The Lost and Found

Chapter 5

"Sumi, don't get so close."

The little girl flicked her eyes over at Yoon and then took a teeny tiny step away from the cheerfully sparking campfire.

"One more step. Bigger this time."

She made a face and took a regular sized step backwards, making a line in the sand with her toe. When Yoon didn't ask her to move any farther away, she sat down, her palms raised to the flickering flames.

The group had settled down in a clearing by a creek and set up their two tents near the water. The sun was going down behind the trees, staining the sky scarlet and purple and orange with streaks of lilac clouds. The moon was already out, glowing softly as it waited for night to fall properly.

"That smells delicious, kid," Zeno said. He was laying on his stomach by the fire, his elbows on the ground and his chin propped up by his hands. Half of the time, he watched Yoon cook and the other half he kept an eye on Sumi. He and Yoon were sharing the job of keeping an eye on the shapeshifter while the others looked for game and scouted out the area.

"Thanks," Yoon said, "But you know, you could help out by cutting up some of those vegetables."

"Sorry, but Zeno has to watch the little one," he said, grinning at the fox girl. She didn't smile back but she did wave at him with one tiny hand, prompting him to wave back enthusiastically with both hands.

"I'm watching her and cooking at the same time," Yoon said.

Zeno gave him a thumbs up. "That's great, kid. Good multitasking."

Yoon glowered back at him. "Ridiculous, lazy beast..." He trailed off into a bunch of annoyed mumbles about monsters and beasts, all laced with sarcasm and grumpiness.

Near the fire, Sumi stretched and then stood up, walking in a circle around the fire and then circling Yoon. She had been restless since they had gotten to the camp, probably because it was a new place, she was finally free, and she had slept on Hak's shoulder most of the afternoon. Speaking of that, Yoon was going to have to make a carrying sling for her if the Thunder Beast was going to carry her around most of the time. That way he could walk with his glaive over his shoulder while still toting the fox girl.

Sumi wandered over to Yoon's cooking area and squatted down beside him, watching him peel carrots. He let her watch quietly for a little while and then silently handed her a peeled carrot. Immediately Sumi made the 'thank you' sign that Hak had taught her and started to wander again, this time nibbling on the carrot Yoon had given her. He noticed that her canine teeth were visibly pointed, almost exactly like Zeno's. She must've been hungry because she finished off the carrot and then rushed back over to Yoon, her eyes on the vegetables.

"You'll spoil your dinner," he said, but he handed her half of another carrot. After, she thanked him and scurried off, out of arms' reach as if she was afraid Yoon would take it away.

"Little bit is just hungry," Zeno said softly, his gaze gentle as he watched the girl. She watched him right back, staring back with those big golden eyes. "She probably didn't get fed very often. We should have given her something to eat earlier."

Slowly, Sumi moved toward Zeno, looking almost like she was stalking him. He stayed much stiller than usual, letting her come to him until she was right beside him. He even managed to not say anything when she reached up and put her hands on his cheeks and squished his face, staring him in the eyes, gold meeting blue.

Yoon frowned down at the pot of stew he was working on, thinking about how when he had been her age, he had gone hungry as well. The Fire Tribe lands were barren and wretched, and he had starved most days. It hadn't been until he had gone to live with Ik-Soo that he knew what a full belly felt like.

When Sumi finished the carrot, he called her over. "Here," he said, handing her a piece of dried deer from their supply. Her eyes glowed with quiet pleasure as she popped the piece of meat into her mouth.

Sumi wandered over to Zeno then sat down, her back resting against his side as she gnawed on the jerky. The yellow dragon grinned and closed his eyes, obviously pleased at having been chosen as a cushion for the kid.

The leaves rustled, and Shin-Ah and Kija appeared from the forest.

"We're back," Kija announced as if they couldn't see for themselves, "Shin-Ah found mint and that kea leaf you like so much, Yoon."

"Good, I need that for the stew."

Kija was loaded down with firewood while Shin-Ah was carrying a bagful of herbs that he quickly handed off to Yoon. Ao leapt off Shin-Ah's shoulder and onto Yoon's head, where she could watch the boy genius cook from a prime vantage point. He grudgingly gave the squirrel a piece of carrot, which she tucked into her cheek pouch before reaching for another one that Yoon reluctantly gave her. With both pieces of carrot in her cheeks, she looked like she was carrying around a potato in her mouth.

There was a bright bell-toned giggle, and everyone's heads whipped toward Sumi. The little redhead was looking at Ao, a smile on her face for the first time since they had met her.

Zeno chuckled. "So she laughs."

"You can laugh!" Kija said, bending down suddenly to look at Sumi, "That's fantastic." She instantly frowned and shrunk back against Zeno, making the yellow dragon sit up. She slipped into Zeno's lap and glared up at Kija, who had apparently gotten too close too quickly without permission.

"She likes you, Zeno, but Kija seems to be out of luck," Yoon said.

Kija looked upset as he stood up straight, his face turning red. "Sorry, Sumi, I didn't mean to frighten you or anything."

"She's just not used to you yet, Hakuryuu," Zeno said with a big smile, his arms on his knees as Sumi moved out of his lap and took a long path around Kija. "Give little bit some time."

"What's going on?" Yona asked as she and Hak appeared at the edge of the woods. Yoon filled her in while Hak started cleaning the hares they had shot out in the forest, and Yona immediately pouted. "I missed her smiling? That's not fair..." Yona gave Sumi a glowing smile. "Don't you want to smile again?"

"You're probably scaring her, princess," Hak said, smirking, "That looks more like a grimace than a smile."

"It does not," Yona said, making a face at Hak, "And no one asked you, anyways."

"You shouldn't insult the princess, Hak," Kija scolded.

"Then I guess I'll just have to settle for messing with you, White Snake."

Kija almost brandished his claws, but then he thought better of it in front of Sumi. Maybe she would be afraid of his hand, like some villagers were.

He turned to find Shin-Ah handing a chubby-cheeked Ao to the little fox girl, who took the squirrel and gave the blue dragon a small smile.

Yona stepped up beside Kija and the two of them shared a nearly identical look of defeat. "Not fair...I want a smile..."

After Jae-Ha returned, the group all ate stew and then worked on nighttime chores like cleaning gear, putting away cookware, or in Yona's case, practicing her archery. She lined up with a tree and started shooting arrows at a knot in the trunk.

Nearby, Hak wiped down his glaive and took out a sharpening stone to hone the edge. He was partially focusing on his work while also keeping an eye on Yona, so at first he didn't pay much attention to Sumi settling down beside him. It was only when the little girl drooped against him, her head resting on his knee, that he looked down at her. She nuzzled her head against his leg and glanced up at him before squeezing her eyes shut. He hesitated for a moment and then laid a hand on her head, ruffling her red hair like he would have if she had been Tae-Yeon or Tae-Woo.

Hak gave a heavy sigh. Oh, great.

He was getting attached.