Shadow of a Light

Chapter 2

The duo continued along the path, the concrete paved road turning into dirt, before ceasing to be a proper path at all, but more a more traversed line than the surroundings, the grass and foliage trampled by the hundreds of feet who came before them. Trees lined the path in increasing frequency, casting looming shadows across the gaunt features of the travellers. Before long a canopy sheltered the lonely wanderers, blocking out most of the fading orange sunlight. The distant depths of the surrounding forest were now gloomy, impairing the vision of those traversing the labyrinth of trees.

Lilac shifted in Yeong's arms for the first time since leaving Wonmul, stretching slightly as she yawned, scrunching up her eyes and folding her ears back into the head as she took in air. "I'm sleepy," she said, falling back to a limp position, her eyes drooping.

"We'll find somewhere to rest as soon as possible," said Yeong, keeping his eyes focused ahead of him, squinting to see through the darkness. 

His eyes were drawn to a light that shone from a small clearing. As they neared, it became clear that it was a campfire, surrounded by a ring of rough stones and rocks that acted as a barrier. A group consisting of a sableye, with their spindly limbs grouped together, arms resting upon their sharp knees, and others who Yeong recognised from the trek out of Wonmul: a darumaka with a small, round backpack filled to bursting leaning against his side, and a pangoro and pancham sat around the fire, leaning against trees, with the pair of pandas sat against a fallen tree. The pangoro looked up at the newcomers with sunken eyes and gave a polite smile. "You're welcome to rest here," she said softly.

"Thank you," replied Yeong, shuffling towards the fallen log.

Noticing his reluctance, the pangoro hit the log to her left with a large hand covered in mostly healed blisters and scars, slightly startling her child, who tensed up and glanced from the log to the newcomers. "C'mon, sit down," the pangoro encouraged, her smile going from polite to friendly.

Yeong lowered Lilac to the ground next to him before sitting close to her against the log, relaxing his posture upon seeing Lilac curl up and rest among the thriving grass. He looked up at the pangoro, whose skinny frame betrayed her life of poverty, something that was not uncommon in Wonmul. "Where are you heading to?" he enquired, trying to give a slight smile, which resulted in just the corners of his mouth curving upwards slightly.

The pangoro held her hand up, with her elbow resting on the log. "I'm gonna stay with family, 'til I can buy a house. I'll have to work hard -  I tend to do physical labour: carrying heavy stuff, construction, stuff like that...There's plenty of work out there." She explained and relaxed her arm, holding it like she were sitting in a chair. "My name's Haname. What about you?"

Yeong gave a small genuine smile at her animated conversing. "My name's Yeong. I worked for the local paper; I arranged articles, sorted out the layout, and wrote a column - it was just to add as bit of humour to the paper about recent events." 

"I love your column!" said Haname excitedly. Yeong averted his eyes, blood rushing to his cheeks and gave a quiet "thanks".  

He looked down at Lilac, with her face nestled in her mane of cream fur. "I'm taking her to an orphanage, I can't take care of her myself and her mother passed away." His expression turned grim. "I don't know where Lilac's father is, I've never seen him. Lilac and her mother moved in across the street from me quite recently, but the father was nowhere to be seen."

"He probably went to work in the mines," suggested Haname.

"The mines?" enquired Yeong, cogs spinning behind his eyes as he processed the information.

Haname nodded and explained: "The king ordered for strong men to work in the mines, a bit from the town. Normally I'd work, but I had to stay home recently as my husband works." She paused before continuing sincerely. "The workers weren't meant to tell anyone, but my husband didn't want me to worry."