20 A Remedy for a Broken Hear (1/2)

Hana's first return trip from the stream to her cave was uneventful. Thank goodness!

As she become more familiar with the route, she managed to reach her destination just within fifteen minutes. It was only a few days ago when Hana needed more than thirty minutes when she followed the song bird.

As weird as it was, practice do made Hana better at directions, in some sense. She wondered why she needed Waze (1) every time she drove about before.

Hana placed her first ever cooking pot gently in the middle of her cave dwelling, just beside the fireplace. The fireplace spot at the center of the cave had become unintentionally fixed; it was opposite Hana's Internet special spot.

She then moved out all the items she brought back from her day's work and placed them at the cave wall in an organized manner, all according to the types.

Hana worriedly looked at the digital clock on her smartphone and decided to risk it and make another round. This time she dashed through the woods with her heart in her mouth, as the surrounding was getting dimmer.

This time Hana placed the flower-shaped flat stone she used as potter's wheel before inside her shopping bag horizontally. It was truly quite tricky. The base of the bag had become wider and made both the pannikin shaped mug and gourd-shaped water container relatively safer from being accidentally squashed by her sweaty armpit. However, her shopping bag wasn't looking too good; it looked like it could tear anytime.

Hana wanted to cry. [Please don't tear...aiyo..I only have you to help me..]

She carried the last big pot she made with both hands while placing the shopping bag's handle through one of her arms. It was so damn heavy! It wasn't even properly dried yet.

She had underestimated on how heavy a large pot made from clay could be. She was so used to thin steel pots until she had neglected this point.

She glanced at her homemade spear with mixed feelings. There's no way she was going to make another round after this.

After some hesitation, she left her other things.

[There's always tomorrow! They won't go anywhere anyway.]

She suddenly remembered Kuro and was anxious. Yesterday, the little obedient pet of hers appeared just beside her out of the blue when she's on her way back, so she thought it'll be the same for today.

But not today.

She peeked through the bushes but couldn't make out anything.

She didn't dare to call out to Kuro. Full darkness nearly descended, and she was scared of the forest sounds as they got louder.

[Aiyaaaahhh..that boy ahh! Wait until you return! I'm going to grill you!]

She prepared herself to pinch the little snake's body when she meet her pet later. Regrettably it didn't have a butt to be spanked.

Hana became irritated due to her fear. She hesitantly walked back to her cave in a fast pace while carrying the big pot in both hands and the shopping bag.

The cacophony of sounds got to her as she got more and more nervous with every jittery rushed steps.

Nearing the end, her foot got stuck to one of the buttress roots!

”Aiyo!”

Hana lost her balance! The big clay pot she held with dear life smashed to the surrounding roots. She only managed to save the potteries inside the shopping bag.

Hana was dumbfounded.

She just stood there unmoving for a few seconds. All the scary sounds drowned out and she heard a heart-rending sniff. Unsurprisingly, it originated from herself.

Warm tears flowing down from the corner of her eyes while she kept on sniffing sadly. It was too trying today.

Hana forgot her fear at that moment and squatted down. She took out another empty shopping bag and shakily collect the broken pieces silently.

Thank goodness her other pots in the shopping bag were okay.

Hana gave a sorrowful sigh and continued her journey. This time she was extra careful when maneuvering between the large snake-like roots.

Before entering the cave, Hana heard a soft rustle amongst the dried leaves on her left. She yelped subconsciously!

”Wahhh!”

A small black head with a red ruby peeked through.

Hana patted her fragile sorrowful heart.

”WTF Kuro! Don't jump me like that! Where did you go all day?! I'm going to-”

Hana was shocked speechless by the big ass egg the little snake brought back until she forgot to continue her words. Kuro was partially coiled on a brown egg speckled with silver dots.

The egg was the size of a football! Did it steal the egg from an ostrich?

Hana went to help carry the egg for Kuro as soon as she placed both of her shopping bags inside the cave.