CHAPTER 23

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"That's enough for today" said Maria putting down the sword in her hand.

She looked towards her granddaughter who was lying on the down with her arms spread wide.

"Sounds good" Angelica answered, not moving an inch. 

Angelica was too tired to get up.

"What are you doing?" Maria asked doubtfully

"Testing the gravity"

"Get up and have some fire fruits. You'll feel better"

Angelica got up after a while and stretched herself as she looked towards the sky. It was a full moon today. The three moons in the sky were so bright that there was no need for any modes of lighting.

"It's too bright today"

"It was brighter the day you were born"

"Really? Brighter than this" 

I remember Mom and Dad talking about it too. The sky was said to be as bright as a football stadium which made her doubt her grandmother's claims.

Angelica was looking at Maria skillfully peeling a fire fruit. 

Fire fruits are shaped like pears. They have a hard shell but a soft juicy interior, making it a good instant nourishment. 

There were a wide range of fire fruit trees located in the Finnel mountain range. But there was one common standard, the higher the tree is the sweeter the fruit.

Angelica was the one who would climb the trees for picking the fruits. 

It was amusing for Maria to see her granddaughter wrestle with the squirrels that keeps trying to steal from her.

When Angelica and Maria departed from home, it was peak hunting season. They could hear the wild animals beyond the trees rustling as they pass by. But none of the animals dared to enter the vicinity of the cabin thanks to the wyvern head hanging in the entrance. The duo had run into a wyvern during one of their scheduled hiking session.

After a little effort, they had caught the wild wyvern and brought back its head to keep the other wild animals from attacking the cabin. 

Wild Wyverns are extremely dangerous unlike the ones in the royal army. They kill an average of two hundred people a year. They are the most ferocious in the hunting season. So animals avoid the scent of wyverns. 

It was the law of nature. 

The strong conquer the weak.

"You've gotten better"

"Reawlly? Theb whab abobt meh sworbmonshib"

~Really? Then what about my swordsmanship

"My dear! Talk after you swallow"

Angelica was munching down on three pieces in one go. She held out her motioning Maria to wait as she tried to swallow.

"Diwb youb bear thab"

~Did you hear that?

"Your skills have certainly gotten better. Slow down you're going to choke on that" Maria said patting Angelica's back.

"Did I what? Bear? There are no bears in this vicinity"

Angelica was looking at her with a red face being unable to neither talk nor swallow. She jumped down from her seat and pointed towards the forest. 

Maria tilted her head in confusion.

Unable to communicate with her grandmother Angelica stomped her feet hard on the ground twice and she ran towards the forest entrance.

Maria stood up watching Angelica as she disappeared behind the trees. There was not a bit of panic or anxiousness on her face. She started to think about what to cook for dinner.

Moments later Angelica came out with a bundle in her hands. She ran towards Maria full of spirits and held out her hand.

"Look who I found" Angelica was covered in mud from head to toe. She looked at Maria with twinkling eyes as she held out her hand.

*whimper* *whimper*

The bundle in her hand shifted a little when Maria reached out to touch it. 

It was a wolf pup. 

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