The Lost and Found

Chapter 7

       

As the sound of fierce fighting filled the forest, Yona tried to keep a good hold on Sumi. The fox girl was squirming about and wriggling, her tail fluffed out and lashing. "Sumi, calm down."

The fox girl stopped for a moment and then started shoving her paws against Yona's hands.

"I think she wants to get down," Yoon said.

"I guessed that, Yoon."

"How's the fight going, Seiryuu?" Zeno asked from his spot beside Shin-Ah.

"Kija just punched someone into the river..."

"He always overdoes it," Yoon said, already imagining the exhaustion that would come over the white dragon later. Kija never went easy in a fight. He was always all in when it came to battles while at least Shin-Ah and Jae-Ha reined themselves in. Had to hand it to him, though, no one could ever say that Kija was a slacker.

"Oops!" Yona lost her grip on Sumi as the girl shifted. The six-year-old ducked when the princess reached for her and darted around to Shin-Ah's side. The blue dragon's hand automatically fell on her shoulder, keeping her in place, but apparently he didn't have to worry. She clutched at his robe and peeked out around him with wide golden eyes. He glanced down at her and then covered her eyes, causing her to flail about and pluck at his fingers.

"Curiosity," Yoon said, rolling his eyes, "I'm starting to think that's her main problem. She can't help herself."

"That's not the worst fault," Yona said.

"It'll get the little one into a lot of trouble one day," Zeno said, amused.

Meanwhile, Shin-Ah and Sumi were silently fighting over whether or not she was allowed to watch the fight. She was trying to pull his hands away from her eyes while he struggled to keep them there. Finally, the girl shifted back into her fox form, but Shin-Ah snatched her up and handed her back to Yona.

"Stay," he ordered, patting her on the head. The fox girl puffed her fur out but seemed to finally accept her fate. The fight with the ambushers wasn't going to be a part of her entertainment for the day. She settled down and tucked her head into the crook of Yona's arm, apparently annoyed enough with all of them that she didn't even want to look at them.

The sound of laughter and battle banter drifted over the clang of weaponry and the yells of the bandits. There was no contest between the group of criminals and Hak, Jae-Ha, and Kija.

"You're slowing down, White Snake."

"There's no one left!"

"There's one right there."

"Yes, but Jae-Ha's dealing with it."

"Kija's right, if he punches him and I kick him, this guy will probably explode. It'd be so messy, Hak."

There was a splash as the last bandit went into the water with a high-pitched shriek and went floating down the river.

"It's all clear," Hak called from the riverside, "You guys can come down now."

"That was fast," Yoon said as they grabbed the packs and gear and headed down to the riverbank, "Might be a record."

"Do we keep records for that sort of thing?" Yona asked. In her arms, Sumi was still pouting, but at least she wasn't hiding anymore.

"Well, we do have a quickest-to-join record, currently held by Zeno—"

"Do I get a prize?" Zeno asked with a grin.

"You get food on a semi-regular basis," Yoon said, rolling his eyes, "That's your big prize. Tada."

"I guess that'll do," Zeno said. He looked over at Yona and held out his hands. "I can carry the little one, miss."