Chapter 23: Fina and the Bear Part Three

Chapter 23:
Fina and the Bear
Part Three

 

WE LEFT TOWN through the gate. Actually, I’d never asked Yuna where we were going. Maybe there were tigerwolves in the woods nearby? Then Yuna said that we were going far away, so she would take out things to ride on.

I didn’t know what she meant by “take them out.” She told me to step back a little.

When she held up her gloves, black and white things came out of them. I was wondering what they were when then they started moving. They were big, scary bears! They stood up, and then snuggled up to Yuna. She hugged them and petted their heads.

I was watching her, and then she told me, “It’s okay. They’re my summons, so they won’t hurt you. Here, try petting them.”

I was scared, but I got closer to them really slowly and touched them. They were soft. They were a lot cuter than I was expecting. The white one was called Kumakyu and the black one was Kumayuru. I ended up riding on Kumakyu. I was up so high, I was a little scared of how everything looked, but Kumakyu was really stable and I didn’t feel like I was going to fall.

We started at a normal speed, and then went faster once I got used to it. It was fun. The scenery was rushing by faster and faster. I’d never gone this far from the town before.

We started climbing up a mountain.

 

Yuna stopped. She told us we would take a break on a flat part of the mountain. I really was tired, even though I was just riding Kumakyu. I said thank you to Kumakyu and got down.

When Yuna got off of Kumayuru, she looked around. Then, when she held up her glove, a house suddenly appeared in front of us.

That couldn’t be right. I really had no idea what’s going on. Are houses that easy to build? I’m just a kid, but even I know that can’t be true. Carpenters are the ones who make houses. Also, why was the house shaped like a bear?

“Anyway, how about we go in and take a break?”

When Yuna said that, all I could do was nod okay. I’ve never seen a room like the one in the house. She told me to take my shoes off at the door. The floors were pretty. They were floors you definitely wouldn’t want to get dirty. I took off my shoes and went inside.

Yuna told me to, so I sat down in a chair. I was looking around nervously when Yuna brought me some juice. It was cold, which really surprised me, but it was really good juice.

I asked Yuna something I really wanted to know. “Are you part of the nobility somewhere, Yuna?”

“I’m not.”

“Then are you a princess?”

“No real princess would look like me. I’m just your ordinary adventurer.”

She said she wasn’t a noble or a princess, but I don’t think she’s an ordinary adventurer, either. I don’t think an ordinary adventurer who can make a house like this, or summon things like Kumakyu, or beat monsters on their own. Especially not one who does all that and also dresses like a bear.

As I drank my juice, she told me about what we would do today. Apparently, she was going to go out to find the tigerwolves on her own. She told me I was allowed to go around the mountain and look for herbs. She told me that I could do the butchering whenever I wanted.

I decided I would go look for herbs for at least a little while. I was scared about trying to do it alone, but apparently Kumakyu was going to go with me. I guess it would keep me safe?

I decided that if I couldn’t find any herbs after looking a little, I would come back and do the butchering.

Yuna left with Kumayuru. I got onto Kumakyu too and went out to look for herbs. I rode on Kumakyu and we explore the mountain. I did really want to do some butchering, so I hoped we would find herbs some.

“Kumakyu, can you find herbs?” I asked, because why not? Kumakyu craned its neck toward me and nodded. Did it understand me?

The bear went deeper and deeper into the mountains. Was it looking for herbs for me? I kept an eye out too from on top of Kumakyu. I’ve done this a lot, so I can spot them even from far away.

Then Kumakyu started to go really fast.

Over there! I thought. I could see the herbs that Kumakyu was running towards. This bear was amazing.

I jumped off Kumakyu and gathered the herbs. I didn’t want to pick them all, so I just took half, which was still a lot. Maybe no one harvests these because they’re so deep in the mountains?

When I was picking the herbs, I heard the grass rustling. I looked where the sound was coming from and saw a wolf. I jumped back, scared, and the wolf ran off right away.

Oh, right, I thought. Kumakyu was with me. The wolf probably took one look at Kumakyu and decided not to mess with it.

“Kumakyu, thank you.” I petted the bear’s head. It was so cute.

I put the herbs in my bag and decided to head back, which was when I realized something. I didn’t know the way back. I was lost!

But I thought that, Kumakyu started walking confidently. Maybe it knew the way back?

“Do you know where the house is?” I asked, and it nodded in reply. The bear was smarter than me.

Thank you, Kumakyu!