Act 2

Chapter 1

As the group trotted further into the forest a dirt path came into view. With no other leads they followed it until the Underground Railroad behind them had long disappeared. Yuna and Sora tried to fill the empty air with light chattering, but it did nothing to ease their tension as the trees around them grew denser.

"I wonder how long this goes…" Sora wondered aloud.

"We won't know until we get there," Yuna said. She looked upwards at the trees. "We can't even see the sun from here..."

A family of birdcalls echoed in the forest from all directions. Sora spotted one in a tree nearby but it flew off before the group had gotten any closer. He watched it as it flew effortlessly to the higher branches of a tree, twittering an fluttering.

"Must be nice to be able to fly like that," Sora awed. "At least we'd be able to see where we were going."

"…I smell smoke," Squall said abruptly.

"Huh?" Sora sniffed. "I don't smell anything."

"It's coming from ahead," Cloud said.

"Oh!" exclaimed Yuna. "What's that over there?"

The group fixed their eyes on the clearing that lay ahead. A lone hut stood there, and surely a small fire had been lit, although all that spun from it was a thread of smoke.

"A hut!" Sora yelled.

"We can see that," Squall rolled his eyes.

Sora ignored him and ran over to the hut. "I wonder who lives here?"

"Who would live here? That's what I want to know."

Squall ran his hand quickly over the fire. "It's still warm."

"Then whoever lives here is probably still nearby?" Yuna noted.

"Or maybe he hasn't left at all," Cloud said, uttering his first words since they had entered the forest.

"Already on edge?" Sora asked. "I don't see what's wrong… besides the hut."

"Sonny boy, your eyes fool you!" came an old, cracked voice nearby.

"Whoa!" Sora yelled, jumping away as an old man with long gray hair and tattered clothes stepped out from the shades of the tree. He looked quite amused.

"He's not that scary looking, is he?" Squall said, concealing the urge to chuckle.

"I-I was just startled!"

"Who are you, old man?" Cloud intervened.

The old man laughed, his voice cracking. "No one important. The question is, who are you?"

"We're travelers," Yuna stepped forward. "Sorry if we intruded."

"Ah, not at all. It gets a bit lonely here." He laughed again and stroked his beard, walking past them into his hut.

"Um…" Yuna looked at the others for help. Squall didn't appear to care and Sora didn't seem to want to speak to the old man. Cloud just returned her stare. She sighed and turned to the old man in his hut. He was making quite a racket, moving things around as if he were looking for something.

"Excuse me, sir…"

"Hmm?" the old man continued, not looking at her.

"Actually, we were wondering if you'd please help us…"

"Oh?" he stopped and looked at the four travelers intricately. "And just what are you young ones looking for?"

"Ah…" Yuna looked at Cloud.

"We're searching for someone," Cloud told the old man patiently. "His name is Kadaj."

The name seemed to startle the old man. "Kadaj? Ahh…" he stroked his beard once more.

"Do you know him?"

The old man shook his head. "No… no, I haven't. Though even I, an old hermit, have heard of the name. He has caused you all much trouble I see."

"Yes, he has," Yuna said sadly.

"I'm sorry that I was of no help."

"It's all right," Cloud said then turned to the others. "Let's go."

Squall was the first and quickest to agree. Only Sora and Yuna bid the old man a quick goodbye.

"See ya," Sora said with a smile then ran to catch up with Squall and Cloud.

"Please take care," Yuna said.

"Thank you. But the forest is dangerous, I advise you and your friends to turn back now."

"Maybe you're right," Yuna thought.

"But?"

"But then I'd have to say goodbye to everyone."

The old man found it a satisfactory answer—and smiled. With nothing more to say he returned to his hut.

"What kept you?" Cloud asked Yuna once she had caught up to them.

"Nothing. Nothing at all," she told him with a smile. He looked at her questioningly but she just kept smiling. Sometimes Cloud wondered what it was that made her smile all the time. But knowing her, she probably wouldn't tell him even if he asked.