The whole family sat in the dining room, each in their assigned spots.
“Hina, Riku, how did you two sleep?” Y/n asked sweetly.
Hina answered first.
“I slept well, but I felt like I was being watched… and I didn’t sense any of your scent nearby.”
“I felt the same,” Riku added.
Y/n’s expression darkened slightly, though her smile never left her face.
“Is that so… Well, you two sleep in your cabin tonight. If that feeling comes back, go to the closest cabin,” she told them gently.
“But what if the sun is out?” Riku asked.
Y/n gave him a closed-eyed smile.
“Then you’ll have to wait until the sun sets. After that, when you leave, you’ll need to be careful,” she informed them.
The two nodded and picked up small pieces of flesh from their bowls.
---
Later that night
The moon sat high above the tall mountain, the night sky glittering with stars.
Y/n walked slowly along the mountain path, her hair blowing softly in the wind while her kimono swayed gently with each step.
A smaller, cold but soft hand was intertwined with hers.
“Isn’t the moon pretty?” Y/n whispered softly, not wanting to ruin the peaceful silence.
“Mhm. The moon feels welcoming,” Chiyo agreed with a small smile.
Y/n gently patted his head.
“Hey, Chiyo… would you like to sleep in my cabin tonight? We could invite the others too. It could be like a family sleepover,” Y/n suggested.
Chiyo’s eyes brightened immediately.
“Yes! I would like that very much,” he said happily.
They soon stopped in front of Rui’s cabin, and Y/n knocked lightly on the door.
“Who is it?” Rui’s voice called from inside.
“It’s Y/n,” she replied.
The door opened almost immediately.
“Yes? What do you need?” Rui asked in a slightly hurried tone.
“Come to my cabin in two hours,” Y/n said, gently running her fingers through Chiyo’s hair.
“Okay,” Rui replied bluntly before closing the door again.
---
Two hours later
A knock sounded at the door of Y/n’s cabin.
Y/n stepped down from the wall where she had been sitting and walked over, sliding the door open.
Rui stood outside.
“Welcome, Rui. Come in,” Y/n said softly.
Rui stepped inside and glanced around her cabin.
Out of all the cabins on the mountain, hers was easily the most beautiful. It was filled with items she had collected—things she had found around the mountain or occasionally taken from the village below.
“I forgot how pretty your cabin was…” Rui said quietly.
“It’s nothing special, really. Just things I’ve collected,” Y/n replied as she slid the door shut.
She then turned back toward everyone gathered inside.
“Now then,” Y/n said gently.
“Let’s start our family bonding time..."
