Silence.
Utter silence descended into the hut as Rion's words struck Lara like a whistling arrow.
"A caged bird?" She mumbled darkly, the tears from the corners of her eyes vanished as she continued, "We have never caged you... We have allowed you to walk free, to meet whoever you want, do whatever you want."
She let her words drift through the hut for a few moments and asked, "In return, we simply want you to stay away from the life of a hunter. Is that too much to ask?"
Rion clenched his fists and mumbled while looking into her eyes, "Would you allow me to leave the mountains?"
She fell silent for a few moments, she turned around, tossed the vegetables into the heated oil and began to tend to the pot.
A few minutes later, she spoke; her usual warmth had returned. "The outside world is dangerous, so no, I won't allow you to leave the mountains."
She glanced at him and breathed, "There is no reason for you to leave either, right? You have everything you want here, your family, your friends, your people."
His expression hardened and he said bitterly, "I want to see the world for myself... I want to feel every part of it..."
"I understand your curiosity..." she added, her voice calm yet full of masked pain as she reminisced about when she was the same as her son.
"But..." her lips parted to say more but Rion cut her off.
"You say that the outside world is dangerous... isn't that more of a reason for me to be a hunter?" He asked, his eyes no longer had tears, and his voice was steady.
"It is."
"Then..." he stepped closer and questioned, "Shouldn't I become one to hunt those wolves instead of cowering here like a lamb?"
She turned silent for a minute, and a hollow chuckle escaped her lips before she spoke, "You should but I don't want to see you become like them... I want you to stay as you are... unblemished by that cruel world but I know how stupid it is to ask that of you."
He picked up the wooden stool, placed it beside her and sat on it as he said, "Love is the killer of logic... it turns everyone into its fools, yet we cannot help but fall into its net."
Lara turned her head towards him and blinked a few times before a soft, lovely chuckle escaped her lips, "You are right," she said and shifted her focus to the pot.
He looked at her with a smile and thought, 'You look better while smiling...'
He placed his head on her shoulder and spoke, "Mama... do you remember that you once wanted me to be a hero sometimes?"
"I do," she replied with a reminiscing smile and asked, "You still remember that?"
He nodded slightly and replied, "I do... I have a good memory."
"Haha, if you say so."
"What hero stays silent knowing that there are people who need him?" He questioned.
Lara turned silent at his words, her smile fading slightly.
He lifted his head from her shoulder and stated, "I want to see more of this world..."
"You've always been a curious child."
He stared at her face, which was being illuminated by the flickering flames, and said, "I want to meet new people... I want to see everything, be it good or bad."
She didn't reply because she had no words to say to him. She knew that she was being selfish, after all.
Love was such a bold thing… it could make fools of the sharpest minds, bring the strongest hearts to their knees, and make even the weakest flame burn the brightest — a logic incomprehensible even to itself.
Rion didn't question further; instead, he chose to relieve himself of the burden and guilt. He once again placed his head on her shoulder and spoke in a teary voice, "I... I am sorry... I really am."
Lara placed her hand on his face, wiped his tears before she began to caress his head and responded, "Don't ever sneak out... We are your parents, not some monsters that will eat you up for having wants."
A soft, tearful chuckle left his lips.
A few minutes passed in silence as both Mother and son sank into each other's warmth.
Lara continued to cook and said, "Your father must be waiting."
"Huh?!" He quickly lifted his head and exclaimed in confusion.
An amused smile appeared on her face, and she asked, "Why do you think he is not here?"
Rion had no idea of what went on in the head of his hermit of a father, so all he could do was ask, "Why?"
She turned her head to him and replied with a faint smile, "He wanted us to talk before you go to him."
'He just didn't want to act all emotional before me. He and his alpha personality...' Rion thought and stood up from the stool.
He turned towards the hut's door and strode to it.
"He is at the usual peak," Lara added as he reached the door, still focused on the pot.
"I know!" Rion exclaimed loudly as he stepped outside and began to run.
He ran past the trees, jumped over the logs and climbed the rocks before reaching the southern peak of the mountains that flanked the Redwood Basin.
He slowed his steps and looked at his father.
Haden, as usual, stood with his piercing red eyes locked on the south. His right leg was planted on a short rock, his left hand gripped his trusted spear, and the wind glorified him even further by wildly moving his raven black hair.
'He knew I was coming, yet he didn't change his pose... he is like an NPC at this point,' he thought, but didn't dare voice his thoughts.
It wasn't that he was scared, no — he was scared shitless to speak his thoughts aloud.
He fidgeted his fingers and muttered, "Father..."
Haden's hair moved majestically as he turned his head towards Rion and spoke in his usual heavy voice, "Rion..."
Their eyes met, and Rion lowered his head in shame.
His father studied him for a moment, he turned his head back to the south and added, "I thought you'd grown fearless… Why else would you sneak out of the hut and go to the Den? But I suppose you're not all that fearless after all, hmm, Rion?"
Rion didn't reply and stood there in silence until—
"Come, sit with me," Haden broke the silence.