Two figures stepped out of the backlight.
"Who's there?" one of them asked in a low voice.
Clara smiled. That voice was familiar. "Brother Daniel, it's me—Clara!"
"Huh?" Daniel Yang was genuinely surprised. What a coincidence, he thought.
He quickly called for his son, Leo Yang, and the two hurried forward. The sky had dimmed, and they couldn't quite make out what Clara and her son were dragging behind them—only the mixed scent of blood and crushed leaves drifted on the wind.
The father and son instinctively moved to help with the drag frame, but Clara immediately said, "No need. It's too heavy for you."
They both paused mid-motion, hands awkwardly hanging in the air before slowly pulling back.
Clara nudged Adam forward. "Leo, help me keep an eye on this one."
Adam shrugged off the vine sling from his shoulder. Realizing he was only getting in the way of his stepmother's strength, he obediently followed Leo Yang ahead.
Daniel stayed behind to watch over the boys as they reached the firepit.
Clara arrived last, dragging the frame to the fireside.
This was the same cave she had stayed in last year. Daniel must have fixed it up since. The weeds at the entrance were cleared, and the scattered branches inside had been tidied. He'd even built a short stone wall at the mouth of the cave—just enough to block the entrance from sight while allowing a fire to be lit for cooking.
With light from the flames, the prey on Clara's drag frame finally revealed itself. The golden-brown tiger carcass nearly made Daniel jump out of his skin.
"You ran into a tiger!" he cried in shock.
Clara nodded, smiling humbly. "Had a bit of luck."
Daniel: Was that really what I was asking?!
His eyes swept over the mother and son—tattered and grimy as they were, not a scratch on them. It was unbelievable.
Then he looked again at the cold, lifeless tiger body. Daniel suddenly had a much clearer idea of Clara's capabilities.
Adam removed the burlap sack he'd carried all this way and dropped it onto the frame. His shoulders finally relaxed, and he exhaled in relief.
"Is that… the tiger's head?" Leo asked, wide-eyed, pointing at the distinct shape outlined in the sack.
Adam nodded. "My aunt killed it."
As he spoke, he sliced a hand through the air in a chopping motion, his face lit with pride.
Daniel and Leo exchanged a look, their expressions equally stunned.
While they were still reeling, Clara found a good spot and had Adam sit down. She took out a pot, bowls, and bamboo tubes, borrowing their fire to cook porridge.
"You brought rice?" Leo asked, surprised.
Adam looked at him blankly. "What else are you supposed to eat if you don't bring rice?"
"This," Leo said, pulling a dry, hard biscuit from a small bag on the ground. "It's easier to bring dry rations into the mountains. If we hadn't found this cave, we wouldn't have dared light such a big fire—firelight attracts predators."
Adam thought to himself, So that's how normal people go hunting in the mountains.
Unlike them. They'd been lighting fires since the first night. Every time Clara started one, she looked like she was hoping some beast would come charging over—her eyes practically glowing green.
But so far, no predators had shown up, attracted by the firelight.
Leo sat across from the mother and son, curiosity lighting up his face. "What's your name? And what's your relation to Madam Clara?"
Adam glanced at Clara, unsure how to answer. He'd never had a real name—he was just called "Adam" since birth.
Clara poured water from the bamboo tube into the small pot of rice, covered it, thought for a moment, and then answered with a smile:
"Laurence Liew. He's my eldest stepson."
Leo patted Adam on the shoulder and pointed to the tiger carcass. "Were you scared?"
Adam shook his head stiffly. His mind was still echoing with Clara's words: Laurence Liew… Laurence Liew…
"Why Laurence?" the younger boy whispered, adding a stick to the fire.
Clara shrugged. "Sounds good."
"Oh." Adam blinked.
It did sound good. A hundred times better than Adam. No—a thousand times better!
Clara caught his expression—his grin nearly reached his ears. Just a name, and he was this happy. Still just a kid after all.
"What about the others?" he asked quietly.
Clara thought for a moment and replied, "Lysander, Lucian, and Lillian. When you all go to school next year, I'll enroll you with those names."
Adam nodded eagerly. If Ben, Chad, and Deb heard that their stepmother had given them such beautiful names, they'd be thrilled.
Watching him hum a little tune as he stirred the porridge, Clara laughed. "Are you really that happy?"
"Mm-hmm!" The boy turned to look at her, eyes brighter than the moon overhead.
Meanwhile, Daniel and Leo had cleared out half the space in the cave. Emerging from inside, Daniel said to Clara, "You and the boy can sleep in the cave tonight. Leo and I will take turns keeping watch."
"No need." Clara blew on the white rice and cured pork porridge Adam handed her. "I'll keep watch. You two can sleep inside—it'll be more comfortable."
Daniel looked like he was about to object, but Clara pointed to the short wall. "If I get tired, I'll just lean here and nap a bit. With the fire, I won't freeze."
Seeing how firm she was—and knowing full well she could handle herself—Daniel dropped the matter. He tugged his son away from the pot he'd been eyeing and went off to collect more firewood, so Clara could feed the flames overnight.
By the time the firewood was stacked, Clara and Adam had finished their dinner. The boy was now gleefully playing with a white squirrel that had fainted earlier and just regained consciousness.
Clara had tied a hemp cord around its leg. The squirrel tried to run but couldn't get away, baring its teeth and squeaking in protest.
Leo stared at the beautiful creature in envy. If his father could pull something like that off, he'd be living like a young master at home.
"Laurence Liew, your aunt spoils you way too much! She even caught a squirrel to keep as a pet."
"Nope, we're selling it," Adam corrected him.
Clara reminded him to watch the cord in case the squirrel chewed through it, then turned to Daniel, curious. "What brought you and your son into the mountains?"
Daniel glanced at Adam and replied, "Same as you. Thought I'd let the boy get some experience."
Really, what proper hunter brings a half-grown kid along?
"But you—bringing someone so young up here... what if something happened—" Just then, his eyes drifted to the tiger's carcass on the drag frame. He cleared his throat awkwardly and waved it off. "Never mind."
"Madam Clara, how about we go together tomorrow?" Daniel offered warmly. "We can learn a thing or two from you."
Clara declined. "We've got game to deal with first."
Leo had been looking at her with anticipation when his father spoke, but hearing her refusal, he let out a disappointed sigh and turned to Adam again with admiration.
"Laurence, I really envy you."
"What now?" Daniel said sharply. His ears still worked just fine. "Your dad's killed a tiger too, you know. What's with this disciple-level reverence?"
Leo looked innocent. "Dad, I didn't say anything. Why are you so worked up?"
Daniel shot him a look. "You little brat."
Then his gaze landed on Adam again—quietly cleaning the dishes after dinner, feeding the squirrel without being told. Daniel muttered to himself, Hmph, I'm the one who's envious of a kid like that.
(End of Chapter)
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