Theodore hugged the sobbing kid with pain weighing down his heart. After a few minutes, the little girl stopped sobbing and broke free from the embrace. Though she was reluctant, she felt a sense of security in his embrace. Suddenly, Theodore heard a couple of steps entering the forest. Alertness hit his mind as his body stilled like a statue.
"Uncle T, have you heard the footsteps?," she asked in a low fearful tone. He felt the little girl tighten the grip on his arm and he definitely knew that she was scared. How could he not protect her?
He stood up suddenly, making the girl slightly gasp in shock. The man slightly patted her in reassurance and jumped up, leaping on a tree and then stood quietly. Little Tyra raised her head to look at him only to be welcomed by his solemn yet worried look. The man felt her gaze on him and cast her an affectionate look and placed his index finger on his lips signalling her to remain silent.
Tyra remained silent and kept on staring at him. For a moment she found herself engulfed in his features. She somehow found it strange that his eyes resembled hers when she got mad. Was he her father? Meanwhile, as Theodore kept on eye patrolling for the mysterious footsteps, he had no idea that he was already suspected for being a father.
Tyra got lost in her thoughts until a sudden yell jolted her to reality, someone called her name. The person's voice held despair and worry, she immediately recognized the voice. It was her mother's. Tyra hadn't noticed that she hadn't flinched from the man's arms.
"Tyra, my little baby, where are you? Tyra!" came the voice.
Tyra stirred in the man's arms, making him realise the situation. It seemed the footsteps that entered the forest belonged to Tyra's mother. Theodore silently landed on the ground, holding the little girl gently as if she were a fragile treasure. She slowly placed the girl on the ground and told her, " Bye little Tyra, Uncle T has some work to do."
Little Tyra who had held his long robe hesitated to let go. She didn't know why she clung to the stranger uncle but she didn't want to let go. Theodore witnessed his daughter's reluctant face and his heart stung more and more. Her blue puppy eyes staring at him made her look forsaken.
Theodore only wanted to escape from Lexi's sight otherwise he would have stayed with his daughter. He knelt closer to her and gently ruffled her hair before he coaxing her, "Little T, promise me you won't cry, ok? Let's make a deal, I'll see you tomorrow, same time like today ok?"
She raised her pinky finger and said in a small voice, "Pinky promise?"
Theodore was startled a little but he quickly regained his composure and hooked large small finger around the little one's and resolved, "I promise."
The woman kept on calling her but the little girl was no where to be seen. The woman was almost in tears as despair crawled in her heart. Lexi searched for her daughter in the forest and worst of all her imagination got the best of her as it ran wild on the possibilities of what happened to her baby.
Theodore waved to the girl and leapt on the tree. Only after he disappeared from her sight that Tyra ran towards the direction of her mother. Lexi saw her daughter emerging from a small hedge and quickly rushed towards her, scooped her from the ground and showered kisses on both her cheeks.
"Where were you baby? Mommy was worried, are you ok?" she bombarded her daughter with questions with tears threatening to drop.
"I'm here mum. I got lost in the forest," murmured Tyra.
"Don't you ever wander alone like this, do you get it?" Lexi scolded her daughter lightly, trying to teach her lesson not to worry her again.
"I'm sorry mommy," replied Tyra, planting a gentle kiss on her mother's cheek.
"Good. Let's go home," she said, her gaze softening.
Unknown to the mother daughter couple, a pair of sinister eyes watched their every move. Danger emitted from the eyes of the beholder. It was clear that the happy days were soon coming to an end...it was just the calm before the storm.
Eventually Tyra and her mother returned back to the village. Their visit to the grandmother had ended so they went back to their home. Tyra helped her mother with a few manageable chores and the rest were managed by her mother.
Night in the village, a group of elders of the werewolf clan gathered in a large hut. They sat around a large mahogany table. Both wore troubled looks as they discussed.
"It seems that the fire realm won't let us off," began of the men, his face solemn.
"We need to have more strategies," cheered in another with a determined gaze printed on his face.
Their heated discussion ended after God knew how long. That didn't matter though since their faces were painted with satisfaction. Meanwhile, in Tyra's home, her mother had laid beside her, coaxing her to sleep with a few childish stories.
"Mum!" exclaimed Tyra, rolling her eyes in boredom.
"What? don't you like my story?" pouted her mother childishly.
"You've told me the story so many times, aren't there any other stories?" she asked curiously with pleading eyes.
Looking at her daughter in such a situation, how could she not melt. She decided to tell her another story. "Ahem! ok let me tell you another story," she said.
Little Tyra became delighted at her mother's words. Heaven knows how she wished to hear a different story everyday.
"A long time ago, lived a beautiful wolf, she was so beautiful that everyone wished to marry her. However, she didn't find anyone that interested until she met someone. She felt very happy, so she decided to become friends with him. The boy could come play with her in the forest and in the evening he goes back to his home. They were very happy and contented with their life.
Until one day, the boy didn't come to play with girl..."