The Lost and Found

Chapter 1

"It's so pretty!"

"More like blinding. My eyes might never recover."

"Hush, Hak." Yona slapped Hak on the arm for insulting the beautiful little town laid out below them.

Their group was traveling through the Earth Tribe's hill country, and they had seen many villages, but this was the most impressive one so far. It was nestled in-between three different hills, and there was a wide, sparkling river running through the village. The houses and shops were built on various levels, but everything sloped down toward the river. Each building seemed to be a different hue, creating a happy, bright effect throughout the town.

"The map says this place is called Cedar Cove," Yoon said, tapping a spot on his well-worn map. He glanced over the top of the paper at the town and frowned. "That's not a cove. And these aren't cedar trees."

"Maybe there used to be cedars here," Zeno suggested with a grin.

"Whatever," said Hak, "We just need there to be supplies in the town. I don't care if they have cedars or not."

With winter on the way, they needed to make sure their group was outfitted for snow and ice and all the trappings of the cold season. Hak was pretty sure that if it came down to it, they wouldn't freeze. Yoon would probably weave coats for everyone out of Shin-Ah's mask fur or the dragons would develop fire breath or something, but he didn't want to push their luck. Yona definitely needed winter gear if she was going to survive in the bitter cold.

"I think we should all go into town," Yona said, her eyes glancing over Yoon, anticipating an argument from him. Sure enough, he crossed his arms over his chest.

"Oh sure, because that won't draw attention," he said before gesturing at the rest of them in turn. "Scary mask, princess, weird hand, ex-general, green hair, goofy-looking blond. Plus a squirrel. Do you want everyone to stare at us?"

"Don't say that Shin-Ah's mask is scary," Kija said, "It's just intimidating."

Hak smirked. "That's not any better, White Snake."

"Don't call me that!"

"We won't stay long," Yona said, making a face at the bickering young men, "Besides, we need winter clothes, right? So we all need to go pick those out for ourselves."

"You just want to dress everyone up, Princess," Hak said.

"No, I do not."

"I actually wouldn't mind that," Jae-ha said, earning him glares from Hak and Kija.

Eventually Yona won by sheer will power alone, and the entire group made their way into the town against Yoon and Hak's better judgment.

Cedar Cove was a clean town with well-swept streets, banners and flags hanging from storefronts, and late autumn flowers springing up in front of houses and shops. While some of the townspeople looked at them wide-eyed, others smiled and a few shopkeepers even called out to them. Honestly that just put Hak on edge, but he could tell the others were enjoying civilization, especially the ones that had spent most of their lives away from the rest of the world.

Kija was looking at a display of fruits imported from the Kai Empire while Jae-ha leaned against the wall beside him, explaining what each one was. Yoon stood at a storefront that had herbs hanging in the doorway while Zeno was drooling at a streetside stand. Understandably apprehensive about the ravenous-looking yellow-haired weirdo staring at the kabobs he was cooking, the standowner was watching Zeno like a hawk.