Mark rubbed his eyes, sat up, and held the little girl in his arms. The little girl rubbed against him, like a kitten relying on its owner. The light in the cabin was dim, and the air was filled with the smell of damp wood. The fire had long been extinguished, leaving only some gray embers. The chirping of birds came from outside the house, crisp and pleasant, indicating that a new day has arrived.
He got up and walked outside, and found that it was already dawn, and the sun was shining all over the earth, dispelling the chill of the night. The air was fresh, with the fragrance of soil and grass. The mountains in the distance looked particularly majestic under the sunshine. Several unknown birds jumped happily on the branches, and their melodious songs echoed in the valley.
Mark looked around, hoping to find some food. He saw a bush not far away, full of red wild fruits. He walked over, picked some wild fruits that looked plump and juicy, weighed them in his hand, and then took them back to the cabin.
He handed the wild fruit to the little girl, who happily took it, wiped it with her dirty little hands, and then put it in her mouth and ate it in big mouthfuls. The bright red juice flowed down the corners of her mouth, staining her chin and collar red. As she ate, she made a satisfied "hmm" sound, and her eyes narrowed into a slit, like a little bear who stole honey.
Mark washed his face, and the cool water drops slid down his cheeks, making him feel refreshed. He walked to the door and looked in the direction where the little ice beast disappeared again, frowning slightly and falling into deep thought. He needed to find a safe place as soon as possible to restore energy and awaken Bingying, so that he would have enough strength to retrieve the energy fragments. The appearance of the little ice beast made him feel very strange. Why was this ice beast completely different from the ice beast he had met before.
He returned to the little girl, squatted down, pointed in the direction the little girl had pointed before, and asked the specific location of her home. He pointed at the little girl with his finger, then pointed to the distance, and then made a "home" gesture, hoping to make her understand what he meant.
The little girl took Mark's hand, walked out of the cabin, and pointed to a faintly visible mountain in the distance. The mountain peaks towered into the clouds, and the peaks were covered with snow, sparkling in the sunlight. The outline of the mountain peaks seemed a little blurred in the morning mist, as if covered with a mysterious veil. The little girl pointed at the mountain peak, jumped and jumped, and made a sound of "Ah...Ah...", as if telling Mark that her home was on that mountain.
"Where is your home?" Mark pointed at the mountain peak and confirmed with the little girl.
The little girl nodded vigorously, her big black eyes full of expectation. She stretched out her little hand to point at the mountain peak, and pulled Mark's hand again, indicating that he should follow her. She seemed to hope that Mark could take her home.
Mark looked at the little girl's expectant eyes, and he couldn't bear to refuse. But the purpose of his trip was to retrieve the energy fragments. If he took the little girl with him, it would undoubtedly increase many risks. He hesitated for a moment, thinking that the direction of the little girl's home was the same as the direction where the Ice Abyss Beast disappeared, and he might meet the Ice Abyss Beast again on the road, so he finally nodded and agreed to the little girl's request. "Okay, I'll take you home."
The little girl smiled brightly when she heard Mark's answer. She took Mark's hand and skipped towards the mountain. She walked briskly, like a happy little bird, completely forgetting the fear and anxiety before.
Mark looked at the little girl's cheerful back, and his heart was filled with warmth. He didn't know what was waiting for them ahead, but he was determined to protect the little girl and send her home safely.
"Let's go." Mark took a step and followed the little girl's pace. The sun shone on them, stretching their figures long and projecting them on the ground. They walked along the path in the valley towards the distant mountain, and their figures gradually disappeared in the dense woods.
The little girl walked briskly, looking back at Mark from time to time to make sure he was still following her. She walked to a bush full of red berries, stopped, pointed at the berries, then pointed to her mouth, and made a "hmm" sound, indicating that Mark could eat these berries.
Mark walked forward, carefully observed the berries, confirmed that they were not poisonous, and picked a few and handed them to the little girl. "Do you know the way home?" Mark asked, picking some berries and putting them in his pocket for emergency use.
The little girl nodded, took Mark's hand and continued to move forward. She walked firmly and seemed to be very familiar with the surrounding environment. She shuttled freely in the dense woods without getting lost.
They walked along the winding mountain road for about an hour and came to a clear stream. The little girl let go of Mark's hand, ran to the stream, scooped up water and drank it. Mark walked to her side and observed the surrounding environment vigilantly. The stream gurgled and made a pleasant sound. The stream was full of various bright wild flowers, and the air was filled with a faint fragrance. Several colorful butterflies danced among the flowers, forming a peaceful picture.
After drinking the water, the little girl pointed to the upper reaches of the stream and signaled Mark to continue. Mark nodded and walked upstream along the stream with the little girl. The trees on both sides of the stream were getting taller and taller, blocking the sky and the sun. The sun shone through the gaps in the leaves, forming mottled spots of light on the ground.
"Be careful." Mark pulled the little girl who was almost tripped by a stone and helped her steady.
The little girl raised her head and smiled at Mark, showing her white teeth. Then she picked up a smooth pebble from the ground and handed it to Mark.
Mark took the stone, looked at it, and found some strange patterns on the stone. He put the stone in his pocket and continued to follow the little girl forward.
They walked a distance and came to a cave. The entrance of the cave was blocked by dense vines, which looked a little gloomy. The little girl pointed to the cave and then made a sleeping gesture, indicating to Mark that they could spend the night here.