Determination

Later in the evening, Anna knocked on Ricky's door.

"Ricky?"

"..."

"I'm coming in."

Ricky still didn't answer.

Anna sat on his bed and patted his lower leg.

"I…"

Anna began saying something. But as if she couldn't find the right words, she simply sat in silence and lightly massaged Ricky's calf.

"I know I can't stop you from doing what you want. I just want you to be safe."

"..."

"Earlier, when I saw your injuries, it was like time had jumped back to two years ago when we found out what had happened to your father…"

"..."

"I don't want to lose you, Ricky. Miya also needs her big brother. So, no matter what happens, Ricky, promise me that you will return."

Ricky turned around and sat up. He looked at his mother in the dim light of the moon finding its way through his window. He hadn't noticed it when she talked, but tears were silently running down his mother's cheeks.

Ricky grabbed his mother's hand and looked her in the eyes.

"I promise."

Anna nodded and started wiping away the tears. They kept falling, but since she stood up and left Ricky's room, he couldn't see it.

With his head full of thoughts, Ricky laid back down, eventually falling back to sleep.

His mother and Miya had taken an early start the next morning. Or maybe Ricky had slept in. But the house was empty when he woke up.

Ricky wasn't sure what to do. His mother had given her permission last night. But she had also expressed her wishes for him not to enter the forest.

But as he turned toward the trees and looked at them through the kitchen window, he felt a longing, a craving.

If he chose to stay in the village, he would be safe.

'No…'

Ricky remembered the green creature from yesterday.

Even if he stayed in the village, he wouldn't necessarily be safe.

But if he left the village, he could keep his family and the village safe.

The hunting dagger on the kitchen table that his mother had brought out confirmed Ricky's decision.

It was his father's old spare that his mother had kept safe for the last two years. She hadn't used it, but Ricky could tell that she had held and taken care of it.

Ricky's face was somber as he strapped the dagger to his belt.

His mother's heart was scarred enough as it was. He wouldn't break his promise.

But he knew what he had to do.

As he stepped outside the door, Ricky looked at the village.

He considered telling the other hunters. They were still on good terms with his family. Some even still felt guilty about his father's death.

But that was why they wouldn't let Ricky get close to the danger if he alerted them of the hostile green creatures from the strange, pond-like archway.

'It wasn't that dangerous.'

Ricky had only gotten injured because he was surprised. He had been trying to help what he thought was an ill and sickly disfigured child when he was attacked.

This time, he would be ready, and he would be armed.

'If things get dangerous, I will tell them.'

Ricky nodded his head after making his decision. He left the village and entered the forest.

He quickly found himself close to where he had first seen traces of the strange creature.

Ricky's expression was grave.

The three-toed footprints had increased in number. It looked like at least five of the creatures had swarmed around the traces Ricky had left behind yesterday, looking for something.

'Did they follow me?'

Ricky's eyes widened in alarm.

The footprint he found yesterday hadn't been close to the village. But if it continued like this because of what he did yesterday, the creatures would find his village earlier than they would have without his interference.

'I have to do something about this.'

Ricky felt a sense of responsibility as he did his best to leave no tracks behind as he headed toward the upright pond.

His eyes scanned his surroundings, and his hand rested on his dagger.

He didn't want to get caught up in a scuffle with several of those creatures at once.

Ricky made his way to the archway without encountering a single creature. That wasn't within his expectations, and when he hid behind the outline of the archway's clearing, he wasn't sure what to do.

However, Ricky didn't have to wait long before a solution appeared to his conundrum.

A green-skinned creature walked through the gently swirling opaque pond. It was similar to the one Ricky killed yesterday.

'Ah!'

As he had that thought, Ricky looked around. But there wasn't even a sign of the one from yesterday.

'Did they clean up its corpse?'

Ricky frowned.

The loincloths and the fact that they cared for their dead were undeniable signs of intelligence that he wouldn't find in ordinary wild animals.

'Doesn't matter.'

Ricky unsheathed the dagger.

It was as long as his forearm and had a sharp and sturdy edge. His father probably hadn't used it very much. But its intended purpose was to skin and dismantle prey. Hunting with a dagger alone wasn't very efficient.

Traps and bows would be better and safer.

But Ricky didn't have time to set up traps that could take care of the creatures, and even if he knew how to wield a bow, he didn't have one.

The creature looked around the clearing before deciding on a direction and setting off.

Ricky's gaze sharpened.

It was the direction of his village. It was also the direction of his hiding spot.

It didn't look like it had noticed him. So, the only possibility of it walking in its chosen direction was because it was going to scout.

That was Ricky's guess, at least.

It was the only reason he could understand why the creatures were walking around in the first place since they clearly weren't hunting.

Ricky tightened the grip on his dagger as the creature approached.

He wasn't going to let it even get close to his village.