiences to create better decisions and make right actions."

"What are you talking about? Our child is in danger! You must chase him before, before. before—! She—!" said Sora, her tears stopped her in the midst of saying something, so she just hugged Lalapupu tightly, and breathed deeply.

"What am I talking about? Our child is in danger?" said Lalapupu. He laughed for a bit and said with a grin, "Huh! Don't forget your husband is the mightiest, strongest, and wisest hunter of all!"

Sora looked at his eyes.

"Today is the day; we the hunters will create light in the darkness! And I know our son will be the one who shines the brightest!" said Lalapupu with a huge and bright smile, and sparkles in his eyes.

"You are always being optimistic. But, I won't ask anything about it. I trust you, Lalapupu," said Sora, she took a step backward. "I know Bathala will protect us."

She smiled while tears streamed down on her cheeks.

Lalapupu wiped her tears with his right hand, and then he touched Sora's left cheek and said, "Yeah, I know. And he will."

They moved closer, and then their lips brushed, softly, delicately, like butterfly wings, just long enough that they could inhale their breath, feel the warmth of their skin, and the taste of their lips lingered far after Lalapupu had gone.

*

The village is filled with darkness, only the torches and lamps shone a light on it.

"Follow us, okay?" said the hunter to the five kids following him from behind in a straight line.

"Don't try to escape, rule is a rule! You kids should go home now!" said the hunter at the end of the line watching the kids from behind.

"Don't raise your voice, dude!" said the hunter at the front, then he looked behind and said, "Don't worry kids! We will escort you to your home. Safe and sound."

There were three kids frowning and a young girl looked straight face. It is a rule in this village that no kids are allowed to wander at night.

"Lion!" shouted the kids looking at the lion-figure running towards the forest except for the girl who's wearing a black robe, she just smirked.

The hunter at the front looked at it. "That is not a real lion!" he said scratching his head.

"It is the kid wearing a lion cloak! Don't tell me it's Leyon!?" said the hunter at the back.

The hunter at the front nodded and said, "That is our captain's kid!"

"Where are you going Leyon!?" said the hunter at the back as loud as he can. "You should go back now!"

"Don't go there Leyon! It's dangerous right now! Go back to your house!" said the hunter at the front as loud as he can.

The boy vanished in the dark as he entered the forest.

"He's doing something crazy again," said the kid at the very front.

"What will we do, Tigri?" asked the boy at the very back.

He replied, "Hunters' time."

"Oh, shit!" said both of the hunters. The lamps their holding suddenly fell from their hands.

*