I skipped down the dirt path, past the hedges and cherry trees. I had finished my chores early this morning and had time to kill. After briefly talking to Reina at the wedding a couple of weeks ago, I'd decided I would try to befriend her; we shy types had to stick together.

Arriving at her front door, I stared up at the huge house. Both Mako and Reina were experts on plants and trees, so I wasn't surprised to see that the entire house was built around a tall, thick tree. It's twisting top branches poked out of the roof of their home. A couple potted plants and an old wagon wheel sat beside the door and a small sapling of a tree grew nearby, but that was nothing compared to the trees in Mako's orchard in the fenced area beside their house. I hoped I would have an orchard just as big one day.

In the quiet of the morning, a pair of hushed voices could be heard inside the house. Instead of knocking on the door, I rudely decided to put my ear up against it. I could just make out little parts of what the voices were saying.

"If it continues… maybe we'll need some help…" the first voice was deep and gruff. I assumed it was Mako.

"… really not what I want. Let's just keep…" the second voice was softer and feminine. Reina or Ayame? I thought.

"It'll be alright… all the time in the world…" said Mako.

The female sniffed. "… suppose you're right…"

Then I heard shuffling and "… I'll be in the orchard."

Before I could react, the door swung open and I teetered forward, struggling to stay on my feet. This time my butt was spared and I landed on my hands and knees.

"Oh my goodness! Are you alright, kiddo?" cried the feminine voice, and I found myself being helped to my feet by Ayame.

I gulped guiltily and I could feel my face heating up.

Mako stepped forward, while Ayame kept a worried arm around my back. "Lillian, was it? What business do you have here?"

"Mako! Don't be so rude," Ayame scolded, "Don't pay any attention to him, Lily. How can we help you?"

Lily. There it was again. The nickname was beginning to grow on me. Maybe it would be okay if other people began to use it as well…

"I – I came to see Reina," I said, trying to act like I hadn't been eavesdropping, "Is she home?"

Mako threw his head back and laughter boomed from deep within him. "Well, why didn't you say so? There was no need to wait so long at the door."

I froze. Had they known I was there all along? I guessed they hadn't minded then; it mustn't have been anything juicy they had been talking about.

Ayame smiled. "Reina's upstairs. Let me go get her for you."

"Oh, no it's okay. I can go upstairs and get her," I smiled back, not wanting them to go to any trouble for someone who had just been listening in on their conversation.

"Alright, kiddo. I'll be at the clinic if you need me."

Reina's room was beautiful. There were unusual plants and flowers everywhere; I felt like I was in the middle of the forest. But as interesting as the room was, there was no Reina in sight.

"Reina, it's Lillian," I called, "Are you in here?"

A clattering sound came from behind the far wall. "I'm in here!"

I followed the sound of her voice and found a small doorway in the wall. I walked through, ducking so as not to hit my head, and found myself in a cosy room with a table, a couple book cases and a huge carnivorous plant. The table was covered in plant samples, and Reina was looking at one through a microscope.

"What are you up to today?" I asked, steering clear of the carnivorous plant and resting my hands on the table.

Reina didn't take her attention off the plant sample. "I'm studying a rare plant that grows on the mountain."

I stifled a yawn. "How long will that take?"

"It's a long term experiment," she explained, "I can stop and start whenever I like."

I brightened up a bit. "In that case, why don't we hang out for a bit today?"

Reina looked up. "Hang out? With you?"

"Yeah," I said, smiling, "I finished todays work early, so I have a lot of free time."

She looked at the ground and one of her long braids fell over her shoulder. "I don't know. I'm not very good company…"

"Aw, don't give me that," I said, "Come on, we could go to the Tea House, or visit Nori, or-"

"How about we go for a walk in the mountain? I can teach you how to herb-hunt," she interrupted.

I had had quite enough of the mountain, but "Herb-hunt?" I asked, suddenly curious.

Reina smiled. "There are all kinds of herbs and other little treasures on the mountain. You just have to know where to look."

Before long I was staggering after Reina as she walked swiftly up the mountain, her short, loose curls bouncing, and her three dark braids swishing across her back below them. She was unusually fit for someone who spent most of their time indoors with their nose in a book.

"Are we nearly there?" I called, pausing to catch my breath.

Reina kept walking. "Just a little further."

We crossed an old stone bridge that ran over a deep river.

"Alright, now we just need to jump down here," she said absent-mindedly, climbing down a steep hill.

I slid down after her; thankfully I had kept my chore clothes on, so the big dirt stain on my pants from the slide didn't bother me too much.

Reina led me under the bridge we had crossed and I heard myself gasp. A beautiful spout of water flowed from a crack in the rock wall and into the clear sapphire river.

Wow, I mouthed, as I followed her.

We stopped right next to the waterfall, and a few sprays of cold, refreshing water landed on my face, making me blink in surprise.

"This is one of my usual herb-hunting spots," she said, pointing to another crack in the rocks, "Best part if that sometimes you can find ore in here. Copper, silver, sometimes even gold if you're lucky enough."

She reached her hand inside and pulled out an assortment of objects. She examined the contents in her hand.

"Bad luck today," she said, pouting, "I only found a shiitake and some mint. And a branch. But no ore."

I stared in amazement. I had no idea that random things were hiding in the mountain. I would definitely use this 'herb-hunting' activity often. It was sure to make cooking meals a whole lot easier.

"But this," she began, holding out the stick, "This is completely useless, unless you chop it into lumber. I don't want it."

I took the branch in my hands. I didn't have any use for lumber at the moment. Reaching it back behind my head, I prepared to throw it into the river.

"No-wait!" Reina cried.

But it was too late. Plop! The branch floated along the current. I turned to Reina, who had her arms crossed.

"What?" I asked defensively, "You said you didn't need it."

"I don't. But you should never EVER under any circumstance throw something in the river," she warned, "The wildlife around here need that water to survive. If the river becomes polluted, the animals will get mad."

I stared. "Really?"

Reina nodded. "They do. They get really angry. If I were you, I'd keep an eye out for any wild boar or bears for the rest of the day."

Reina let me have the mushroom and mint, and after pocketing them we headed to the next 'herb-hunting' hotspot. This time Reina showed me a hollow tree stump.

"Tree stumps are the best places to look if you want quality herbs," she said, feeling around inside it.

This time her hand returned with a yellow plant. "This is chamomile. You can use it in a variety of recipes and it makes good tea. I use it a lot at home."

"Speaking of 'home', have you sorted our whether you'll be staying at Mako's or not?" I asked, "You really are welcome at my house if it doesn't work out."

Reina smiled. "I talked with them, and I decided that I'd stick around for a while until they have a child of their own."

I grinned widely. "So they're already trying for a kid?"

"Yep. They both really want a family as soon as possible," Reina said, smiling wistfully.

"That must be exciting for you," I commented, "Soon you'll have little cousins to run around after!"

"Yeah… I might not be very sociable most of the time, but I sorta have a soft spot for children," she said, blushing slightly.

We both escaped into our own thoughts for a while, until a familiar growl shattered the silence. My eyes shot open as that big brown bear from before skulked around in the distance. It seemed to be searching for something. Backing away, I accidentally stepped on a danged leaf, and it crunched loudly under my shoe. How cliché, I thought. The bears ears pricked up and it looked in my direction. I stood stock-still.

"Reina," I whispered out of the corner of my mouth, "Run. Now."

Reina snapped out of her daydream and immediately say the danger we were both in.

"I don't understand," I continued to whisper, "I was friends with this same bear just the other day."

Reina's eyes widened. "It was that branch! Remember, you threw it into the water. The bear must be looking for revenge."

I smacked my forehead. "Oh, crap."

The bear began walking in our direction.

"Run, Reina. Get out of here," I yelled.

She didn't need to be told twice – and neither did the bear. I stood frozen on the spot as he began galloping at full speed toward me. When Reina was safely out of harm's way, she turned back to see where I was.

"Lillian, what are you doing? Run!" she screamed uncharacteristically loud.

I tried to run, but my feet were frozen in fear. I looked around for something – anything – I could use to defend myself. Nothing.

Giving up, I closed my eyes and braced myself.

Cam wasn't there to save me this time.