Morning arrived too quietly.
Volow sat up, rubbing his eyes. He hadn't slept more than an hour. The footsteps from last night still echoed in his head like something unfinished.
Pine was already awake, brewing something in a small iron pot. Steam curled around his face, hiding most of his expression.
"You look worse than Suki," Pine said without turning.
"Dreams?"
Volow swallowed.
"Not dreams. Someone was here last night."
Pine stirred the pot slowly.
"In the forest, there's always someone," he said.
"Doesn't mean they care about us."
Volow frowned.
"That's not… comforting."
Pine shrugged.
"Truth rarely is."
He poured the drink—something bitter and earthy—into a wooden cup and handed it to Volow.
"Drink."
Volow sniffed it.
"It smells like wet socks."
"Don't worry," Pine said. "If you die, i will brew a weaker one next time."
Volow made a face but drank anyway.
Warmth spread through his chest, steady and calming.
Suki weakly climbed onto his shoulder, purring faintly.
At least someone appreciated the morning.
After breakfast, Volow stepped outside to breathe fresh air.
The forest felt different today—heavier somehow.
He walked around the house, toward the side where he had heard the footsteps.
That's when he saw them.
Tracks.
Clear as daylight.
Not animal prints.
Not Pine's steps either—these were bigger, wider, heavier.
Human.
Volow crouched down, fingers brushing the deep impressions.
Someone had stood right by the wall.
Right next to his window.
A cold shiver crawled up his spine.
He followed the tracks a few steps into the trees… then stopped as the marks suddenly disappeared, swallowed by thick moss.
Almost like the person had simply vanished.
He swallowed hard.
"Who were you…?" he whispered.
Suki meowed sharply from the doorway, demanding his attention.
Volow turned back.
Pine was standing there, arms crossed, watching him.
"You're staring at those prints like they'll answer you," Pine said.
"Do you know who came?"
Pine raised a brow.
"I didn't say anyone came."
Volow pointed at the ground.
"Then whose tracks are those?"
Pine looked for a moment… then sighed.
"Forest footpads. Travelers. Maybe hunters."
Volow shook his head.
"No. They were standing just outside my window."
Pine paused… just a second too long.
Then he forced a calm expression.
"Then perhaps they were curious. Curiosity is harmless."
Volow stared at him.
He didn't believe Pine.
And Pine knew he didn't.
Around midday, Pine tapped his cane on the floor.
"We're going somewhere."
Volow strapped Suki gently in the carry cloth.
"Where?"
"A clearing. I need herbs."
"You've never asked me to go with you before."
"This time, I am."
Pine didn't explain further.
They walked through the forest, deeper than Volow had ever gone.
Trees grew taller here.
The air was colder.
No birds sang.
Suki stayed unusually quiet.
After an hour, they reached a wide clearing with sunlight pouring down like a warm spotlight.
Pine pointed at a patch of tall grass.
"Pick only the red-tipped ones."
Volow crouched and began gathering herbs.
Pine stood nearby, leaning on his cane, eyes scanning the forest carefully.
Too carefully.
Volow watched him for a moment.
"What are you looking for?"
Pine didn't answer.
Instead, he whispered, "Keep picking."
Volow obeyed, but the air tightened around him. Something felt wrong.
He felt as though the forest was… listening.
On their way back, Volow noticed a tree he had walked past many times before.
It was split clean down the middle.
Not by lightning.
Not by rot.
It looked like something had hit it with enormous force.
Volow touched the broken wood.
Fresh.
Pine snapped, "Don't touch that."
Volow jumped slightly.
"Why? What happened to it?"
"A storm," Pine said.
"There wasn't a storm last night."
Pine's jaw tightened.
"Then a storm you didn't notice."
Volow looked at the tree again.
No.
No way wind did this.
Something… powerful… had passed here.
Recently.
Suki growled softly at Volow's chest.
A thin, trembling sound.
Volow held him tighter.
Back at the house, they ate roasted roots in silence.
Pine didn't chew loudly today.
He barely ate at all.
Volow watched him carefully.
"You're worried."
Pine raised an eyebrow.
"Boy, I'm eighty years old. If I'm not worried, it means I'm dead. Check my pulse next time."
"That's not what I mean."
Pine kept his eyes on the fire.
"…I know."
The flames crackled.
Suki slept on Volow's lap.
For the first time since he met Pine, Volow felt like the house wasn't protecting them.
It was hiding them.
As darkness grew, Volow lit a small lantern and sat near the window.
He didn't want to sleep.
Not tonight.
Not after the tracks.
Not after the split tree.
But exhaustion pulled at him.
His eyes drooped.
He rested his head against the wall, Suki curled up beside him.
Just for a minute, he thought.
Just a short rest.
His thoughts drifted…
Cardbill…
Ash…
Pine's strange warnings…
Suki's heartbeat…
and he felt asleep.