The following day.
The whole village was overjoyed to see the rain falls after a few months of drought.
Everyone is in high spirits.
They were expecting more rain to come in the coming days. In their minds, they were already planning what crops to plant and love to see the plants growing in abundance under stable climate conditions and harvesting comes next.
If the rain becomes stable they can start cultivating the vast land and starts raising more livestock.
The people were praising the two sisters as the one who pleases the Goddess of Rain~Lerees~ that's why the rain has finally fallen last night.
They justified it by saying that the offering ceremony has been done five times already yet no favorable result, only last night when the two beautiful sisters offered a dance, the rain falls in torrents.
The sisters went to the lake to get drinking water, they were instantly surrounded by the villagers, praising and thanking them, saying that because of them the goddess of rain finally granted their prayers.
"Here comes the beautiful sisters that favored by the Goddess Lerees!"
"Let's thank them for dancing beautifully last night and we are rewarded by rain for their effort!"
"Our village is very lucky to have two pretty sisters who can please the Goddess of rain!"
"Now, every time we are experiencing drought, we just make an offering ceremony and let the sisters dance to please the Goddess!"
"Agree, we should have done it long ago. But who could guess that the Goddess wants to see beautiful young girls dancing for her? I was thinking male bodies would please the goddess more."
Laughter erupted from the crowd.
"Anyways, let's just be thankful that it rained finally!"
"Thank you so much, Kate and Ella!" the ladies gathered around the two sisters.
Kate and Ella were feeling awkward, they thought their dancing was silly and the goddess was cringing while watching them.
"You're welcome...you're welcome...you're welcome..." the sisters can only reply in amazement as the outpouring of 'thank you's' keep coming in all directions.
After the sisters filled their water jug made of clay with drinking water they left the lake and went straight home 'coz they can't stand anymore the villagers continuous praising.
They arrived home and put the water jug in the kitchen.
Kate went to their aunt's room.
"Aunt, we're going to the forest nearby to gather firewood," she said.
"Just don't go deeper into the forest, you might encounter a poisonous snake. And return home right away before the night falls," Margie reminded her niece.
"Yes, we will go home early, Aunt," answered Kate and went out of the bedroom.
She went to the kitchen and took the machete for wood cutting, it's their only defense against poisonous snakes just in case they encounter some along the way.
Kate exited the door.
Ella was waiting for her under the shade of the red cedar tree.
"Aunt told me not to go deep in the forest and we should return home before night falls," Kate informed her sister.
"Alright, let's go!" Ella said.
The sisters sauntered towards the forest.
Kate and Ella began picking up dry woods on the ground the moment they entered the forest. They saw pretty colorful butterflies flying around them. The sisters look mesmerized by the butterflies' enchanting colors so they go after them... deeper into the forest.
On their way...they passed by on trees of all sizes, wild bushes, and green grass, frogs, and many types of insects attaching themselves to the leaves and branches of the trees.
A moment later.
They saw a clearing located near the biggest tree in the forest, the butterflies were flocking to the leaves of the tree.
The girls were wondering what the butterflies saw on the green looking leaves?
"What's in that tree? Why the butterflies were flocking to the leaves?" Kate asked curiously. "Normally, the butterfly would only flock to the flowers, not on the leaves," she raised her brows.
"I will climb the tree!" Ella suggested and began folding her long pants on her feet ready to climb the tree.
"No way! You might fall and hurt yourself. Let's just retrace our steps and continue picking dry woods there," Kate blocked her sister from climbing the tree.
"Okay fine," Ella replied after seeing that her sister won't give her permission to do what she wants.
The sisters were about to leave the clearing since they already steered far away from the entrance of the forest...
Unknown to them, two pairs of eyes were watching them a few meters away, observing their movements.
"Now is the time!" Zemeth said.
He directed his hand to the girls...a translucent light came out from his palm and covered the girls...
The girls were frozen on the spot.
Zemeth went to Kate's side and picked her up then carries her in her arms. "Watch out on the other girl!" he told Ramza.
"W-where are you taking that girl?" asked Ramza curiously.
"Up in the tree. There's something I'm going to do to her..." Zemeth replied nonchalantly.
Ramza grinned in amusement, naughty thoughts filled his mind. "Enjoy!"
Zemeth throws his friend a dark look. He hovered towards the tree and disappeared from Ramza's sight.
Ella, in her motionless state, stood rooted on the spot.
Ramza sat on the trunk of the tree watching over the frozen girl.