Village In The South

Although the old man didn't recognize me, he seemed to understand what I was looking for. He slowly turned around, his weathered face wrinkled with the lines of age and experience. He walked with measured steps toward the house in front of him and turned his head toward me.

"I know what you mean, panda," he said in a voice surprisingly strong for his age. "But you must be tired from your journey. Rest tonight and tomorrow we will see if we can help you."

Each time he called me by a different name, which annoyed me a little. But the thought of resting made me quite happy. I didn't know which route to take, so I followed him with tired eyes, thinking that the old man must know something.

The old man gave me a place to rest until morning. I closed my eyes and fell into a deep sleep, regardless of what kind of place it was. I didn't even have a chance to thank him. When I opened my eyes again in the morning, I was greeted by the sound of birds singing.

As I looked around, trying to figure out where I had spent the night, a goat next to me started licking me. I pulled my head away from the goat and said sternly,

"Back off, goat, or you'll taste my fist."

The goat had moved out of my way, bleating at me. When I sobered up, I realized where I was. I was inside a big barn and a dozen animals were watching me. I walked slowly past the animals and went straight out the door of the barn.

It was more active outside than in the night. People were going about their business and greeting each other. I was wondering how to find the old man when I heard a familiar voice from behind. It was the old man.

"Did you sleep well last night, panda?" he asked.

I answered, turning my head towards the old man. "I woke up to a goat alarm. It was like a five-star hotel," I said.

"Her name is Rıla," the old man replied. "She loves to lick people."

Without hesitation, I got straight to the point. "Thank you for giving me a place to sleep, but I need to locate the Cronus clan and I need it now. Can you help me find it like you said yesterday?"

The old man shook his head and reassured me. "Don't worry," he said. "I'll tell you where they are. You'll make it in time. But first, let's take care of that hungry stomach of yours."

As soon as the old man mentioned the word "hungry," my stomach let out a loud growl. It was as if he had some sort of sixth sense and always knew what I needed. Or maybe I was just that easy to read. Either way, I did as he suggested and followed him once more.

This time, we arrived at a small house not far from the heavy. It wasn't much to look at, but it was big enough for one person. As I stepped inside, I was greeted by a musty smell and dim lighting. The place looked like it had been abandoned for some time. It was hard to imagine anyone living here comfortably, but the old man seemed right at home.

As I waited patiently for the food to arrive, I couldn't help but wonder what kind of meal the old man had in store for me. Suddenly, he called out to me from across the room, his back still turned.

"Sorry for the mess," he said. "I don't usually have visitors."

"No problem," I replied. "You have a very nice house."

"Thank you," he said. "I was going to invite you in last night, but I was afraid the children might be scared of you."

I couldn't help but respond with a touch of sarcasm. "As a panda, I've never eaten a human before," I said. "But people usually say I'm quite fluffy and cute."

"In the darkness of the night, sometimes we look quite different from who we are," said old man.

Suddenly, there was a commotion coming from upstairs. The sounds grew louder and closer until two children appeared next to me. I thought they would walk right past me when they saw me, but instead, they jumped on me and started showering me with affection.

"He's so cute!" one exclaimed. "He's so fluffy! Can we keep him, Grandpa?"

I was still trying to make sense of the situation when the old man's voice cut through the chaos.

"Children," he said sternly. "Leave the grizzly bear alone and go outside to play."

The children did as they were told and scampered off. I was still in shock when the old man approached me with a bowl in his hand.

"Forgive the children," he said. "It's hard taking care of them on my own these days."

As the old man placed a bowl of food in front of me, he sat down across from me and began to eat from his own bowl.

"What happened to the children's parents?" I asked.

"Not long after they were born," he said, "their parents contracted an incurable disease. I lost everyone I loved to that disease."

"I'm sorry," I said.

The old man looked at me. "Tell me why you're here," he said. "Why are you looking for the Cronus bloodline?"

"I am a descendant of the Cronus clan," I replied. "But I don't know where they are. All I know is that I need to head south."

"Why are you looking for them?" he asked again.

"I need their help," I said. "There's a big war coming and I can't face it alone. I need to ask them to join us in battle."

"And if they refuse?"

"My friends trust me," I said. "Even if my clan doesn't accept me, I have to come back stronger. As my master always says, nothing is gained without sacrifice."

The old man nodded. "Half a kilometer south of the village," he said, "you'll see a mountain. Climb it and you'll find their nest on the hill."

I couldn't help but wonder how he knew all this. Was he a descendant of the Cronus clan too? I decided to ask him.

"Thank you," I said. "But how do you know my ancestors are there?"

"Because this is the closest village to them," he replied. "They come here to buy the food they need. That's all."

His explanation made sense, so without questioning it further, I finished my meal and thanked him again before setting off on my journey.