Episode 4. Family

The tunnel Taeo had widened still smelled of stone dust. Even after leaving Chiru's home, Ruby kept looking back. He could not stop seeing the lightning boring through solid rock. At first there had been only a brilliant flash; then, where the wall had been, there was room for a person to walk.

RubyWow, your brother is so strong! Will you grow that big and strong too?

ChiruI guess so! But he trained really hard.

RubyCould I get that strong too if I trained?

Chiru turned toward him. He could talk about his brother all day, but he was curious about what Ruby would become as well. As they passed another lantern, he asked.

ChiruHow does your kind evolve? What is your strongest skill?

Ruby did not answer immediately. He took two more steps, then stopped. Chiru stopped too. Ruby's ears sank a little. He did not look as though the question was difficult; he looked as though he did not know where to begin.

RubyI grew up alone, without a family... I don't know.

Ruby started to walk again as though it were nothing. But Chiru had heard the hesitation at the end of his answer. He hurried one step forward and drew alongside him.

Chiru thought for a moment, then waited until Ruby looked up. He could not think of any grand words that would make things better. He could, however, think of something they could do together.

ChiruLet's train and find out together. I'll be your family.

Ruby stared at him. He stretched his nose forward a little, as though checking whether this was a joke. Chiru did not pull away. Yesterday, this hedgehog had startled him into a fight. Today, he was standing right there, making that offer.

RubyReally?

ChiruSure. If you want to be my family too.

Ruby leaned his forehead forward first. Chiru tilted his head so his quills would not touch him and pressed the soft part of his forehead against Ruby's. They rubbed gently once. Both of them looked ticklish, but neither moved away.

RubyThen from today... we're family.

Chiru smiled and nodded. They stayed like that a little longer before setting off side by side. When Ruby moved ahead, Chiru caught up; before Chiru rounded a corner, he waited for Ruby. The way back to Junho felt shorter than before.

Ruby reached the nursing room first and peered through the doorway. The children who had been bustling between buckets and bandages were gone. Pori's blanket was folded, and the places where Duri and Shiru had lain were empty.

Junho sat beside Moa, changing the damp cloth. He looked up at their footsteps and beckoned them to come in quietly. This time, Ruby and Chiru approached the cot together instead of racing to get there first.

RubyWhere is everyone? Is Moa still asleep?

JunhoThey went to get Life Water. Moa still hasn't woken up.

He explained that Minjeong and Namjeong had gone to the pet shop with Pori, Duri, and Shiru. Pori believed Life Water could help. Chiru studied Moa's face as he listened. The otter's eyelids did not move; only his chest rose and fell slowly beneath the bandage.

Ruby swallowed the story about Taeo that he had been eager to tell. For a little while, the only sounds in the room were Moa breathing and Junho wringing out the cloth.

When Moa settled again, Ruby rested a forepaw lightly on Junho's knee. Out tumbled the story of Taeo tunneling through rock, followed by his promise to train with Chiru. Junho reminded him to lower his voice. Ruby did, although keeping his excited tail still was harder.

RubyJunho, let's train outside! I want to get stronger too.

JunhoWe can't leave Moa here alone.

Ruby looked toward the exit, then back at Moa. He nearly suggested going for just a little while, but stopped when he saw the closed eyes. Still, he could not quite make himself sit by the wall and wait again. If he grew strong like Taeo, perhaps next time he would not have to stand by and watch.

RubyThen couldn't Moa come too? I'll stay beside him.

Junho did not answer at once. He had told Minjeong he would wait. Was it right to leave? Would moving Moa make things worse? Yet after so much time changing cloths without seeing him wake, waiting was beginning to feel unbearable too.

Junho searched his bag and felt a small Pet Ball. He took it out, set it in his palm, and looked at it for a long moment.

The Pet Ball was small enough for Junho to wrap one hand around it. With Moa inside, he could bring him along without carrying him in his arms all the way. First, Junho checked the bandage for loose ends and carefully removed the folded cloth beneath Moa's chin.

JunhoRest in here for a little while, Moa. You're coming with us.

He pressed the little button, and a pale glow settled around Moa. Ruby took a startled step closer, then stopped beside Chiru and waited. The sleeping otter's shape gathered into the light and passed gently into the ball. Only the hollow he had made in the blankets remained.

Junho cradled the ball in both hands. He had found a way to bring Moa with them, nothing more. Moa had not recovered. They still needed Life Water.

JunhoWe're not just going out to train. We'll meet Minjeong and Namjeong at the pet shop and ask if there's anything else we can do for Moa.

This time, Ruby answered quietly instead of nodding with his whole body. Chiru stood beside him and looked at the ball. Junho packed clean cloths and water, then left a note beside the empty bucket saying where they had gone, in case the others returned by a different route.

Junho put on his backpack and left the room. He adjusted his fingers around the Pet Ball so it could not slip, then climbed the stone steps from the bunker toward the iron door. Ruby and Chiru followed one step at a time. Chiru glanced at Ruby's bandaged foreleg and matched his pace.

JunhoLet's go to the pet shop too. We need to help Moa first.

RubyOkay. I'll warn you if there's anything dangerous on the way.

ChiruJust don't run off alone. We said we'd do things together.

Ruby turned to him with a small grin. Junho was curious about how close the two had become, but this was not the moment to ask. He checked the outer stairs beyond the iron door, then motioned for them to follow.

The air descending from the surface carried dust and burnt wood instead of the bunker's damp smell. Junho held the ball close to his chest. At the last step, the broken village came into view in the bright daylight.

Minjeong's group had reached the pet shop first. She caught Namjeong by the shoulder and stopped. The green awning Pori remembered hung in strips. Broken wooden frames dangled where the display window had been, and the crooked sign creaked in the wind.

MinjeongThis place was attacked too... Is anyone in there?

On the way, Namjeong had counted the coins in his pocket again and again, thinking only of buying Life Water and taking it home. Now even the counter where he might ask the price had collapsed. The coins in his hand suddenly felt useless.

Shiru lowered his nose near the entrance and peered inside. Pori picked a path around the glass to stay by Namjeong. Duri looked behind a broken wall, hoping for some trace of his father, but there was only a fallen shelf in the dust.

A cough came from farther inside. A man with a small bandage on his forehead stood up behind the counter. He was brushing off his dusty apron when he spotted the children and their pets. His first gesture was a warning to watch out for the fallen nails.

Minjeong guided Namjeong onto the safe patch the shopkeeper pointed out. Up close, the bottles on the shelves were broken or empty. Perhaps there were more in the storeroom. She hurried to explain that Moa had not woken once since being hurt.

MinjeongIs there any Life Water left? Our friend won't wake up.

The shopkeeper's expression fell. He started to lift a fallen medicine cabinet, stopped, and showed them its empty compartments.

ShopkeeperIt's all gone. I think the escaped pets took it...

When Darkness struck, he had been desperately getting the pets out from under the collapsing roof. Five had escaped: Neukgu, Sero, Kkoma, Ppyorongi, and Lulu. He had seen some of them carrying things, but the dust and smoke had made it impossible to see exactly what they held.

ShopkeeperWhen I could look properly, the Life Water was missing too. I think one of them may have taken it, but I couldn't tell you which.

NamjeongIf they all ran away... you don't know where they went either?

The man shook his head apologetically. They had not come to steal; they had been running for their lives. Minjeong picked up a broken bottle and set it down again. Blaming someone would not put Life Water in her hands.

Pori rested a forepaw against Minjeong's shoe. As if urging her not to give up, the rabbit turned its leafy ears toward the damaged back door.

Several sets of tracks crossed in the dirt behind the shop. Small claw marks ran beside deep hoofprints; at the corner, the trails split in different directions. Namjeong crouched and reached toward one, then quickly pulled his finger back. He did not want to ruin what little evidence they had.

NamjeongWe don't know who took it. We'll have to find them all.

MinjeongWe will. Moa is waiting. Let's find them one by one.

Minjeong wrote down the five names: Neukgu, Sero, Kkoma, Ppyorongi, Lulu. While she added the shopkeeper's short descriptions, Pori and Shiru examined the tracks along a low wall. Duri stayed close. Whenever a large shadow stirred beyond the alley, he looked up, hoping it was his father. This time, he did not run off on his own.

DuriLook for my dad while we're searching too.

NamjeongWe will. We'll keep looking for Durgan. Let's stay together.

Shiru lifted his nose and looked toward the mouth of the alley. Minjeong asked the shopkeeper to tell their friends, if they came, that the group had gone to look for the escaped pets. Then she checked Namjeong's backpack clasp, and they set off with the three pets toward the first fork.

The coins meant for Life Water were still in Namjeong's pocket. Hoping he would be holding a little bottle instead when they came back, he hurried after his sister.