After Zen and Rin made it back to camp safe and sound, there was an awkward tension between them.
Zen, unfamiliar with the world, didn't know if having her with him would decrease or increase danger.
They were sitting next to a campfire from Zen being on one log and Rin being on the other side.
The campfire was lit, probably because they were cooking the deer from earlier.
After a deep sigh from Rin she began to tell her story.
“I'm originally a direct lineage to the king, however. Even though I'm the oldest there were others who didn't agree to me being queen. I'm a child of a concubine, so I don't have many supporters. The only support I had was from my mother, we were just barely making ends meet. This lasted for many, many years.”
Zen just listened in utter silence, completely immersed into the story before saying.
“You know, back at my hometown when I was younger I was the popular one, always playing and laughing but something happened that completely changed my life.”
“What was that change?”
Rin questioned.
“Both of my parents had an… accident. Because of that I had always questioned what was the point of anything anymore. It was like all life just became meaningless, but I was just supposed to keep going? I wanted to escape to somewhere I don't have to worry about what career I need, or even care about the support I never had.”
There were no jokes needed for Zen this time. It was just two people talking behind a campfire.
“My mom had an accident too actually. Before I came to this forest she had just said her final farewells. She had been sick for a very long time so it makes sense that she would give out, but I still need her in my life as my only supporter.”
Zen just gave a soft smile as he listened with the utmost care.
“Then will you let me be your next supporter?”
What he said caught Rin off guard and startled her as well. Because of what he said it made her become shy avoiding eye contact like her life depended on it.
“W-Wait! we just met this is so sudden!”
Zen, unaware of what he said just tilted his head in confusion at her.
“What are you talking about, Rin? We're friends now so of course I'd wanna support you?”
Rin calmed down realizing what Zen just meant. With a light blush she pretended to agree.
“O-Oh yea! That's definitely what you meant.”
“So why are those guards after you?”
Her blush dissipated and Rin instead questioned it as well.
“I'm not so sure. They were the ones that tossed me here in the first place.”
Zen, in thought, placed his hand against his chin.
“Then maybe we should go to your hometown and investigate.”
Rin seemed unsure, her face begun to be confused by the question.
“I-I don't know about that… We would stand out too much. Although it isn't like you wouldn't be allowed in but—”
“THEN IT'S SETTLED, We go tomorrow.”
Zen cut her off mid sentence, although it seemed like it was done on purpose.
It was the perfect opportunity for Zen to find something to do, as well as a change in scenery from seeing nothing but trees for several days.
Around at that same time, however. Chi was halfway to a city she had no idea of knowing what it could be.
However, Chi was out of breath after walking the majority of the day.
“...I haven't walked this long since Dad made me run the entire track field 30 times all because I showed up late for practice.”
She sighed looking towards the setting sun with the firewood she already brought before sitting down.
The fire was lit, albeit much easier than how Zen did it.
“Was this this the right choice leaving everyone behind? I wonder if this is how Zen felt when he got transported at first… Wait am I even in the same time period!? Oh please don't let that be true.”
As ichinose was overthinking she heard the sounds of the bush ruffling afterwards.
“Hm?”
The sound of the ruffling got heavier until something came out of it.
It turned out to be a baby wold, but it fell over as it revealed itself.
“Oh my—.”
Ichinose went over to the pup checking to see if it was okay.
“What's this—?”
As she turned it over she could see that the pup was injured on it's leg.
However there was no time to think as she sensed something else was coming.
As quick as she could she hid the pup behind her guarding it as best she could.
“Where is that little— oh well look there's a little girl here.”
Ichinose just glared.
“What's that behind you? Mind giving it to me?”
Chi knew that if she gave the pup to this guy that it would be in danger. The guy gave off the vibe of a bad guy to her.
In response she backed away slowly.
“You can't have it.”
The guy smirked closing the distance little by little.
“Oh? And why not?”
Ichinose looked around aimlessly for anything to distract him with. She grabbed a nearby rock and threw it randomly.
It hit the bad guys eye as he yelled out in pain.
“OW! YOU LITTLE!”
she quickly grabbed the pup and began running now that he can only see out of one eye.
“I gotta get out of here!”
She was near the walkway towards the city so the only thing she could think of was to run in that direction.
She was still fatigued from the walk even though she had a quick rest.
The bad guy looked to weigh a lot so his speed shouldn't match hers.
Or so she thought.
“Haste!”
The dude let out a shout that allowed his speed to increase.
“WHAT THE?!”
The guy tackled her which made her drop the pup, but they were still nearby the forest.
“Now I got you!”
He shouted and aimed his knife towards to her head.
However that shout was his downfall, as a family of wolves pounced at him.
His desperate cries suddenly vanished as the wolves ate him piece by piece by the three wolves.
Ichinose just stood there in silence taking notice of the splash of blood hitting her face.
“Y-You killed him.”
It was unpleasant to watch, but Chi knew that those wolves had to be the pups family.
They glanced at her as if they were ready to pounce at her too.
Until the pup she was protecting woke up and made them realize that she is to be protected.
“ARF ARF.”
They kneeled their heads as a sign of respect.
“N-No it's okay! Really!”
The family walked back to the forest encouraging the pup to come along with.
But it stayed by Ichinose’s side.
“You wanna stay with me? Is that okay?”
The family seemed worried, but they looked okay with it.
Ichinose picked up the cub.
“Then your name will be Chippy!”
“ARF!”
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