Chapter 37: One brain cell
The cave was silent again, save for the faint sound of Allen’s heavy breathing as he lay sprawled on the rocky floor, recovering from the intense moment. Fina sat beside him, a smug grin lighting up her face as she admired her handiwork, her tail flicking lazily.
Rinni, however, broke the stillness, clearing her throat softly as she stood at the entrance of the cave. The early morning light illuminated her face, her cheeks tinged with a faint blush from the scene she had witnessed earlier. She carefully avoided Fina’s triumphant gaze and instead focused on Allen, who was still catching his breath.
"Well, uh..." Rinni began, rubbing the back of her neck awkwardly. "I thought now might be a good time to let you know... we’re heading to the fox tribe next."
Allen blinked, slowly sitting up as he processed her words. He still seemed a little dazed, his brow furrowing as he tried to gather his thoughts. "Fox tribe?" he muttered, his voice raspy from sleep. "Why... why are we going there?"
Rinni crossed her arms, her tail swishing nervously behind her. "Because it’s safe. They don’t have the same hang-ups about outsiders as most of the other tribes. Plus..." Her voice softened. "I think we all need a place to rest for a while."
Allen rubbed his temples, still trying to shake off the haze in his mind. His memories felt oddly scrambled, like he was missing something important, but he couldn’t quite put his finger on it. "Fox tribe... sure, why not?" he said finally, shooting Rinni a half-smile. "Can’t be worse than what we’ve been through already."
Fina chuckled, leaning back against the cave wall with a playful smirk. "Oh, it’ll be interesting, alright. Foxes are... well, let’s just say they’re known for being a bit mischievous. You’ll fit right in."
Allen raised an eyebrow, his curiosity piqued despite himself. "Mischievous how?"
Rinni sighed, casting a wary glance at Fina. "You’ll see when we get there. Just... don’t let your guard down, okay?"