Shi Yan opened his eyes once again, welcoming the new day. In his embrace was a soft but slightly wrinkled up arm. The boy took up one hand to rub his eye as he looked towards the old woman’s face to see her warm smile back. “Young Master, I see that you have awoken.”

The boy gave a short yawn, covering his mouth. “Lii Enn, are you okay now? When did you wake up?”

“Do not worry about my health Young Master, I woke up not too long ago… Young Master, are you still tired, do you still wish to sleep?” Li En asked in a concerned voice.

“… no… I want to go out to the forest again today.”

Li En gave a nod and started to comb the boy’s hair using her fingers. “Alright. I’ll prepare your breakfast first and then you can go out to play.”

“Em…” Shi Yan still seemed to be in a daze as he continued to yawn.

************

~After 15mins,

************

Shi Yan and Li En both ate the fruits that she had harvested. Vegetables were not part of their normal daily breakfast diet and would only be served in the afternoon or at night. Meat on the other hand was practically nonexistent. It was hard for Li En to hunt for a meal in her old age. Likewise, it was much easier to pick fruits and pluck out vegetables to eat.

If there was any need of disposal, the river just outside the entrance of the cave provided an extremely convenient rubbish chute. Easily allowing the left overs or waste to travel down stream and away from their home.

“Li En, can I go out now?” Shi Yan asked with an impatient voice.

“Em. Young Master, be careful outside. If you encounter any danger just scream for help. Also…” Li En tried to continue but was interrupted by Shi Yan. “I understand. You don’t have to worry about anything. Ok! I will be going now!”

Li En stared at the little boy’s fleeting shadow and sighed, [I wonder what you will get today?]

***************

~Outside the cave,

***************

Shi Yan ran forward with a smile on his face. His eyes glittered with hope as he raced along the riverbed. Only after 5 mins of running, did the boy stop to make a turn, running deeper into the dense jungle. Through the thick overgrown bushes, the boy would slightly stumble but he still manages to keep on his feet. Even at the young age of 5, he was already unintentionally practicing his movement skills .

The pathway he ran to was further away from the Demonic Monster Beast zone. He had heard nightmarish stories of these Beast that could easily kill any mortal man. Even as Li En spoke to him about it, her whole body seemed to grow cold as she told the tale. Naturally, to not scare the boy too much, she would always end off a little flustered, with something like "this was a tale that I heard from my grandmother when I was a child... scary right?"

After a mere 10 mins of walking, Shi Yan made it to one of his first points. It was a little wooden trap that he made from vines, twigs and stone. It formed a miniature cage like net, with each dimension close to half a meter. The bottom of the net was laced with small pebbles for weight while the vines were spread out by twigs, which was held up by more vines. Hanging just above the ground by a meter, the whole structure seemed to be a coiled up snake. Beneath the trap was suppose to be a small bait. When triggered, the net would fall above the prey and contain it till Shi Yan could check on it the next day. Unfortunately, it seemed that the trap did not work again.

Shi Yan gave a little pout of dissatisfaction. He wondered how the trap did not attract anything at all. The ends of the bait was tied to the ground as well as to another point that held the net up in the air. Thus, if the bait was ever stolen or eaten, the whole support system for the net would be destroyed, forcing it to fall. Unfortunately, things did not work out as he had planed. The stick covered with nectar did not seem to warrant the interest of any benevolent animal that would give him a free meal.

Looking at the failed trap, Shi Yan quickly ran to the next trap, and the next one and the next one… and the next one. Seeing all those trap made Byakko’s head dizzy, [when did this child create so many of these traps? He had ran to almost five different traps and I know he still has more… What's more, most of them are not the same model as the rest…

This boy has even grown so attached till he would even call them out with a surprisingly cute name as well… bunnylover2.0… fallfall3.1…]

Byakko was not sure why but he felt this whole scene in front of him playing out was something he would never had expected from Shi Yan. [To think this child was so pricelessly adorable… but now, it seems that part of him had died somewhere…] the white tiger though of the current Shi Yan and sighed. [Only through hardship does one change. I wonder what yours’ will be?]

After checking through all 23 traps, Shi Yan was disappointed to find no food again. Out of the 23 traps, he changed the bait of 18 to another type. He was testing the to find the best bait available for the different places. Naturally, he was hopeful… at least in the naive sense.

By the time all his checks were completed, it was already forenoon. The boy could feel his stomach slightly grumble and quickly head back to the cave. He was anxious that Li En would attempt to look for him and found his traps. It was meant to be a huge surprise for them to have meat for a meal. It was only unfortunate that this was his 10th day without a harvest.

*****************************

~ Close to the entrance of the cave,

*****************************

Li En was preparing some chopped up vegetables with fruits. Today, it was a little special; she had managed to find some edible mushrooms for them to eat. Excited for the harvest, the old woman planned on setting up a fire to cook everything up for the boy.

When she hears a nearby soft panting sound coming from the lower regions of the river bed, she turned her head around to greet Shi Yan with a warm smile. “Young Master!” Li En shouted in welcome to the boy for his return.

“Em!” Shi Yan returned a smile and wave to the old woman. “Li En, what are you cooking today?”

The old woman gave a cheeky grin, “why don’t you guess?”

“… are we having mushroom today?” Shi Yan slyly responded, leaving Li En a little baffled. The old woman could not help but ask, “Young Master, how do you know?”

“Heeheehe you never ever ask me this question unless we ate something special. I thought it could be meat but mushrooms seem more likely.” Shi Yan gave a cheeky grin and wrapped his hand around Li En’s legs. Looking at the old woman with a begging face, Shi Yan asked “Li En, could I bring you somewhere later?”

Watching the cheeky boy act so spoiled made Li En chuckle. She knew that Shi Yan would never act this way unless he really wished for her to agree on something. At least, his actions would not result in her to be frightened. The old woman bend down to squad, looked at the boy in the eye and pinched his cheek, “where do you want to bring me?”

The boy purposely turned his eyes away from Li En to act guilty and spoke in a soft voice. “Somewhere…”

*mmhm?* One of Li En’s eyebrows rose in suspicion but the woman released her grip. “Alright.” The old woman agreed with delight in her voice, causing Shi Yan’s eyes to sparkle. “but first we need to get you washed. Young Master, let’s go to the river.”

Shi Yan bashfully proclaimed, “Li En, you don’t need to worry. I’m big enough to bath my self. You can concentrate on making our lunch first!”

Li En gave a chuckle, “says the boy that fell in the river when you did not hold on to me.”

Shi Yan slightly blushed, “well… that is because… *errr* there were some slippery moss in the water! Right! It was because I accidentally stepped on some slippery moss!”

Li En pout her lips, unconvinced, “alright Young Master, if you need my help to scrub you again, just call for me. I will be by your side as fast as possible.”

Shi Yan also gave a pout but unlike Li En, this was a pout of dissatisfaction that the old woman did not believe him. *Em!* the boy nodded. He walked closer to the river and began to take off his clothes. Meanwhile, Li En changed her focus to starting a fire.

****************

~ After 15 minutes,

****************

Li En could hear the boy sneaking up behind her while she was busy roasting the vegetables on a stick. His small footsteps and silent voice would not be noticed by most adults but to Li En, it was as clear as day. She quickly questioned the boy, “Young Master, what are you doing? Don’t you wish to eat?”

Shi Yan gave a pout, “how did you manage to hear me? I was already very quiet.”

Li En laughed as the stick filled with vegetables shook, “Young Master, you are too young to learn the art of sneaking.”

“Then Li En, how about you teach me? I’m sure that I can get good with it and hunt for rabbits!” Shi Yan asked with a bright smile plastered on his face. However, that smile was quickly dampened upon. “Young Master, there is no use for sneaking unless you plan to do bad things. It’s better for a young man to grow upright than to lurk in the shadows.”

“But Li En, I’m only going to use these skills for hunting. It’s bad if the animals could hear me!” Shi Yan tried to convince Li En but the old woman shook her head. “Young Master, I already taught you all you need to know for hunting. You do not need to further practice and learn the art of stealth …”

“Okay…” Shi Yan reluctantly gave up. Although he might be able to convince Li En, there was a high chance that it would result in her getting upset. Therefore, the boy no longer spoke of this matter. On the other hand, Li En was deeply saddened.

[It seems that I was wrong from the start… This boy’s intelligences, skills and curiosity will never be bound to this forest… eventually, he will explore over and beyond… looking for cities and treasures; knowledge and adventure…

Was keeping this boy hidden here a mistake from the start? Should we have followed through with your plans instead?

But why must it be the case that he face such hardships? Why must it be

…]

Hiding her emotions through a forced grin, Li En passed a stick of vegetables to Shi Yan. The little boy looked at the stick with a hint of intrigue as he asked, “Li En, why is this stick not burnt when under the fire but the stick that you use for the fire is burning now?”

The old woman took up an empty stick from the rock beside her and passed it to Shi Yan. She hinted to the boy to sit on the rock in front of her and began her explanation. “the stick I used for the fire is dry wood. I have already thought you the use of dry wood haven't I?”

*En!* Shi Yan nods as he moved his bottom into a comfortable position on the piece of flat rock. Looking at the old woman, Shi Yan replied with modesty, “dry wood is from really old wood that had died for a while. It can be found days after rain and is the best to be found in twig form.”

The old woman gave an approving nod, “that’s right.” The woman gave a cunning or cheeky smirk, “but do you know why this other stick in your hand doesn’t burn at all?”

“… is it because there’s too much water in it?” Shi Yan’s eyes lit up as he asked.

“Close but not exactly…” Li En became silent for a moment, allowing the little boy some time to think.

Shi Yan used his one hand to feel around the unburnable stick that Li En had given to him. He had noticed that this stick, compared to a normal twig, had a silky smooth texture to it. “… Li En, is it because of the weird skin?”

“Boo. Very close but your answer is not complete.” Li En opened her hand up indicating the boy to pass her back the stick. *snap!* once the old woman received the twig back, she broke the stick into two. She placed one half on the rock beside her and kept the other one in her hand. Displaying the fresh new opening to the boy, she asked him, “What do you see inside?”

Shi Yan looked into the plant to see some grotesque green slime subtly oozing out of the opening. “something really icky and slimy… is that the thing that stops it from burning?”

Li En gave a chuckle, “Young Master, you would hold larvae on your hand to feed them, aren't they more icky?”

Shi Yan strongly denied, “No! They are cute!”

Li En couldn’t help but laugh, “Young Master! A hahaha… how are those little squishy creatures cute?”

Shi Yan slightly blushed, “… they remind me of you…”

Li En stared at the boy, confused. Normally, people would be insulted by being compared to a insect but Li En knew better. In a patient tone, she asked, “Young Master, I don’t understand… how do those insects remind you of me?”

Shi Yan hesitated to speak, he looked down on the ground and whispered, “you won’t get angry if I speak the truth?”

“Of course not.”

“… their soft squishy skin remind me of your soft chest…” Shi Yan muttered in a embarrassed voice.

“Is that all?” Li En wanted to laugh but simply dared not to. It was rare to find the little boy so flustered when speaking. Lie En found this aspect of him extremely endearing. She knew that the boy did not understand matters between men and women yet. Thus, there was no ill will in his intentions. However, there were many things out in the wild that are as soft as her bosom so she knew that there must be more to it.

“… they will change to something more beautiful…” Shi Yan muttered in a low voice but his words caught Li En’s attention. “Young Master, what do you mean?” Li En asked with a perplexed look on the face, which had a grin plastered over it.