(Chia Woods Arc) Chapter 22-Start of a New Journey

With a hand over her eyes, Everly glanced at the shimmering rays of sunshine piercing through the leafy trees, a huge smile on her face.

Taking in a deep breath of fresh air, Everly couldn’t help but skip a little on the dirt path before she unfolds the map in her hands. Everly yelped when she felt a shadow loomed over her and by the next second, the map was taken away.

Puffing up her cheeks, Everly turned over to the culprit with glaring eyes.

“Blaze, give it back!” Everly pouted, raising her hands trying to take her map back.

Laughing, Blaze leaps up and swiftly climbs onto the branch of a nearby tree.

“Oh, come on. I just wanted to see how close we are to Obarrow village.” Blaze sat down on the branch and peers at the map.

Everly stomped, crossing her arms before she turned towards Claire, pointing at Blaze: “Look at him, Claire!”

Claire sat down under the tree, taking out the lunch box she prepared earlier during the day and offered it to her friends. She waved at Disney asking Disney to come forward to eat.

Seeing the delicious food, Everly forget about her bickering with Blaze in mere seconds and took a seat beside Claire. Taking a huge bite of the riceball, her eyes went wide, a blissful smile on her face.

Seeing Everly’s sparkling eyes, Claire couldn’t help but felt a sense of satisfaction. Everly waved at Pluto, urging him to come over to eat, excited to share the tasty food with her friend.

Claire chews at her own riceball; watching Pluto stared at the lunch box with pursed lips as if he is debating to himself whether it is okay to eat, but Everly just grabbed a riceball and stuff it into his mouth.

Pluto seemed taken aback, he flinched still biting on the riceball as his eyes went wide a little. But, when he saw Everly beaming at him, his eyes soften and his shoulder relaxed. Heaving out a little sigh, Claire swore she saw his lips curl up a teensy bit.

Claire found herself smiling at how adorable these two are. She lifts her head and saw a certain redhead, turning the map around and trying to read the map from all sorts of angles with narrowed eyes.

When the young dragon prince noticed Claire watching, he flashes a huge grin at the young mermaid. The sunrays leafing through the green leaves, raining down on Blaze covering him like bits of diamonds, enveloping him in a soft glow.

Blaze’s grin seemed to brighten up the whole place, Claire felt her heart skip a beat and then it started to race as if she is getting a heart attack. Heat engulfed her cheeks as she quickly shifted her gaze away, trying to hide her blushing face as she took a huge bite of riceball.

Blaze tilted his head slightly before he groan at the badly draw map. Everly noticed how Blaze is about to jump down from the tree, she quickly covers up the lunch box so the dust won’t get into the food.

Glaring at the redhead, Everly swallowed before she complained: “We’re eating here, mind you!”

Blaze raised a brow, showing the map to his friends: “I’m surprised you even know where we’re going with this.”

Everyone closes in to take a look at the map. Everly draws a circle with the word Willow Town, then dotted line from Willow Town heading straight past a bunch of trees with ‘Chia Woods’ written on it and finally a huge ‘X’ that says ‘Obarrow Village’.

Claire was at a loss of words, she’s not sure whether she should be amaze at how they haven’t got lost with this simple map or she should felt impress at how Everly can recognize their way with that map of hers.

Flustered, Everly grabbed the map folding it and stuffed it into her pocket.

“Hmph! Don’t judge me, I actually did some researched in the library to draw this map.”

Claire smiled and was about to comfort Everly by patting her on the head when someone else is quicker in doing that.

Pluto patted Everly before he said: “Don’t worry, I already memorized the way to the village.”

Everly turned towards Pluto and stare at him, as if to reassure the peach-hair fairy, Pluto pursed his lips before he add: “We won’t get lost.”

A huge smile blooms on the fairy’s face as she nodded, her twintail bounces a little from her movement.

Claire tilted her head a little to the side as her eyes soften, then she saw Blaze kneeling on the ground rummaging through his bag: “Blaze, what are you doing?”

Scrolls, papers, and random items all scattered on the ground as the redhead continue to fish through his backpack.

“I bought a bunch of maps, it had to be here somewhere. I am fully prepared for whatever situation comes our way. I’ve everything in my trusty backpack.” Blaze said, without lifting his head.

Everly slightly sweatdropped, no wonder Blaze’s backpack is huge. She thought his whole place is within that bag, apparently, this guy here had more luggage stored in his scrolls. From what she known, those storage scrolls aren’t cheap.

Rich kid… Everly narrowed her eyes at the redhead and then rolled her eyes.

Blaze looked over his shoulder noticing Everly’s intimidating gaze: “Why are you looking at me like that?”

Everly pouted, turning her head away with a ‘hmph’.

Disney’s sudden bark make their heads turn and the sound of ruffling leaves caught Everly’s attention as she turned towards the bushes and her eyes went wide at the sight of multiple large wolves staring right at them.

A loud growl could be heard and the next thing she knew, a strong arm wrapped around her wrist pulling her back.

Pluto stood in front of her, shielding her from the pack of wolves.

Everly gave Blaze a side glance and points at the wolves: “Are you fully prepared for this as well?”

Blaze looks from Everly to the wolves and then back to Everly again: “Uh…maybe?”