While Xin Huo was asking Lou what is happening, and Lou without moving or talking was watching the scene behind him. With no answer and him being ignored he looked back. What he didn't think was seeing that white tiger again. He looked at Lou and then at the tiger again and again. Then he just pointed at the tiger and wanted to ask Lou what was happening, but he got only an 'I don't know either' for his answer.
Yaone who was picking up branches, still without a care in the word started walking back, branches that were in his arms blocked his view and he still didn't notice the white tiger. Only when he placed the branches on the ground and looked at the two who were looking at him with a dazed look.
Only then he realized that something is wrong and looked around him. The white tiger was behind him. 'W-w-whoaaaaa' he stepped back a few steps 'What is it doing here, and why was it behind me T_T?!' was what Yaone thought while seeing the tiger.
Then he ran over to Lou while shaking and holding his tears in. Lou looked at the scared Yaone then at her brother Huo and then at the white tiger. 'Hmm?' She pated Yaone on the head, it calmed down the shaking, but the tears fell down. Then she looked at the tiger, it didn't move a single step.
Lou looked at brother Huo and he only struggled his shoulders in response. No one knew what was happening and what should they do.
…
The five people that disappeared right after Lou shouted, had now five big rabbits and eight birds. To their surprise, there was no sign of any other animals and as this forest didn't have any monsters or bigger beasts it was impossible that they were scared of one.
As they had one big pile of meat, that was hunted by the guys, the girls picked not a small number of herbs and edible wild vegetables like mushrooms. Then with it they can now come back and wait for dinner, can't they?
It took less than 10 minutes for them to spot Lou, in her arms crying Yaone and the commander looking at Lou and then the other way many times. The first ones to spot them were Lillian and Bell, then the two of them looked at each other and their eyes asked the same thing each other and that was 'What is happening?'
They both shook their shoulders and looked behind them only to realize that the three guys had the same question and didn't know what is happening. The two women could only sigh…
…
Lou realized that someone is looking at them annnd it wasn't the tiger. She looked to the side only to see five people caring a bunch of stuff with troubled faces as they were looking at them. Then she waved at them and said, "Come here but be careful, we have unusual company here!" with a loud voice, but she didn't shout as she didn't want to startle the white tiger.
The five people nodded their heads and started moving forward, then just like they were struck by lightning, they stopped. Everything they were carrying just fell on the ground as they froze. Thought they recovered instantly from the shock of seeing a lying tiger, they grabbed their weapons and were ready to attack, and then a loud "STOP" shouted by Yaone stopped them from attacking it.
The white tiger, awoken by Yaone's shout got up, seeing the new people and hearing him scream made the tiger move forward. It stopped right before Lou and Yaone, sensing that there was no movement whatsoever it just yawned as if it was just a small animal.
"Well, that is something new!" now Lou was truly surprised that is listened to Yaone, "Hmm? Yaone, do you know why it is reacting like that?"
Yaone that was startled by the question didn't answer and looked down. As Lou question was said everyone looked at the boy and only Xin Huo understood what Lou meant by asking him.
"It's okay, no need to feel wronged" Lou comforted. "I already knew when I asked you to come with us, you know? It's okay to be yourself and not hide the truth anymore" then she gave him a warm and understanding smile.
Xin Huo only pated the small one and said it's okay and that he knew too from the beginning. The five people didn't know what they were talking about ant only observed blankly what is happening before them. And the Yaone that wasn't willing to answer opened his mouth:
"That white tiger will not do us any harm" As he said that he once again looked down and continued, "It will not do anything to us so don't worry." Yaone panicked there a bit "I can converse with it, it was actually following us from the time we first saw it on the road"
There was silence, as no one wanted to but in because Yaone was still not done talking.
"I'm one of the beast-men or righter I'm Half human and Half beast-man and that is why I don't have ears or a tail."