The girl didn't see Hope, but she saw there was someone sleeping with a blanket covering the entire body.
Bree thought it was Hope, who was lying down, fast asleep as the blanket covered her body. Therefore, with a bucket of flowers in her hands, she walked closer while calling her name.
"Hope?" Bree blinked her eyes because the light in the room was dim.It was not enough to provide the light that she needed to see.The only light that illuminated the room was the flames from the bonfire outside, since the moon was covered by the cloud. "Hope, wake up, you have been sleeping the whole day."
The little girl took off her slippers when she got into the haystack and poked the person's shoulder, who she thought was Hope.
On the other hand, Kace was in his deep slumber, when a foreign scent invaded his nose. The smell of flowers and it was quite strong.
'Does Hope bring flowers into the hut?' Kace scrunched his nose, as the scent was growing thicker. 'Why would she bring something like that?'
The beast was not fully awake yet, thus he was still not aware when Bree came closer to him, thinking he was Hope.
Only when she poked his shoulder that Kace's eyes snapped open as he turned his body real quick and startled the little girl.
Bree fell on her back, and her mouth was ajar when she watched it was Kace.
But, the beast disliked this little human near him as his canines elongated.
==============
Hope was entering Lana's hut. It was Ian and Ethan, who would report to her about Lana's condition when Hope was still inside her own hut, and was not allowed to go out.
And now, Hope had her cloak back, she could roam around this place without being worried about those evil creatures that would hunt her down again.
Though this cloak already had holes here and there, it was clean enough for her to use, since there was a female centaur who had washed it for her.
"How is Lana?" Hope asked the moment she stepped inside the hut.Her eyes immediately found Lana's figure that was lying on the same haystack that Hope used to sleep back in her hut.But, because this place was smaller than hers, now with the four of them inside, Hope had to exchange places with Ethan if she wanted to see Lana closer.
"She has a fever," Ethan replied with his brows knitted together as he watched Lana's condition.
"It is not common for shapeshifters to have a fever," Ian explained. He was sitting beside Lana's feet, while Hope was sitting near Lana's head. "We don't easily get sick."
"Well, we know why she is sick," Ethan said as he sat, while hugging his long legs behind Hope. "I don't think she will be able to join us to Mount Uzu in her current condition."
Hope nodded.
Chiron said it would take four days to reach Mount Uzu. Lana wouldn't be able to withstand such a long trip. No, not when her condition was like this.
"But, how can we leave her behind?" Ian mumbled. He didn't want to be left behind, and took care of Lana. Especially if he had to stay with those centaurs, it would be the most uncomfortable experience for him. As selfish as it sounded, he didn't know Lana very well and didn't have that kind of bond that Hope shared with the female werewolf.
However, he would feel bad to voice out what he was actually thinking. After all, they were in this mission together.
"We'll talk about this to Chiron, and hear what he has in mind," Hope decided, since Kace was nowhere to be helpful to ask an opinion from for this moment.
There was a moment of silence after the siblings mumbled their agreement. Then, Ethan opened the hut's door, and poked his head outside as if he was trying to look for someone.
"What happened?" Hope caught that gesture, and became curious.
"Bree didn't come with you?" Ethan asked.
"Bree?" Hope frowned. "No. Ah, right… where is she? I had not seen her since this morning."
"She went with Carina to pick some flowers, she said you will take her to her parent's grave once you found your cloak. That's why, when she heard you had it, she insisted on going to pick some flowers," Ian explained.
"A moment ago, she said she will come to your hut, to show you the flowers that she had picked. You didn't see her on your way here?" Ian closed the hut's door again, and watched as Hope shook her head with knitted brows.
Hope gave some thought, "maybe because I took a detour to come here, that's why I missed her…" she contemplated.
"Hm, maybe…" Ian's voice trailed off, but then the realization hit him. "So, where is she now? Don't tell me…"
Ian didn't finish his sentence when he looked at the other two people there, but from the horror that flashed on their eyes, he knew they were in the same understanding.
Hope and Ethan sprung to their feet and rushed out of the hut.
It didn't mean that Hope believed Kace would do any harm on the girl, but… the beast… he had an unpredictable temper.
==============
When Ethan, and Hope reached her hut with Ian following behind them, they could hear a low whimper from inside.
Hope's heart pounded on her chest as she imagined the worst case scenario.
"Kace!" Ethan was the first person who opened the door hut, and readied himself to shift if the situation forced him to do so.
Hope came in second, and her eyes widened when she watched what was happening inside the hut.
Flowers scattered everywhere, while there the beast was, standing tall in front of them, with little Bree in his arms. Kace held her with one arm by the back of her cloak, now she looked like a little puppy that was holding its scruff.
"Take her out!" Kace grunted while throwing Bree towards Ethan.
It was a good thing that the werewolf had an amazing reflex, so Ethan could catch the girl just in time.
Yet, Bree squalled in delight. "Again! Again!"