Upon returning to the forest's familiar embrace, the same one the forest had provided to Leonie her whole life, she felt more comfortable. It was the same forest she had traversed with her father, so many times before, it made her feel closer to him, and that was what she needed.

Although her life had been uprooted and turned upside down, it was comforting to know that there were still some constants left.

One of those things was the everlasting balance of the forest, the neverending dance between the predators and the prey. They managed to coexist on the same stretch of land, although it was a constant struggle for survival. That was how life had always felt to Leonie, like fighting to exist. It was something she could understand, accept, better than she could understand the things she had learned from the Mage.

In Leonie's world, which started crumbling after her father's death, those familiar things, no matter how cruel they might have seemed to others, helped her stay grounded. It felt strange to her that although she lost her father to that same forest, she could still find comfort in its vibrancy. After all, one couldn't blame a forest for the fickleness of Fate.

However, she did notice that Nald avoided entering the forest ever since the forest took their father's life. She knew she had to have a conversation with him about it, but was afraid that she was not strong enough not to break down in front of her little brother. That should not happen under any circumstance. If she broke down completely, if she allowed the pain to overwhelm her, then she would be unable to help any of them.

Rim and her were very close to home when Leonie started receiving a strange emotion from him, it was as far as she could see, fear. It came as a shock to her since the whole way through the forest, Rim's cheerfulness kept her feelings balanced, even when pain threatened to overrule all the other emotions.

He kept chasing after pixies, squirrels, and generally anyone who dared glance at the strange pair that the girl and the dragon made. Sometimes, he would even give them a playful chase, but he always returned to Leonie's side promptly.

The dark cloud that rolled over his mood felt like a bad omen. He was able to feel something more than there was. It gave Leonie a strange feeling of foreboding.

"What is it, Rim?" She asked.

He sent her such a jumble of emotions that she couldn't sort through them and unravel the most prominent one in so many threads of emotion that tangled themselves around her friend's heart.

Still, the tone of the sentiment was unmistakably negative.

Not waiting to distinguish them, Leonie hurried home, knowing deep down in her heart that the emotions Rim was receiving were emanating from their home.

Fear grasped her with its slimy hands squeezing tightly. A huge boa constrictor seemed to wrap around the poor girl and squeeze the life out of her as she did her best to run back home as soon as possible.

She ran as fast as she could, using all the remnants of strength she had left and doing her best to ignore the panic attack that was just around the forest bend.

Leonie did not even notice branches scraping against her skin or the stones that she tripped over.

What if something happened to them? What if they were hurt?

Leonie could not allow for another member of her family to leave so abruptly when there was so much more life left for them.

When she finally came to the house, she could see her mother and Nald sitting on the front steps of the house, hugging each other tightly.

"Mom, Nald, what happened?" She asked, running towards them.

Rim ran after her, she could feel him trying to comfort her, to help, and she loved him even more for it.

"It's...Betsy. They...stole...my Betsy." Nald said through sobs.

Although Leonie felt relieved that it wasn't anything more serious, she was furious that someone would dare dishonor a house of a Hunter. The fact that they also chose to steal Betsy, Nald's favorite chicken, only made the situation worse. It broke her heart all over again that the little guy had to deal with yet another loss.

The disappearance of a chicken could never compare with losing a father, it was not even close, however, for Nald, it was like losing a friend. In his young mind, he made no clear distinction between humans and animals. That was one of the reasons he was never even considered as his father's successor as a Hunter.

It was obvious on his tiny face, swollen from crying his heart out, that the new loss had made the wound caused by their father's death bleed profusely. Once bright eyes were in recent days clouded with tears, and Leonie did not know what to do about it. The callousness of the thieves only made everything worse.

"Nald, I am so sorry, I know how much Betsy meant to you," Leonie said, joining their hug.

Even Rim snuggled his way into the hug. He was, after all, a part of their family now, and it was only right that he had joined their little circle.

"Who would do something like that! It hasn't even been a week since dad's death. Is that all their respect is worth for the fallen, a few days?!" Leonie asked, barely containing her anger.

"It was the Gatherers," Amitola said with tears in her eyes.

"How do you know?" Leonie asked.

"Who else could it be? You know they've always held a grudge against the Hunters for their way of life. That includes their families, as well.

They think that Hunters are murderers, and they take every chance they can get to make their disapproval known." Amitola said.

Although that was true, Leonie could not believe that they would be so insensitive as to steal from people in mourning.

What did they accomplish by stealing chickens, except break a young boy's heart?

"Are any other animals missing?" Leonie asked.

"A few smaller ones, not many. We came back from the field early, so we probably ruined their plans." Amitola said.

"Why would they do that?! Don't they know that one animal can mean the difference between living and dying in the harsh winter?" Leonie asked.

Amitola gave Leonie a strict look over Nald's head, and she quickly realized her mistake.

"Ahem, we will be fine, of course, but they didn't know that," Leonie said.

"What will they use them for anyway? They don't eat meat. Did they take the chickens for the eggs?" Leonie asked.

"No, my dear, they will probably release them," Amitola said.

"Into the wild?! Don't they know that's not where they are used to living?" Leonie said.

What she truly thought was that it was cruel to release them into the wild when they would surely die. However, she chose her words carefully so as not to say something else that would be upsetting for Nald.

"They believe that all animals should be free from human influence, good or bad. That's why they live the way they do, using only the products of trees and bushes." Amitola said.

"I don't care, if they believe they are righteous, it's cruel to steal from people who have lost so much! Isn't it enough that dad is gone? They are disrespectful towards a life that has been extinguished." Leonie said, bitterly.

"I know, my dear, I know," Amitola said hugging her children and the dragon tightly.

"We will be okay. I promise. Maybe not today, not tomorrow, but one day we will be okay." Amitola said.

All three of them were crying for everything they had lost, for the injustice of it all. Even in Rim's eyes, a huge tear formed, slowly rolling down his face, glistening like a bright star. The silver of magic was born in the dragon's eyes and blessed the ground with its presence.

Even though she was going through an emotional turmoil, Leonie could feel something was happening with Rim.

As she looked in his direction, he started moving away from them in a hurry.

Leonie could feel his fear, but it had a different flavor to it. He wasn't afraid for himself, he was afraid for them, that he might hurt them.

That was when a burst of blinding light forced Leonie to shut her eyes.

When she opened them again, they were full of reverence, and her mouth was shaping words that failed to come out.

What she beheld, left her speechless.