He ran his hands over it with a light touch. The soft texture made him instinctively pounce on it and hug it again. As he did, Jihl's scent rose from it, thick and vivid.
It was a comforting smell. A really nice smell. A smell he loved, just like his mother's.
Bao Bei breathed it in deeply, filling his lungs, and then rubbed his face against it for a while.
...
Cymet brought Bao Bei to the dining hall.
"I've learned a lot about the fort already. I can come to the dining hall by myself now, you know?"
Because Jihl had always been with him, he'd just naturally followed along, but by now, after walking the same routes every day, even Bao Bei had memorized them.
The fort had become quite a complex structure due to repeated additions and renovations, but most of the people in the fort were kind, and Bao Bei was no longer as frightened when passing strangers in the hallway.
"Is that so? Don't push yourself, alright?"
