A sack full of bear traps was thrown off a high gorge. Standing close to the edge of the cliff, but not too close, both Shoto and Izuku watched as the sack grew smaller and smaller till they lost sight of it, plummeting all the way down to the very bottom.
"Now that's finally taken care of!" The wild boy happily exclaimed as he brushed his palms together to rid off the dirt that stuck to his skin. Grabbing ahold of the other boy's hand, startling him a bit in the process, Izuku then added "Come on, we still have enough time before the sun goes down!"
And with that, the wild boy proceeded to pull the hunter boy along with him as they walked away from the cliff and back into the forest. Letting go of the other's hand, Izuku began humming a familiar merry tune and happily skipped ahead of Shoto.
"So. Dulaman, huh?" The hunter boy curiously asked, recognizing and remembering the song the wild boy sung earlier. "What does it mean anyway?"
Taking a pause from his skipping, the wild boy simply replied "Oh, it's literally a seaweed!"
"Seaweed? What kind of seaweed exactly? Some magical seaweed or something?"
Hearing this made Izuku shoot Shoto a rather confused look.
"Townie, Dulaman is literally just a seaweed!"
"Wait, seriously?! It's just a seaweed?! Like actual seaweed?!"
Izuku simply responded with a hum and nod.
"Not even some sort of God of seaweed? How about a magical creature that looks like a seaweed!"
Simply watching Shoto getting confused all because of a song that just literally talks about channel wrack seaweed, Izuku of course couldn't help but let out a laugh.
"Yup, it's just an ordinary seaweed!"
"Who makes a song all about seaweed?!"
"Who knows?! Whoever made that song was just probably hungry for some!"
"You're not the one who made it up?"
Izuku replied by shaking his head and humming no.
"I actually overheard three men singing that song. I think they were camping here in the woods for the night. I really liked the song, so I stayed hidden for awhile and listened to them sing. Right before the wolves and I decided to chase them away!"
"Of course you would!" Shoto sighed, feeling bad for the nameless men who were unfortunate enough to enter the domain of the wild boy and his pack of wild wolves.
"From what I heard, it's actually a folk song about the practice of gathering the seaweed. It wasn't our song, but no matter what song it is, Mama always loved the sound of music!"
And just like that, the mere mention of the wild boy's mother made the air between the two wolfwalkers suddenly grow cold and uneasy. The same goes for Izuku's expression as well as his aura, which suddenly turned sad and longing.
"She even told me she loved hearing me sing, it made her happy for some reason. I didn't know why, but it's not like I care. As long as it made her happy, why even bother knowing the reason?" He spoke with a low tone as he reminisced his most cherished memories between he and his mother, but somehow managed to smile in spite of the sad look in his eyes.
"So then, where is she? Do you think she got caught?"
"Shoto, how could you say that?!"
Confused, the hunter boy hummed before shooting the other that very same look. Then from out of nowhere, he suddenly felt something grab ahold of the front of his cloak. Eventually realizing that it was none other than the wild boy.
"How dare you?! How dare you say that?!" Izuku furiously yelled from out of the blue, startling Shoto a bit. "Mama is fine. No one, no one can catch my mama. And anyway, if she really were caught by those stinkers, I'd get my wolves to eat them all!"
"No!"
With the wild boy still holding on to him, the hunter boy for some reason grabbed ahold of both of Izuku's shoulders.
"Even if they have your mother, that doesen't mean you should be hurting people just to get her back!" Shoto yelled in panic, lightly shaking Izuku as he continued to speak. "Violence is never the solution. Izuku, you're better than that. I know you are. So please, don't ever think of doing something so horrible ever again!"
It appears the hunter boy has finally realized what he had just done, and the same goes for the wild boy. Because the two boys froze and had these shocked looks on their faces, only to eventually changed into regretful ones once they let go of one another.
"I yelled at you again, I'm sorry!"
"I was being insensitive again, I'm sorry too!"
After a short while of them two just awkwardly standing there in an uneasy silence, the boys starring at anything else around them besides one another, it was Shoto who was the first to speak.
"You really do miss her, huh?"
Izuku solemnly hummed with a nod.
"Don't worry, I know exactly how you feel. Because I miss my mother too!"
The mere mention of Shoto's deceased mother made the sadness Izuku was already feeling to only worsen.
"No, you're wrong!" Izuku coldly spoke. "It's not the same at all!"
"Huh?"
The wild boy's head was lowered, allowing his bangs to cast a shadow over his eyes. Which meant it was difficult for the hunter boy to tell what kind of expression he was making, that is if it weren't for the deep frown his lips had formed into.
"Now that I think about it, you're actually way luckier than I am. The both of us may have one parent left. But unlike me, your father is still awake, you can still talk to him, and you can still walk alongside him. Me though..."
Just thinking of what he was about to say next, the wild boy couldn't hide the way how his body shook, both of his hands tightly holding on to the edge of his robes.
"My mama is still asleep. So how am I supposed to walk with her when she's still sleeping? I still talk to her though. But the thing is, she can't talk back to me!"
Finally racing his head back up, the hunter boy was left stunned the moment he and the other meet gazes once more. Paired with his trembling lips, just taking a glimpse of the way how the wild boy's emerald green eyes glisten, he could easily tell now that he was trying his hardest not to burst into tears.
"Shoto, I don't even get to hear the sound of her voice!" He was even trying to keep his already strained voice from choking out into a sob.
Until now, it still remains a mystery to the hunter boy how he was always affected by the sad and depressing aura that surrounded the wild boy. And he still wasn't even sure why he felt as though he was obligated to turn this sad little boy back into the mischievous happy go-lucky hairball of energy he always knew.
"Izuku, listen!" The hunter boy quietly spoke before reaching out to gently loosen both of the wild boy's hands that held on tightly to his robes before taking them into his own, feeling the shaking slowly beginning to go away. "Every time I hear you talk about your mother, I can tell the bond you two share is really beautiful. And somehow, it always reminded me of the bond I used to share with my own mother." He spoke those words with a soft loving smile etched across his lips, only to disappear into a worried look once he continued "Me and my father on the other hand. I can't say what we have can be considered a bond. Because I...I don't really love him as much as I love my mother, but I don't think I hate him that much either. Let's just say what we have is a little...complicated."
"How come?"
"Well, you see. It's because he...he...he used to..."
Whatever it was he was about to say, it was enough to get him seeing traumatic flashbacks. And because they were still holding hands, Izuku could feel how badly his body trembled. But unlike him from earlier, judging by the petrified look on his face, Shoto was actually trembling in fear.
Of course, it got Izuku worried. However, he didn't have the time to figure out the reason why nor should he even care about it. What he should be more focused on was making whatever unnerving feeling that was bothering Shoto go away.
Without any hesitation at all, Izuku took a step forward, raised both his arms and wrapped them tightly around the other's waist. Surprisingly, his actions had somehow startled Shoto back awake from whatever daze he was stuck in, and it took a moment for him to even realize what was happening at this very moment.
"It's okay, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to!" Izuku reassuringly spoke, the feeling of his warm breath brushing against his ear made Shoto's entire body tense a bit. "Mama once told me a hug can make things a little better, I just thought you needed one right now! So, is it working?"
Once again, the hunter boy could feel his heart beating an unusually fast pase against his chest. And he was praying that the wild boy wouldn't notice it either. But after a short while of just standing there like a frozen statute, he was a bit hesitant, but Shoto had managed to slowly lift his arms and hug Izuku back, just around his waist.
Now that he mentioned it, that familiar warm and relaxing feeling was back, and it felt as though it was filling his entire body from head to toe. Especially his two cheeks, which glowed a beautiful bright pink in contrast to his pale skin. And he just couldn't hold back the smile forming on his lips.
"Yeah, it really does. Thank you!"
Unfortunately, all things must come to an end, even a heart-warming hug as beautiful as this. And Izuku was the first to pull away. But that didn't mean he was planning on letting go of Shoto just yet, because he still held on to the other's hand, their fingers tightly weaving together. And with that, hand-in-hand, the two wolfwalkers continued on making their way through the woods.
"Hey, about those travelling musicians. Couldn't you have just let them stay in the woods for the night at the very least?"
"Townie, they were trespassing in our woods. How would you feel when a group of strange men suddenly show up in your home and decided to stay there for the night?"
The hunter boy opened his mouth and was about to say something, only to close his mouth back shut once he realized that the wild boy was right.
"Fair point!"
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With the sun slowly beginning to set, basking the whole town of Kilkenny with a bright vibrant orange light. Within the gazebo that stood at the very middle of the town square, locked in the cramping planks of the pillory was a familiar blond skinny fellow. The man loudly yawned before proceeding to scratch the itch on the right side of his face.
"Mister Yagi!"
The man hummed in confusion, turning towards the supposed source of the voice that called out his name. And what does he find? What he could only describe was a young child running towards him. In spite of the dark cloak they wore, hearing that familiar voice alone was enough for him to figure out who was hiding underneath that hood.
"Ah, young Shoto!" Toshinori gleefully greeted as he watched the young boy reach his side by the pillory. "To what do I owe the pleasure of your company?"
"If you don't mind, I would like to ask you a couple of questions!" The boy said as he held his hood close to his face, making sure it hides away his distinctive traits. "You mentioned that you saw the wolfwalker and his mother before, right? Do you remember when was the last time you saw her?"
"My, that was a long time ago!" Toshinori replied as he scratched the the right side of his head. "The last time I saw those two, the wolfwalker boy was but a tiny little beansprout in his mother's arms. Why do you ask, young lad?"
"You see, his mother has gone missing. And I'm going to help him find her!"
"An creater bocht, the poor creature. I wish I could be of any more help. But unfortunately, that's all I know about the mysterious beauty. I haven't seen her since!"
"Oh, I see!"
Shoto was about to turn to leave, that's until...
"But I do know someone who might!"
And just like that, an intrigued look appeared on the boy's face.
"I'm not so sure if it has something to do with the wolfwalkers, but he did mention that something rather strange happened to him while he was in the woods. He only told me though, he was afraid people might call him crazy. Honestly couldn't blame the fellow after what I've been through!"
"Really?! Who?! Is he here?! Where can I find him?! I need to talk to him!" Shoto suddenly bombarded Toshinori with questions, which startled the poor man.
"Now, now. Hold your horses, boy!" The man calmed the boy, waving his hands to place more emphasis while still in their armholes. "Were you even listening to what I just said?"
"Yeah, I know. I might not get the answers I need. But still, any piece of information will do, I might even get a clue at the very least!"
"My, you sure are a persistent one!" Toshinori deeply sighed with a hand over his eyes. "Very well then, I will tell you all I know. Yes, the man you seek is still here in Kilkenny!"
"That's great news. Where can I-"
"Within the dungeons in Lord Protector's Castle!"
For some reason, just hearing it got Shoto feeling uncomfortable all of a sudden.
"In fact, he was the hunter before your father!"
And just like that, his unease was immediately replaced by intrigue.
"Really?"
"Let's see, what was his name again?" The blond muttered as he scratched the itch on the side of his head. "Oh, I remember now. All you need to do is just find a man named Masaru Bakugo!"
"Bakugo? Why does that name sound so familiar?"
It took only a few seconds for Shoto to even figure out why, and his unease was back again.
"Wait, you can't possibly mean..."
The first thing that pops out of his head was the face of a familiar comically mean-looking red-eyed blond maniacally cackling at him. And somehow, just thinking about that devil of a kid was enough to make Shoto's entire body shudder.
"It all makes sense now! But of all the people, I'm supposed to find someone who's related to that guy?!" Shoto exclaimed in panic, leaving Toshinori starring at him confused, and a bit worried. "Still..." Slowly beginning to calm himself down, he tiredly groaned "If it means getting even a single clue that can lead me to where Izuku's mother might be, then I guess I'll just have to suck it up for now!"
"Izuku, huh? So that's the boy's name!"
Shoto simply responded with a him and a nod.
"Now that I think about it. Not only are children forbidden beyond the walls, but there are soldiers everywhere. How in the world were you able to meet that wolfwalker kid in the first place?"
Shoto turned his head both left and right, probably making sure that no one in the vicinity was listening in on them, not even the two soldiers guarding the stocks nearby.
"Can you keep a secret?" Drawing himself close to the older man, with his right hand raised and held close to his face, he then replied with a much quieter tone "I snuck out of course, been doing it for the past couple of days!"
"My lips are sealed!"
Both the young boy and the man behind the stocks suddenly began laughing.
"A boy who aspires to be a hunter and a boy who can talk to wolves, who could've known two completely different individuals would end up becoming such good friends?"
Friends huh, Shoto thought. The irony! The last time he was here, he was about to declare that he and that wild brat were never friends, and never will be. But now, after just a few days of getting to know that wild boy better, rather meet the real Izuku Midoriya.
His thoughts still remained the same, they're not friends. Or at least he doesn't feel like they were. Because...Because...He himself wasn't that sure why, but he just has this weird feeling that he and Izuku were more than just that.
"Yeah, it's true. We do argue about a lot of things almost all the time, but we somehow got along in the end" Shoto nervously laughed as he rubbed the back of his neck. "Izuku and I are very different, we come from different worlds. And yet..."
Raising a hand and resting it atop the left side of his chest, just thinking about that boy who was as beautiful as the forest and smiles as bright as sunshine. Yet again, he could feel his heart beating rather unusually against his chest, the cold skin of his two cheeks slowly beginning to warm into a bright pink color and his thin lips to curve into soft smile.
"There are times whenever I look at him, he sort of reminds me of myself for some reason. And until now, I'm still figuring out why!"
Listening to this growing young man pour out how beautiful of a bond he and the other growing youngling share, it looked as though the blonde woodcutter was left starring at him speechless.
Only for that expression to shift into a knowing smile when he curiously asked "Tell me, young man. Does that wolfwalker boy really mean that much to you?"
Hearing that made the young boy shoot the man behind the stocks a shocked look.
"You would even go so far as to help the poor creature find his missing mother. Are you really that willing to do anything for that boy?"
For a moment, Shoto was left standing there, stuck in this daze and thinking about what the woodcutter had just said. The sake wasn't even his own, so why was he even desperate to begin with? Did he really sound like he was willing to do anything for Izuku? Even if he were to...
Dropping his head to look down at his two hands, Shoto began to explain "To tell you honestly, Mister Yagi. I can barely even remember the last time I care about someone this much, and it still feels so unnatural to me. Although..." Clenching them tightly into a pair of fists, he continued "Seeing him mope around all because he really misses his mother. I still don't know why, but it's just too painful for me to watch!" Raising his head to meet gazes with the older man once gain, he then added with a soft smile "I could probably even go so far as to admit that I hate seeing that annoying little brat make that sad look on his face!"
After a few seconds of starring at the boy, once again with that speechless look on his face. Then all of a sudden, the woodcutter bursted out laughing.
"What's so funny?!" Shoto asked, confused why the man was suddenly laughing from out of the blue.
"Right when I thought chivalry had perished all those years ago!" Finally calming himself from his laughing fit, he continued "Noble men of old do not compare to the loyalty and devotion you have for that wolfwalker boy. And who says only women deserve chivalry from a growing young man such as yourself?"
Wait a second! Chivalry? What could possibly be the only reason why noble men treat women so chivalrously to begin with. Specifically speaking, put all their loyalty and devotion to just a single person. That means they're...they're...they're set out to...
"Wait, h-hold on. M-Mister Yagi, do...do you really think he and I are..."
The more he thought about it, the more he could feel his entire face slowly turn into a burning hot shade of red.
"No. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. No way!" Shoto panickingly yelled while frantically flailing his hands in the air. "Izuku and I, we are not like that at all!"
As the hunter boy continued to convince the woodcutter, himself rather that he and that wild boy were nothing more, and failing miserably. The woodcutter was left starring at him worriedly.
"Whatever you say, dear boy!" Toshinori sighed, a few beads of sweat could be spotted dripping down the back of his head. "Anyways, it's getting late. Best better run back home before your father sees you, especially in those garbs!"
Of course, he was referring to the hunter outfit he was currently wearing.
"Father told me he and the soldiers will be standing guard for wolves outside the town, so don't worry about it." Lifting his head, noticing how the orange sky was slowly beginning to darken, he then added "But you're right, I should be heading back!" Turning to look back at the man behind the stocks, he kindly smiled at the blond "It's nice seeing you again. And I appreciate the help, Mister Yagi!"
"Anytime, young Shoto!" Toshinori smiled back with a wave.
Nodding at the man one last time, the boy pulled his hood close to his face, spun himself and was already on his way running back home. Even at this distance, the woodcutter could see the young hunter boy reach his house and disappear in it from within his wooden prison. The young boy may have already returned home, but the smile still remained on the man's face.
"A boy of the deep forests and a boy from the distant seas!"
Lifting his head to face the heavens, he then watched as the sunset sky was slowly beginning to turn into a dark night.
"Well, this is going to be interesting!"
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*Dúlamán (Irish for "channel wrack", a type of edible seaweed) = is an Irish folk song that relate to the Irish practice of gathering seaweed.