Maya and Jack ate together and laid down.
Maya had a luxurious coat and used a pile of leaves to rest her head.
Jack stood a bit farther from the fire, using a pile of snow for his head, with nothing to cover himself other than his clothes.
Outside the cave, stars could be seen illuminating the dark forest.
Maya spoke lightly.
"Are you sure you don't feel cold?"
Jack, facing the other direction, replied,
"I'm sure."
"Thank you."
Maya still sounded doubtful of Jack's words, but she decided to believe him.
"Fine."
"Don't complain in the night then."
***
Jack woke slowly, feeling the embrace of a coat over him. Opening his eyes gently—
He took off the coat and noticed Maya had already left the cave.
Jack walked toward the sunlight.
There, in front of a tree, Maya was leaning down.
She had made numerous flowers bloom in front of the snowy tree.
Jack approached slowly, letting out a yawn.
He saw her praying, eyes closed.
She had buried Miche.
Jack knelt beside her, placing his hands together just like her.
He didn't know what he believed in, yet he still used it as a way to express his emotions.
Thank you... and I'm sorry for not being able to do more.
I'm sorry for not noticing your distress that day you attacked me.
Goodbye, Miche.
Jack grabbed his staff, which was tied behind his back, and wrote with ice on the tree:
Miche.
Best father.
Great friend.
Good mentor.
Maya opened her eyes, seeing the text Jack had written.
She looked at him and spoke, slightly teary.
"He really was all that, wasn't he?"
After that, they got ready to leave.
They packed their things and began heading toward the village farther north.
They walked amidst the trees. Jack's voice echoed in the forest.
"By the way, why do you want to come with me?"
Maya kept walking alongside Jack.
"I don't really spend much time outside.
Anywhere besides my home, really…
That's why I decided to come with you."
His mind echoed:
Daughters of monarchs must have it hard, huh...
"Also..."
Maya scratched her face lightly, turning red.
"You seem like a good person."
Jack smiled.
"Wait till you meet the people there. They're nice."
Suddenly, in the middle of the forest, they heard rustling.
Jack and Maya looked around, wary of their surroundings.
Jack took out his wand, ready to use it if needed.
Maya, on the other hand, didn't have any weapon on her.
She clenched her fists.
Suddenly, behind them, a pack of wolves appeared—
Four white wolves with great fangs stood in front of them.
Their saliva dripped from their jaws in hunger.
Jack pointed his wand forward, ready to attack.
His other hand reached out in front of Maya to shield her.
But before Jack could do anything, Maya dashed forward, leaving her white coat behind.
Her ears suddenly appeared through her hair, raised with determination.
Jack shouted—
"Wait! You don't have a wea—!"
Maya's hands suddenly began to glimmer with yellow light.
Her gaze was strong and focused.
Her steps, light and agile, hopped between trees, crossing great distances as she approached the rabid wolves.
She formed her hand into a fist and punched the first wolf in the jaw, knocking it down.
She placed one hand on the floor, using it to launch herself into a spin-kick that struck another wolf squarely in the side.
Jack's eyes widened at the sight.
It's like she's dancing...
Before he could admire it further, the other two wolves dashed toward him.
Jack commanded ice to rise from beneath.
Spikes impaled both wolves, killing them instantly.
He stared, bewildered, at the sight of the calm Inheritor of Spring going hand-to-hand against wolves.
She stood indifferent, a tear of blood trailing from her clenched fist.
Her sharp eyes returned to their usual calm in an instant.
She sighed, and her ears vanished once more.
"There. Let's keep going."
***
The rest of the walk, Jack tried not to think of her differently.
But he couldn't.
Behind those calm green eyes was a graceful fighter.
One who could stand a chance against him—maybe even beat him.
He rested his staff on his shoulder and asked:
"Hey, can I ask you something?"
Maya looked over, surprised.
"Yes, sure."
Jack continued.
"Your stages of lineage… What are they?"
She gave a thoughtful expression.
"Well, the first one is Spring.
I can make spring fall and grow all types of plants. The amount of growth or the type of plant has limits, though."
"The second one is my agility and strength.
That also happens to come with bunny ears."
Jack stared curiously.
"What about the third one?"
She stared back at him.
"My unique one?"
"I don't have it yet."
Jack dragged his wand across the ground, letting it leave a lazy trail of ice.
"My friend in the village already has his, although he didn't tell me."
"Your friend in the village?"
He lifted his staff again, placing it back over his shoulder.
"Yeah. His name is Nicholas."
Maya looked at him curiously.
"He's a lineage holder too?
That's quite rare... even more so this far north."
Jack sighed.
"That old man won't tell me even if I paid him…"
"Back then he only said something about my lineage being more special than his."
"He only has three?"
"But for me... it can go higher, right? After achieving the foundation of the bloodline?"
Maya chuckled softly.
"You really don't know much, do you, Jack?"
Jack turned slightly red.
"O-of course I do… I just haven't really looked into it, that's all."
"Oh, and my teacher always says dumb stuff like 'learn it on your own.'"
Maya smiled, amused.
"Sure, sure."
Then she glanced up at the trees, speaking a little more seriously.
"Let me tell you something, since you clearly need the help."
"We both are holders of true bloodlines."
"Those are the ones that have lasted for more than five generations."
Jack blinked, surprised.
"Ordinary bloodlines only go up to three stages," Maya continued.
"But for us, it's different."
"Once we reach our third — the 'Unique Stage' — that becomes our foundation."
She raised a finger.
"And every stage after that? It grows from that unique trait. That's why it's so important."
"I see that makes sense…"
Jack's thoughtful eyes were interrupted.
His eyes widened.
"Were here."
Jack pointed with his stapp towards a path that led towards outside of the woods. Chimney's peeked through the snow with smoke aiming high at the sky. They had arrived.