I looked down at the tiny snake curled beside the broken shell of its egg. Its small body remained motionless, peacefully asleep near the base of the great tree. After watching it for a moment, I turned my head toward Charlie.
"Charlie," I asked, "what should we name it?"
Charlie followed my gaze to the little creature. He studied it for a brief moment before scratching the back of his head lightly, a thoughtful but slightly helpless expression appearing on his face.
"I am not very good at naming things, young master," he admitted.
I nodded slowly and fell silent for a few seconds, thinking.
My eyes drifted back to the small serpent resting beside its shell. As I watched it, the memory of the larger serpent in the forest surfaced in my mind. The image of its wounded body coiled protectively around the egg returned clearly. Even while facing death, it had fought fiercely to protect what lay behind it.
That memory lingered as I looked at the tiny creature that had finally emerged from that same egg.
A faint smile slowly formed on my face as the memory settled in my thoughts.
"Camose," I said.
Charlie tilted his head slightly, repeating the word under his breath as if testing how it sounded. "Camose… what does it mean, young master?"
"It is the short form of camouflage serpent," I explained. "The one we saw in the forest."
Charlie blinked once before letting out a small laugh. "That is actually a very nice name, young master."
I nodded with a quiet smile and lowered my gaze toward the tiny creature again.
"Camose."
The name felt natural the moment I said it, as though it had always belonged to the little serpent.
Beside the broken shell, the small snake remained curled in peaceful sleep, completely unaware that it had just been given a name.
After that, I returned to my cultivation. I moved back to my usual place beside the great tree and sat down, crossing my legs as I steadied my breathing. Slowly, I began drawing in the surrounding nature energy once more, guiding it through my body with quiet focus while Camose slept peacefully nearby.
Charlie watched for a moment before quietly leaving to attend to the household chores, his footsteps fading into the adjoining hall. The room soon settled into a calm silence, broken only by the faint rustling of leaves above where the great tree passed through the roof.
Time passed peacefully.
When I finally opened my eyes again after finishing my cultivation, the light inside the house had dimmed slightly. The sun had lowered, and the beams of light that filtered through the openings in the roof were softer now.
I turned my head and looked beside me.
Camose was still there, curled beside the broken egg shell at the base of the tree. Its small translucent body remained completely still.
Still asleep.
I slowly rose to my feet and called out, "Charlie."
A moment later he returned from the adjoining hall, carrying a wooden bowl in his hands. Steam rose gently from the food, filling the room with a warm, comforting aroma.
"I have prepared food, young master," he said as he approached.
We both sat down and began eating our dinner together. The warmth of the meal spread through my body, easing the quiet hunger that had settled after the long day in the forest. The house remained calm and peaceful as we ate.
While taking another bite, a thought suddenly crossed my mind.
I glanced toward the corner where Camose still slept beside the broken egg shell.
"Charlie," I asked, "what do snakes eat?"
Charlie paused for a moment, considering the question carefully before answering.
"Normally serpents are carnivores, young master," he said. "So I believe we must feed it meat."
I nodded slowly as I listened.
"Do we have meat?" I asked.
Charlie shook his head. "No, young master."
I lowered my gaze to the bowl in my hands and thought for a brief moment before speaking again.
"Then let us get some meat for it."
Charlie gave a small nod in agreement. "Yes, young master."
After finishing our meal, we both stepped outside and began walking toward Vaela's house. Evening had already settled over the village, and the atmosphere had grown quieter than it had been earlier in the day. Soft lantern lights flickered outside several homes, casting warm glows along the wooden paths. The cool night air carried faint voices and the occasional sound of movement as villagers finished their tasks for the day.
We walked through the narrow paths until we reached Vaela's house.
I stepped forward and knocked on the wooden door. The sound echoed softly through the quiet evening.
We waited.
For a few moments there was no response from inside. I knocked once more and listened carefully, but the house remained silent.
After standing there for a short while, I exhaled quietly. "I think she is not here."
Charlie gave a small nod in agreement as we stepped back from the door.
So we turned and began walking toward Rokar's house instead. His home stood a little farther down the path from Vaela's, past a few other wooden houses that had already grown quiet for the evening.
When we arrived, I stepped up to the door and knocked firmly.
We waited.
No sound came from inside.
I knocked again, this time a little louder, but the result was the same. The house remained silent, with no sign that anyone was there.
After a moment, I stepped back from the door and glanced at Charlie.
"I think he is also not here," I said.
Charlie gave another small nod, confirming what was already obvious.
I let out a quiet sigh and folded my arms as I thought about what to do next. "Then who can we ask about the meat?"
Charlie remained silent for a few seconds before speaking.
"What about Sham?" he suggested.
I frowned slightly. "We do not know where he lives."
Charlie thought about it for a moment before speaking again. "How about asking Elder Dravik?"
I immediately shook my head. "Charlie, how can we ask Elder Dravik about meat?"
Charlie raised his hand slightly, realizing what I had assumed. "No, young master. Not about the meat. We can ask him where Sham lives."
I paused for a moment as I considered that idea. When he put it that way, it actually made sense. Sham would certainly know where to get meat in the village.
After a brief moment, I nodded. "Yes. That will work."
With that settled, we turned and began walking toward Elder Dravik's house, the quiet village paths stretching ahead of us under the dim lantern light.
When we reached his yard, Charlie and I both slowed our steps. We paused near the entrance and exchanged a brief glance before stepping inside.
Almost immediately, I noticed something was different.
Every time we had visited before, Elder Dravik had always been seated in his yard, patiently weaving thick threads between his large hands. The steady rhythm of his work had become something I had come to expect whenever we approached his home.
But today, he was not sitting. He stood near a heavy wooden block in the center of the yard.
A large axe rested in his hands, and several thick logs were stacked beside him. Without hesitation, he raised the axe high above his shoulder and brought it down with tremendous force.
Crack.
The blade split through the log cleanly, sending two pieces falling apart onto the ground. The sharp sound echoed through the quiet yard as he lifted the axe again, preparing for another swing.
Each strike was powerful and precise, the repeated cracking of wood breaking the stillness of the evening air.
For a moment, neither of us spoke. We simply stood there, watching him work.
Then I gathered a little courage and called out carefully.
"Elder."
The sound of the axe striking wood continued without pause. It seemed as though he had not heard me at all. He lifted another log, placed it firmly on the block, and brought the axe down again with the same heavy force.
I swallowed slightly and tried again, raising my voice a little louder this time.
"Elder."
The axe stopped in mid-motion.
Slowly, he lowered the axe and turned his head toward us.
His sharp gaze settled directly on me.
The intensity of it made my throat tighten slightly. Even though he had not said anything yet, the weight of his stare alone felt enough to make me uneasy.
He turned fully toward us, the axe still resting in his hand, and asked in a deep voice, "What?"
I hesitated for a brief second before speaking.
"Sham…"
His eyebrows lifted slightly.
"Sham?"
I quickly continued before the silence grew any heavier. "Where does Sham live?"
Elder Dravik stared at me without speaking for several seconds. His expression remained completely unreadable, as if he were weighing something in his mind.
Then he casually lifted his hand and pointed toward a nearby row of houses.
"He lives two houses beside."
I quickly bowed my head in thanks. "Thank you, Elder."
Not wanting to disturb him any longer than necessary, I turned immediately and began walking out of the yard. Charlie followed right behind me without saying a word.
Behind us, the heavy sound of the axe striking wood resumed, echoing through the quiet evening as Elder Dravik returned to splitting his logs.