Riox walked next to Ayla and sat down. The sleeping girl's sighing relaxed him.
*Let's see what we can do tomorrow ...*
The next day arrived without sunrise. The weather raged as an unstoppable fury of heaven, the rain poured without a break.
- Yaaaaawnnn ... - Ayla woke up with a long yawn.
She looked around, where should Riox be, but he has nowhere.
A moment later he showed up from the deeper parts of the cave. He got up earlier and discovered the other parts of the cave.
- Good morning! - he greeted Ayla while he extinguished the torch he held.
- Good ... aaaaaaah ... morning! Where did you goo? - she rubbed her eyes and asked Riox.
- I took a look in the cave, what can we find in the deeper parts.
- And did you find anything? I'm thirsty ... - Ayla gave the question and raised a bottle of water to drink.
Riox sat next to Ayla with a happy expression.
- I found a little lake-like pond. The water leaked from the cracks of the rock. The water in the pond was warm, I assume we can't drink it since we don't know the reason why it's warm ...
- Aww ... that's bad, we need to go get water to drink, we only have 3 more bottles ... - Ayla sighed in an unkind tone.
- But! The water that poured from the crack was clear and drinkable! ... and I can finally take a bath ... Oh I missed it so baaad! - the happiness on Riox's face with his closed eyes told everything about his feelings.
- KHMM, so WE can take a bath. - Ayla corrected his mistake.
- Ugh ... the other thing is, we should visit the city's Guild, because some stuff can be found only there. - a little sweat dropped on his forehead and he quickly changed the topic.
- So we will go to the town? - Ayla didn't mention his embarrassed moment and followed his thoughts.
- We will, but not now. We must wait until the storm stops.
- Then what should we do until then? - Ayla asked with a little grin on her face.
- We will make this cave our base and home. But before everything ... I'M GONE TO TAKE A BATH! DON'T FOLLOW ME! - he turned his back and shouted to warn Ayla.
*I should take off all my clothes except the pants ... What should that girl do to me?! My back is shivering ... ugh. But I want to enjoy the bath ... ARGH! Wait a minute! Am I really becoming like this? What a twist in my personality ... This girl … is she a blessing or a curse?*
Riox just laughed and got into the pond. The water was pleasantly warm and the height of the water was a bit lower than his top of shoulder.
- Ahhh, a perfect coincidence ... - he sat in the pond and relaxed with closed eyes.
*I wonder where this water goes, because it doesn't seem to flood the cave. Also, how did this water become this warm when the cracks from its come are nearly ice-cold? So many mysteries, but this is a world where the normal logic can't be placed ... How long did I get into the water? I should get out.*
Riox opened his eyes. Ayla stood above him and looked down into his eyes.
- Is the water good? - she asked with a smile.
*At least she didn't get in next to me ...*
- Yes, it's really relaxing, the warmth is perfect! Just give me a minute and I will get out ... - Riox stood up and walked out from the pond.
*Lucky me, I didn't take off my pants.*
Ayla leaned near Riox and kissed him on his lips.
- I'm happy you enjoyed it! So am I the next one?
And with that question without waiting for an answer, she slowly started to undress.
- I will wait for you there! - Riox pointed to the place they slept, picked up his clothes and left in a hurry.
*Huh, huh ... Why do I feel I fell into some kind of cliché scene of a film? I hope no one will remember this!*
He walked back where the fire still burnt. He waited a bit until he dried himself and his pants and dressed up.
*That water is so relaxing and comfortable. I want to take another bath later!*
He separated and cleaned their equipment and spread out their cloaks, making it like a bed.
*First, we need to go to that town to look around. Maybe take 1 day to travel there. The forest is dense. It may take more time, but at least 1 day. But ... no, that will be the second step. The first will be scouting our surroundings, what type of beasts and animals can we find here, etc ... The second is the town visit.*
Riox sorted his thoughts about what and how they should plan their doings after the storm.
*We should hide who we really are. Maybe the hooded cloaks would be good, but our faces ...*
As he swam in his thoughts of the sea, he found nothing to do with their faces.
*Wait, the masks! Where did it go ...?*
Came to his mind the masks Mira gave to them. He found them.
As he held in his hands, the memories of Mira rushed into his mind, feeling a pain like a spear piercing through his chest. He could hold back his tears now, but the feelings ...
Even if he tried and wanted to forget, it will never happen. Mira was a mother for him, more than the original ... and at that moment, when he held the mask she gave to him, he regretted those words.
- I can't be your son, like you are my mother ... You were so kind to us, without the bonds of blood ... you didn't deserve this end ... - talked to himself with a hurtful tone, as he wanted to punish himself.
A tear dropped from the corner of his eyes. His bad mood turned to a little laughter as he remembered the moment Mira punched Lok's back and nearly made him a cripple at that moment.
- Hahaha ... The awareness about you can rely on someone, even if it's like their strange bonding ... hahaha ... - he just laughed as he recalled those times. Lok, the drama king and Mira, the 'cruel' queen fought nearly each day.
- You gave me something I've never lived nor felt before ... I'll take care of Ayla! And I'll find out who did this ... I promise, Mother! - he made his oath holding tightly the mask in his hands.
Ayla walked back to the campfire, with sadness on her face.
- I miss them ... ! - she sobbed and crouched in Riox's lap.
This is something they will always remember.
*We will forget the happy moments of our life and will remember just the bad ones ... because after we experienced the terrible, we don't want to go through that again.*
Riox sighed and held Ayla between his arms.
- It will never happen again. - he tried to comfort her.
Riox couldn't think of anything he should do in this situation.
*Maybe I am used to it? I have lost many things in my life ... this event affected me too, but not that hard as it did with Ayla. Too complicated ... The only thing I can hope for is that she will be better as the time goes.*
Riox holded Ayla until she slept again. Instead of leaving her there alone, Riox just sat there and held her head in his arms and let her rest.
*This world, even if it's not similar to the one I came from, is still a cruel place. There, the people step on you to climb higher and easily stab you in the back to achieve anything ... Here, the morals are standing on a different line, but it's similar ... to betray and kill anyone who is in your way ... every world is cruel ...*
His thoughts changed at a quick pace.
*When she wakes up, I will go and check the cave again. I think I saw some ores when I came back while she rested. But that pond, oh ... It was so relaxing ... Ah, I want to take a bath agaiin ...*
A new day had arrived with a warm sunrise. The storm had gone and everything was ready for them to move out ... just Ayla and Riox were still asleep.