Lost in unknown

Beneath the shade of an old tree, a young boy lay on the soft grass, gazing at the endless sky above. The wind whispered through the leaves, and the gentle rustling calmed his restless thoughts. But no matter how peaceful the scenery, his mind was anything but.

So many questions plagued him.

Who was he?

How did he get here?

Why did the image of a woman—his mother—linger in his memories like a fading dream?

What did she look like? What was her name?

He tried to remember, but his mind felt like a vast, empty void. The more he reached for the answers, the further they slipped from his grasp. The only thing he knew for certain was the unbearable cold, the feeling of his body breaking apart, and the unshakable instinct that had pushed him forward despite everything.

Why had he been walking endlessly, barely clinging to life? How had he survived in the middle of nowhere?

And most importantly… what was wrong with this damned wolf cub that wouldn’t stop playing with him?

The boy sighed as he looked down at the tiny creature beside him. The black-furred cub wagged its tail excitedly, its bright silver eyes gleaming with mischief. It pounced on him again, licking his face with relentless enthusiasm.

"Stop it, you stupid mutt!" the boy groaned, trying to push it away.

The pup only barked happily, clearly enjoying itself.

The Awakening

When the boy had first woken up, the first thing he felt was warmth.

A woman had been holding him in her arms, her embrace gentle yet firm, as if afraid he would disappear at any moment. Tears shimmered in her kind brown eyes as she whispered, "Don’t worry, everything is going to be okay, my child."

Beside her stood a large man, arms crossed, his face stern yet relieved. And then… there was the puppy—or at least, what he had thought was a puppy at the time.

Moments later, as confusion settled in, he had bombarded them with questions, his voice small yet desperate.

"Who am I?" he asked, his fingers trembling as he clutched at the blankets. "Who are you people? What am I doing here?"

And then, as if realizing the most important question of all, he pointed at the furry menace sitting on the man’s lap.

"And why is this puppy licking my face?!"

The two adults exchanged glances, momentarily at a loss for words. Worry flickered in their expressions, but then the man suddenly burst into laughter, breaking the heavy atmosphere.

"Oh, little one, first of all—that is no ordinary puppy," he said with amusement. "That little beast is an apex predator, the king of the northern ice lands! And believe it or not, he’s the one who found you."

The boy blinked. "...What?"

The man chuckled. "This little wolf dragged you to me while we were out hunting. Smart little guy, isn’t he?" He patted the cub’s head, making the creature wag its tail proudly. "His name is Rocs."

The woman beside him sighed before shooting the man an exasperated glare. "Edward, stop overwhelming him."

The man—Edward—grinned. "Alright, alright! Let’s do this properly. My name is Edward Forger, the best blacksmith in all of the Kingdom of Lanka!" He puffed his chest out proudly. "And this lovely lady beside me is my sweet wife, Anna Forger, the best doctor in—"

Before he could finish, Anna elbowed him sharply in the stomach, causing him to double over with a grunt.

"Eddie, shut your mouth!" she scolded, her cheeks turning slightly red from embarrassment. Then, turning back to the boy, she gently stroked his hair and smiled softly. "Don’t mind him. He’s always been like that."

The boy found himself staring at her, feeling something unfamiliar—something warm.

Anna’s voice was softer when she continued, "It doesn’t matter if you don’t remember your past. You’re safe now, and we would love to have you stay with us until your memories return."

Edward, having recovered from Anna’s assault, grinned again. "That’s right, kid. Resting and healing are the most important things right now. And trust me—you’re lucky you’ve got Anna as your guardian angel. Not only is she the best doctor, but she’s also the best cook in all of Mundas Novas!"

At this, the boy couldn’t help but laugh.

It wasn’t much—not compared to the warmth in his dream, not compared to the feeling of his mother’s embrace that still haunted his heart.

But at that moment, as he hugged Anna tightly, for the first time since waking up in this strange place… he felt just a little bit safer.

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