Reading through some scrolls, I’m struggling to fully focus. Like, this should be interesting.

  It talks about spells and souls, specifically how using spells can affect and damage your soul. Instead… I’m too preoccupied with the feelings in my chest… anxiety, I guess.

  “Oraxia… I’m conflicted.”

  “About what?” She turns and cocks her head at me, a scroll there for her to read as well.

  Putting mine to the side, I just look up at the wall. “Well… it’s Mom. I can’t… get this feeling out that I can’t trust her. That it’s all a lie.”

  After tapping her leg on the bed a few times, she nods with an idea. “Why not talk to her? And learn more about her?”

  “...true… I haven’t spoken to her much in the past week of being here…” ‘Even if it’s my fault I dodged her…’ “but about what? Last I was here I ran away, and this time she let me in because of you and transcending. Not for the reasons Lumi and I let in Sal.”

  “...her tea? It does taste good.”

  Giving her a deadpan expression, she blinks innocently. “You just want me to make you tea like she does when we’re not here.”

  “...maybe.”

  Chuckling, I nod and stand up. “Well… It’s as good of an idea as any, I guess. Plus, it’d be nice to let Lulu and Sal try it, when I do see them again. Wanna join, Ora?”

  At her decline with a head shake, I head downstairs, leaving her to study. She does love reading about this stuff, and helps me a lot.

  Poking my head into the main room, Mom’s sitting there and reading a scroll. “Oh! Yunaria, did you need something?”

  Nodding, I enter fully. “Um, yeah. Do you think… you could show me how you make your tea?”

  Ears shooting up in surprise, she nods a bit. “Oh, yes, of course! But um… why?”

  “...I was… curious. For research.”

  Even I know that was a bad excuse, as she stands and walks over to the kitchen. “Well, I’m glad you’re curious to learn. We even have fresh water from the well ready, so it won’t take long to make it.”

  Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

  It’s still odd to come back to needing to use well water, especially when coming back from the city where we just use the taps, sinks and such.

  Let alone, it reminds me of why I never would let drinks go to waste when I first met Lulu. Because I still thought water was precious.

  Heh, like when Lulu drained a pot of water into the sink, to clean off some vegetables, and I panicked and burned myself to try and stop her. I was so dumb back then. And I somehow thought it was a good idea to run away?

  ‘...good memories.’

  Watching her pour water into a teapot made of clay, before starting a small fire and placing it over it, a question gnaws at me. “So… how have things been here? Since I left?”

  “...fine. It’s been slow but ever growing. Like it should be. Your favorite tree to climb on has grown taller than all the others, marking a new peak of the canopy.” She smiles. “I still remember when you tried to compare your height to it. It was so cute how pouty you’d get when it got taller than you~”

  Smiling a bit, I nod. “That’s good.”

  “Oh, how was life for you out there? Dangerous, right?”

  I give her a sideways look, before shaking my head. “No… no, not really. Once I got to the city, a nice neko invited me in and helped teach me about how it worked.” My tail is wagging as I start to talk about her. “Lumi was her name. Or, is. She has light blue hair, and a long thin tail. Really short, and adorable too.”

  A smile grows on my face despite the longing in my chest, unable to help myself. “She was great, she runs a cafe, like a place that sells food and drinks, and even brought me into it, teaching me how to help.”

  Realizing I was rambling, I look at mom, who’s smiling as wide as I was, reminding me of Lumi when she’d listen to my rambles. “That’s great. She must’ve been close with you, then. You should’ve brought her.”

  Looking away and scratching my cheek, I try to divert the subject. “Ehe… well, maybe I should’ve. But… she has her cafe to run, and her new mate to love… I didn’t want to get in the way of that.”

  My smile falters, which she spots and frowns. “Is that really all there is?”

  I hesitate for a few moments on what to say, as she adds the leaves to the tea.

  “...well, I do wish I brought them along. I just left a note and left…”

  Sighing, she pulls me into a hesitant, soft hug. “Like you did when leaving here… I get it, and I’m sure they will understand too, whenever you go back.”

  “I-I never said-” She cuts off my trembling voice with her own melancholy one. “I know, but… I can tell how much your heart longs for them. You will go back, when you get what you need. And I understand. I won’t blame you, come and go as your heart desires. I will never stop you.”

  Hearing that… I can’t help but cry into her shoulder and hug her tight. “Y-you sound just like Lumi… “

  Smiling with a few tears of her own, she rubs my back. “She must be a smart girl then. Love you, Yunaria.”

  Nuzzling her, I nod. “She is… l… love you too, Mom.”

  ___

  Cute, right? Yunaria is starting to grow~

  Like her full name? Yunaria? I think it’s nice, if not a bit long compared to Lumi and Salka.

  If Lumi or Salka’s names were abbreviations, what do you think the full versions might be?