A squeak woke Bell up.

When he opened his eyes sleepy, he saw a squirrel sitting in front of his face, sniffing at his nose. He blinked and the squirrel jumped away, revealing something else to his view.

Ryuu´s face.

She was still sleeping, turned towards him and for some reason only at arm´s length away. The first shy sunbeams fell on her face from behind, making the tip of her ear look red.

She looks like a fairy...no...like a fairy princess.

Bell had never seen a sight so beautiful, with her eyes closed and a relaxed face, one of her ears visible through the hair...Bell was at a loss for words. Her blanket rose and fell slowly with her breath. He had the strong urge to caress her cheek...to protect her from all evil...to make her smile...make her happy.

Bell could only lie there and watch the sleeping beauty.

A wish occured in him, to see this face every day...every morning he woke up.

Af few hair strains fell onto Ryuu´s face, slowly Bell lifted an arm from under his blanket and reached forward...but he hesitated and pulled his arm back.

Remember Bell, don´t touch a sleeping fairy...an old wisdom of his grandfather.

Enchanted by the sight, Bell´s eyes wandered down to Ryuu´s lips. His face grew warmer, another wisdom of his grandfather was, that kissing a sleeping girl was part of a mans romance

Bell´s mouth became dry.

Slowly Bell took his blanket of and sat up, Ryuu continued sleeping...

That inviting curve of her lips...

He leaned forward and...

No !

Ryuu was only sleeping peacefully because she trusted him, to not do anything improper.

Carefully Bell touched the blanket on Ryuu´s shoulder and shook her gently.

"Ryuu...wake up..."

She opened her eyes with fluttering eyelids.

"Bell ?..." Ryuu was not fully awake right now. "Good morning..."

Hng !...She looks so cute when she´s sleepy.

"I will prepare breakfast if you want to wash your face."

"Thank you..."

Yawning Ryuu went in the direction of the lake, while he was starting to clean up the camp.

What is wrong with me...in the past I would have gone far when someone would be leaning over me while I sleep...except for Syr or Alise...

Arriving at the lake, Ryuu knelt down and splashed some water in her face, it made her fully awake. Ryuu paused and looked around, it has been a long time since she slept in a forest.
She had nearly forgotten how it was...not so bad from time to time.

Strange how calm I feel with Bell around..

Ryuu raised her arms over her head and stretched...it was not so bad to be a bit carefree.

After refreshing herself, she returned to the camp, Bell had hung the blankets on a low branch so they could ventilate and had put a kettle on the heatring, right now he rolled up the sheet.

"Wait, let me help." Ryuu stepped beside Bell, leaned forward and helped him.

She noticed that he refused to look at her direction and turned his head away.

Looking down Ryuu noticed, her sleeping wear sat looser than she had thought.

Her ears became warm, but also her heart.

He is such a gentleman...

After the cleaned up the camp and changed into their normal clothes, they sat down and enjoyed hot tea with some nuts, hard boiled eggs and cherry tomatoes. Not so bad as a breakfast.

"Do you think we will need five days to reach the mountains ?" Bell cleaned his teacup, they were travel variants made out of metal.

"We´re moving fast, maybe the day after tomorrow evening. The travel time was calculated for normal people."

"Sounds good." Bell grinned.

After filling their backpacks, they made sure they hadn't forgotten anything, then they went in the direction of the Beol mountains.

The weather today was good again, only a few clouds visible. They made good progress and when the sun reached its zenith, they took a short break. With the passing hours, the mountains came closer and closer. The road turned into a path when they reached the first foothills of the mountains, and old sign in the shape of an arrow pointed towards the mountain. The word "Edas" was written on that sign, apparently they were heading in the right direction. Trees lined the edge of the path. When the sun started to set, the path began to climb slightly. They looked to the sky, more clouds had gathered, some of them were pretty dark. As they were told, the weather could change quickly in the mountains.

"We should probably find shelter for the night." Ryuu looked a bit worried.

"You´re right." Bell wasn't thrilled by the prospect of getting caught in the rain.

For now they had no other choice than to follow the path.

"Is that...smoke ?" Ryuu discovered a trail of smoke a bit ahead after a while.

"Maybe a house ?"

And indeed, after a while, a house appeared, light filled the windows. Someone would expect a small house up here, but what lay in front of them was by no means small. With a first floor and a pointed roof, the house was at least six meters high. The walls consisted of tree trunks stacked on top of one another.
A chimney was the source of the smoke. Ryuu heard voices from the inside, two of them.

Bell looked at her uncertainly. "Shall we knock ?"

"I´m not so sure." Ryuu was thinking.

Before she came to a decision, the voices fell silent and the door opened, a figure appeared.

Is that a bear in human form ?

Bell couldn´t help but think that as the man appeared. He was a human and at least two meters tall, had a massive build, hairy arms, a slightly protruding belly and a full beard. His hair reached down to his shoulders, it had a brown color, the beard was slightly reddish, his eyes had a green color. He wore dark trousers with a wide leather belt and a plaid shirt. He looked grim.

"Ah travelers ! Welcome !" His grim look cracked into a welcoming smile. "So my wife was right when she heard you."

"Of course I was right Hubby !" A female voice came from the inside.

"So, do you want to come in ? I don´t think you want to stay outside, there might be rain" He looked from one to another.

Ryuu and Bell were a bit perplex, they didn't expect that.

"Ah..uhm...M-my name is Bell Cranell and this is Ryuu Lyon...we´re travelling to the mountains and...uhm."

Ryuu bowed her head politely. "We would like to ask you, if we could stay the night, if it doesn't cause any trouble for you."

"Of course not ! Come in, we didn´t had visitors in a long time." He stepped to the side and waved them inside.

"Th-Thank you !" Bell had found his voice again.

The inside looked very cozy. Floor and furniture were made of wood, Goat skins as carpets lay here and there. There was a fireplace in one corner and a big table with six chairs stood at a wall.
They saw a closed door and a stair next to it. There were two armchairs in front of the fireplace. All in all a very cozy mountain hut. A woman was getting up from one of the armchairs.

She was a demi-human wolf woman in her mid-thirties, her hair and tail were black, a head shorter than the man and had a gentle smile on her face. She wore a simple white dress that reached down to her lower legs, with a hole on the backside for her tail. Her eyes were dark grey.

The woman stood next to the man and eyed them. "Are you from Orario ?"

"Yes."

"Oh...so you´re maybe adventurers ?"

The man interrupted her. "Mina..let them come in for now."

"Ah sorry, you´re right hubby." She smiled apologetically.

After Bell and Ryuu came in, the man closed the door. As they took off their boots, Ryuu rummaged in her backpack and pulled out two dark green kneesocks.

"Do you want some slippers ? With just socks the floor can be cold." The woman cocked her head.

"Ah um.."

"Ah wait a moment." The woman slipped away and returned shortly thereafter, she placed a pair of slippers in front of Ryuu and one in front of Bell

"T-Thank you..." A little embarrassed, they put them on.

"I´m going to make some tea !" The woman slipped away again.

"Please excuse my wife..she is a bit excited...as I said, we haven't had any guests for a long time." The man showed them the table, so they could sit down, they left their backpacks at a wall.

"So...I´m Kato and my wifes name is.."

"I´m Mina!" The womans voice came from the next room, probably the kitchen.

"Her ears are really good." He smiled.

"Awwww thank you Hubby!"

"So you´re travelers...adventurer ?"

It was Ryuu who answered. "Yes to both, we´re on the way to Edas village."

"Ah, its been long since adventurer came this way to the village, sometimes merchants pass by."

Mina returned with a tray with four cups on it, she placed a cup in front of everyone and sat down herself.

"You can stay the night, we have a guest room and two beds." The woman folded her hands and rested her chin on them while looking at them both.

"Thank you very much." Bell bowed his head.

She smiled. "What a polite young man."

"Thank you, we would be in trouble if it started to rain while we were outside." As if to back up her words, one could hear a soft rattle against the windows.

The man leaned back in his chair. "Orario...man that was a long time ago..."

Bell looked at him. "You´re from Orario ?"

"Yes, we left about five years ago."

The woman grinned wide. "My Hubby promised me a house in the mountains if I would marry him."

He coughed lightly. "Mina.."

"Aawww...what is it ? Is my big teddy bear embarassed ?" Mina had a smug grin on her face.

It was less the man than Bell and Ryuu who looked embarrassed, they were amazed that these two showed their affection for each other so openly.

Is that what adult love is like? Ryuu was curious.

"If you want, you can take a bath, bot we don´t have much to eat in the house, we didn´t expect guests..."

Ryuu´s ears twitched at the word "bath".

Bell answered them. "Thank you, for food we still have dried meat and vegetables from Mama Mia..."

"Mama Mia ? THAT Mama Mia ?!" Bell had their full attention.

"Ahm...yes ?"

"It´s been ages since we tasted that food.." The woman already started drooling.

"W-Well we have too much anyway, sharing it is the least we can do to thank you."

"Yippieh !" The woman looked more than happy. "If you give it to me, we can make a real dinner out of it."

"Of course." Ryuu got up, walked over to her backpack and took out two small wrapped packages.

The woman waved her over from the door and led her into the kitchen.

"Would you help me ?"

"I´m...not good at cooking."

"Aw come on, I´m sure your boyfriend would love some handmade food from you."

Ryuu´s face went hot. "B-Boyfriend ?"

"Oh not that ? Then your companion." The wolf woman grinned again. "You can take a bath after the dinner, the water takes a while to get hot."

The woman took out a large pan and set it on the stove. She was about to lit the stove when Ryuu stopped her.

"Wait a moment."

Ryuu slipped out of the kitchen and returned a moment later with the magic stone heat ring.

"It might be easier this way." She put it on the stove and pushed the button to activate the heating process.

"Well thats convenient !"

Mina threw a bit butter in the pan and when it melted they put the dried meat and vegetables in. The meat was marinated and the vegetables seasoned by Mama Mia, a pleasant smell filled the kitchen.

"Aaaah...thats the stuff..." The woman was drooling again.

Ryuu was taken aback...she didn´t know how to talk to a stranger she just met.

The woman moved the handle of the pan over to Ryuu and handed her the wooden spoon. "Here, you do it, I will tell you what to do, he will love it." She winked.

What an unexpected situation !

Meanwhile Bell chatted with the man, somehow he reminded him of his grandfather.

"Yeah we left Orario during what they called "the dark times", we just couldn´t stand the city anymore."

"I can understand that...but it has gotten better, the city is much more peacefull now. The Ganesha Familia ensures peace in the city."

"Thats good to hear...peace is always the best." The man drank his tea.

Right then the kitchen door opened, the woman and Ryuu appeared, both with a plate in each hand.

"Tadaah ! Fresh food from Mama Mia´s, cooked by your Gir-...your companion !"

The womans smile put the sun to shame, while Ryuu had a red shade on her cheeks for some reason.

The man got up and got cutlery out of a cupboard.

""""Thanks for the meal.""""

Even if it was only fried, it tasted really good.

After they had dinner, Bell and Ryuu took turns in the bath, while the other brought their stuff in the guest room. They talked with the couple for a while, before Bell started to yawn.

"You two must be tired, go on and sleep, we can talk tomorrow before you set off again." The man nodded understanding.

Ryuu bowed her head again. "Thank you again for letting us stay here."

The woman waved if off. "Ah no problem."

Bell and Ryuu left the room and went to the guest room, it was already dark and raining outside, but they could see well enough.

"What a cute young couple." Mina giggled as she sat in her armchair.

"Mina..you don´t know if they´re a couple." Kato frowned slightly.

But she only tapped her nose and winked. "Believe me, feminine intuition."

He shrugged. "Well we wouldn´t be here without your intuition...thats why I married you."

"Aw...and because you love me...and what I can do." She leaned over with a smug grin.

"Oh of course I love you." He leaned over and they kissed.

Maybe these two underestimated the ears of level four adventurers, because Bell and Ryuu could still hear them...especially Ryuu with her sharp ears.

They lay there in the dark, already changed into their sleeping wear, their weapon belts hung on the bedpost.

"What a friendly couple." Bell sighed comfortably.

"Indeed." Ryuu was a little embarassed, she couldn't handle such open displays of affection.

"In any case these beds are far better than sleeping outside."

"Yes...we should sleep now Bell, we have a long way before us tomorrow."

"Then good night."

"Good night..Bell."

It was past midnight when Ryuu opened her eyes, she had heard a fine creak in the house, it came from the front door and not from above where the bedroom of the couple were. The rain had stopped.

"Bell..." Ryuu whispered.

But he was already awake. "I heard it...do you think they're burglars?"

"Maybe...we should check...quietly."

They got up carefully and took their weapons, it was a good thing they had learned how to move as quiet as possible.

However...

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN MY HOUSE !" The voice of the man boomed through the house.

Hastily they exchanged a look, then they hurried quietly towards the living room.

As they reached the room, light already filled it, on one side stood Kato, looking like an angry bear and on the other side six men clad in black clothes. They were of mixed races.

"Hey easy there big guy...we don´t want to hurt someone...just some money and food." One of the man, apparently their leader spoke.

"Get out of here ! You will get nothing from me !" Kato was very angry.

Unfortunately before Ryuu or Bell could intervene, Mina came down the stairs. "Hubby...you alrig-EEEK!"

As she reached the bottom of the stairs, two of the men jumped to her and held her arms.

"My my...what a fine woman you have there..." The leader grinned.

Katos face darkened. "Let her go..now !"

"Oh easy easy big guy...we can´t just let such a fine woman go..."

Ryuu´s face turned somber. She and Bell could attack now, but with Mina in danger...Bell seemed to have the same thought.

Kato took a step forward. "I said let her go...or you will regret it !"

"Hubby !" Mina looked frightened

"Hubby ? Ha thats cute..." The leader took a step forward. "You had your chance big guy."

Before they could react, the leader raised his ax and rammed the shaft into Katos stomach.

"Argh !" He held his stomach and staggered back.

"Hubby !" Now Mina sounded panicked.

"Ryuu we have to do something !" Bell whispered.

"I know, we have to be fast, you take care of the man holding her, I take the others out."

"Okay...one...two..."

It happened in an instant, one second before they wanted to attack Bell blinked.

The next moment a man flew backwards, crashed into another one and they fell backwards through the door.

Another man was smashed face first into the floor, his head in the iron grip of...Mina.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO MY HUBBY !"

Bell was stunned, the demi-human wolf woman went berserk, it also looked like her canines were longer.

"Huh ?" The leader staggered back when a shadow dashed into his men, smashed and punch them to a pulb.

Mina whirled around, kicking one after another out of the door, then she turned to the leader with bloodlust in her now red eyes.

Ryuu and Bell were to perplex to move.

The leader had his axe ripped out of his hand and was held in the air, panting because a claw like hand was closed around his neck.

"IF YA LAY YER FILTHY HANDS ON MA HUBBY AGAIN I`LL PUNCH YER JAW IN AND RIPP YER HEARTS OUT !"

She looked nothing like the cheerfull woman before.

Bell was horrified...such a slender cute woman...his world shattered a bit.

Ryuu looked more composed and mumbled "Beastification..."

"Eeep ! W-We p-promise...W-We will n-never come b-back." The leader was shaking with fear.

"THEN GET OUT !" She whirled around and threw him all the way out of the door, he crashed into the pulb of his men.

Panting, Mina stomped to the door and slammed it shut.

The next moment she whirled around. "Hubby !"

Back was the woman they knew, she hurried to her husband and knelt beside him.

"I´m okay...sorry I was no help." He sat up while rubbing his stomach.

"Oh no it´s okay...the main thing is that you are not hurt."

She helped him standing up again.

Ryuu took a step forward. "Sorry...we wanted to help but.."

Mina grinned. "Ah its okay lad, we're used ta burglars...who knows what could´ve happend if yer´d interfered."

The man coughed. "Mina...your accent."

"Woops...I'm sorry, I'm still a little upset...Teehee." She bonked her head lightly with her fist.

"I think we should go back to sleep...I will set up a warning sign again tomorrow...these burglars never learn."

"You´re right hubby !...good night you two !"

As if nothing happened they went up the stairs.

Ryuu and Bell stood there in silence...

Did that really just happened ?

After they had breakfast the next morning, Ryuu and Bell thanked the couple again as they went on with their journey.

Mina and Kato looked after them as they went farther away, she had her head on his shoulder. "Cute these two."

"Really takes me back..."

"Yep !" Mina grinned.

"Would you have believed then that we would be like this?"

"Nope !"

"Ah I remember when I first saw that beautiful gang leader in Orario..."

Mina pouted. "Mou Hubby...don´t remember me of my embarassing past !"

What a strange couple...