"So what's the plan here?" Toma asked staring at the forest perched on Kiro's shoulder.
"I have no idea. We're broke, defenseless, and have no idea how to navigate a forest. I honestly wouldn't blame you if you left me at this point. This is the kind of mess I always tend to get myself into." Kiro said to Toma.
"I find kindness to be the most attractive quality in a human, though it's often so rare to find. I'm not leaving you, Friend! I told you, you're stuck with me!" Toma jumped into the air and flew forward a bit. "I'll scout for you so we don't run into anything too scary."
"Thanks, Toma. You're probably the closest thing I've ever had to a real friend." Kiro smiled at the furry fox who blushed slightly.
"That's just sad." Toma flew forward and gave the all clear. They decided to take it kinda slow to avoid needless danger, but it was already getting past noon. Kiro was sure by now he was going to bed hungry again tonight. He just hoped he could find something of the child to ease her mother's pain a little.
"Cute." Kiro said spotting a white bunny near a bush. It looked over and saw him but didn't seem afraid. "Hey little guy."
"Little guy?" Toma flew back to see what Kiro had spotted. "Kiro run!"
It was already too late. Kiro watched the small bunny grow in size to rival a horse. Frozen in panic, Kiro stood there until Toma slapped him. Then he took off running in a mad dash screaming at the top of his lungs.
"Run faster!" Toma yelled.
"I'm running as fast as I can!" Kiro screamed suddenly wishing he'd gone to the gym more. Kiro looked back at the gaining rabbit with a hungry crazed look in it's eyes and tried to run faster only to slam face first into a squishy furry wall.
"Oh shit." Toma's words were not reassuring.
Kiro pulled his face out of the fur and met eyes with the biggeat black wolf he'd ever seen. His heart hit the ground as his face lost all color.
The rabbit skidded to a hault with fear in it's eyes as well. Kiro only hoped the rabbit looked tastier than he did. The wolf looked from Kiro to the rabbit and licked his jaws. When Kiro thought about it, the rabbit looked like a meal, he looked like a tick. The wolf pounced and ran after the rabiit leave Kiro lying on the ground too tired and terrified to move.
" I thought you were a goner." A small voice off to the side said. Kiro looked over and saw beautiful girl with a slender body, all the right curves, and lushes lips. Her long black hair nearly to her knees waved blessedly in the wind and her full lips lay slightly open. Kiro's heart began to race. He'd heard about women who lure men to their deaths in forests, but he was sure he'd willing go to his death for her.
"Kiro!" Toma slapped his face again startling Kiro out of his trance. "Doesn't she look like that old lady's description?"
"Huh?" Kiro looked back at the woman and noted the black hair, blue eyes and blue dress. "There is no way this is the lost little girl, Elise."
"You know my name?" The girl's sweet voice rang in his head. Shaking the shock of today off, Kiro stood up and dusted all the grass off of himself. It was hard to believe this was the lost little girl the old lady had been talking about.
"Your mother sent me out here to find you. She's really worried." Kiro said walking over to the beauty.
"She always worries. Most people know better than to take her serious by now." Her sweet laughter washed over him.
"Actually, that explains a lot." Kiro said thinking about the way everyone had ignored the old lady's cries.
"I'll head back once I'm done, but I have to find my peppers!" Elise explained. "Have you ever had that one thing that just perfectly fits your taste buds?!"
"Of course!" Kiro exclaimed thinking of his pretzels. "Once you've had a taste, nothing else will do because nothing else matches what you really want but that one thing?!"
"Wow! You understand. Most people look at me like I'm weird." Elise said blushing. The two pink petals on her cheeks made things stir in Kiro he had never felt before.
"You're not weird. Everyone has their own taste and it's our job to satisfy ourselves!" Kiro exclaimed. "I'll help you find some."
"Really? Thank you so much!" Elise reached into her pocket and pulled out a red pepper with a yellowish top. "If I can just find three of these I'd have enough for a recipe I found. I was trying to find them for supper yesterday, but it started getting late and I couldn't see anymore. I made a campfire and rested until morning."
"Your dedication is amazing. Why don't you plant them and start a pepper garden?" Kiro asked searching the ground for peppers. Might as well have small talk while searching.
"We don't have enough farm land. Though I've often dreamed of living on a pepper farm." Elise sighed dreamily. Suddenly, Kiro wanted to get enough money to buy a pepper farm. He'd never been ambitious, but for her, he could be.
"I found one!" Toma screamed. Kiro found three more peppers, with Toma's help of course.