The Gumiho's Tail: Legend of the Two Tailed Gumiho

Part 5

Prince Howon POV

"Guard? Are you guys really guarding something up here?"

She chuckled some more and waved her hands around "No, no, no."

"It's really funny. I was watching the fox one day and saw another come and take it's place, just like the palace guards do when they change shift. I thought it odd then, but now..."

"Let me explain" she coughed. "We do send a patrol to stand at the mountain path entrance, but it is for safety. There are often landslides on the mountain and there are many other predators too, like wolves and bears."

"So..." I was confused.

She smiled "We send someone to the mountain path entrance so we know how many people are on the mountain. Also, if there is a landslide, we try and deter anyone from going up the mountain."

"So, you guys act as guardians for the people who use the mountain path?"

"Yes!" she excitedly replied.

"And everyone thinks you guys are trying to harm us" I couldn't help but laugh a little. "So when I called out for help...?"

"The fox on patrol saw what was happening and probably signaled someone else to lead you to a safe place."

"I thought it was weird that the fox suddenly appeared and then disappeared. I was so disoriented, my adrenaline was running high, I had no clue what was going on."

"That might have something to do with the mountain too" she scrunched her nose a little.

"What do you mean?"

"The plants on the mountain are relatively harmless, but their pollen can cause one to get confused if exposed for too long. The higher up the mountain you go, the more you feel the effects. That is one of the reasons we watch over people; so they don't get lost."

"Why am I not confused right now?"

"It might have something to do with the medicine I gave you. Plus you have been up here for a little while now, so your body might be adjusting to it."

"Well, anyway... After the fox disappeared, I ran a little further and then stopped to catch my breath. When I realized I was lost and on a path, I figured I would follow it in the hopes of finding some help. I saw your house, called for help and then collapsed. That is all I can remember."

Sohee POV

"Well, I guess you can pretty much guess the rest. I found you, brought you inside and treated you until you woke up" I chuckled.

"You know," he stopped to think for a few seconds. "Thinking back on it, I seemed to have more energy as I was running. And the pain I normally felt wasn't as bad."

"Are you thinking it might have something to do with the mountain?"

"Maybe" he pondered. "I definitely feel much better than I did at the temple."

Suddenly, I heard a noise resound through the mountain.

"What is that?" he asked nervously.

"A message" I replied as I listened to what was being broadcast. "It seems as though your disappearance has caused some panic at the temple. They are frantically searching for you down there and it sounds like they might extend the search up the mountain if they can't find you by tomorrow."

"Seriously?"

"Yup?"

"Damn it! I wanted to stay longer!" he whined.

"You still can" I smiled.

"What do you mean? You just said that they were going to come up the mountain!"

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean that they will be able to find you. Did you forget about the pollen from the plants?"

"What about it?"

"Like I said before, the higher you go, the stronger it gets. Because it affects the brain and makes you disoriented, the body will naturally try to avoid it."

"So that means...?"

"There is a path that runs through the mountain low enough that the pollen doesn't affect you. That is the path most people use." She smiled "I'm not sure if you can remember considering the situation you were in, but the path you took up the mountain was overgrown and barely passable, right?"

"Thinking back on it, you're right. I remember when I followed the fox, I ran into quite a few bushes."

"Most people don't even realize that there is a path that leads higher up the mountain. They just stick to the lower one. My guess is that they will follow the path through the mountain to the town on the other side and look for you there."

"So..." he looked at me hopefully "Does that mean I can stay here?"

His eyes were opened wide and I could see him pleading behind them. How can I refuse him when he looks like that? "Yes."

He lunged forward and wrapped his arms around me. "Thank you!"

"You can't stay here forever" I clarified. "Just for a little while, so we can see how the medicine and the atmosphere affect you."

He smiled widely "I know! I'm just happy that I can stay will you for a while longer."

I couldn't help but blush. "Okay... That's enough" I said as I pushed him off me. I grabbed the bowl I had long forgotten about and said "It's getting late. You must be getting hungry. I'll go make something to eat."

"Can I come with you?"

"I think it would be best for you to stay here for now."

"Why?"

"I have to go to the village to get some supplies. If they see you, they might try to send you back down the mountain."

"Village? There is a gumiho village up here?" he looked a little excited.

"Yes, there is. We have been living up here for a long time you know."

As though he suddenly realized something, he asked "How long have you lived here?"

Prince Howon POV

"Since I was born" she replied with a smile.

I shook my head "No, I mean... How old are you?"

"Oh" she blushed in embarrassment. "I just turned one hundred years old."

"You're one hundred years old?" I screamed in shock. "You don't look a day over eighteen!"

"Is that a bad thing?" she seemed confused. "How old are you?"

"I'm only sixteen years old" I chuckled.

Her eyes widened in shock "Wow! You're very young!" Then she started to chuckle "I thought I was young, but I forgot that we age differently than humans do."

"You consider one hundred years old to be young?" my eyes widened. "What do you consider old?"

She thought for a moment "I think the oldest person in the village is a little over one thousand years old."

One thousand years old? If she is only one hundred years old and looks like this, how old will she look at one thousand?