Chapter 4: The wooden house by the stream.

Finn and Uri walked for a long time until they reached the wooden house next to the small stream, so obscured by the trees that it was difficult to spot. The house was in the dark; the vines covered the walls, the fence fell, and dry leaves covered the courtyard.

Finn carefully traced the vines, opening the wooden door enough for one person to slip in. Uri followed him into the house; inside was full of beds, wardrobes, tables and chairs, and a small kitchen.

"My dad hasn't been here yet." Uri took the candles from the cupboard and pulled a lighter from her pocket.

Finn held his hand. "Don't light candles. We can see in the dark; the light will make it easier for humans to spot this place."

Uri paused; it had only been a day that he had forgotten about the need to run away from pursuing a strange organization called Red Leaves.

"I forgot. Sorry!"

"There's no need to apologize because you're not used to a life of always hiding like me." Finn looked anxiously out into the dark forest. "I'll stay here with you. I'm afraid you don't know how to handle when something bad happens."

Uri thought silently for a moment. Finn already knew of his existence, so it was the same for Finn to stay or go.

He put his backpack on the table covered with dried leaves, peeled off the plastic sheet over the mattress, opened the cupboard, and pulled out a bag containing the bed sheets and pillows.

"Wait a minute, I'll change the sheets, and we'll go to bed." Uri quickly put the sheet on the mattress. "Since building this house until now, my family has not come here to stay again. Fortunately, my father carefully wrapped everything in a plastic bag so it didn't get moldy."

Finn sat on a chair, looking around. "Your father is cautious. I've seen this house before but never went inside, and I didn't expect your family to equip this place so well."

"Yes, but unfortunately, this house is small, with only enough room to put a bed. If you don't mind, go to bed with me, the bed is quite large; we each have a blanket." Uri threw the blankets on the bed and then took off his coat, dropping his tired body onto the mattress. "It's late at night. Let's sleep, and tomorrow I'll clean this place up."

Finn got up, took off his coat, and curled up in bed with the blanket that Uri had left for him.

The house fell silent. Late at night, the temperature drops, making the air very cold. Uri looked up at the roof with wide eyes. He couldn't sleep; his mind flashed through the horrible things that had happened today. He didn't believe the people's words in the mountain cave; he wanted to see his father and Clement tell him those were lies.

"Can't you sleep?" Finn leaned over to look at Uri, lowering his voice. "Now, you don't believe me, so I won't say anything. Can you tell me about your life?"

Although Uri looked up at the ceiling, there was nostalgia in his eyes. "My family has four people; we live in Green City. My sister and I just graduated from high school, and we will start studying at university next year."

Finn sighed. "Unfortunately. Since the Red Leaf Foundation found you, you can't go to school from now on."

"I wait to see my father; he will tell me the truth." Uri tilted his head to look at Finn. "I want to go home. Maybe my mother and sister are distraught."

"I'll stay with you until your father arrives," Finn said firmly. "Don't worry; I'll protect you."

His new friend's words moved Uri. He thanked him and pulled the blanket over his head, trying to lull himself to sleep.

The following day, Uri woke up when the early morning sunlight shone into the house through the half-opened door. He looked to the side; Finn was no longer lying on the bed.

He sat up, surprised to see the small wooden house. Last night the floor was covered with dry leaves and dust, but it had been swept clean.

Uri got out of bed, and he went to open the small kitchen door. Inside, Finn is sitting by the wood stove; on the stove is a pot of fragrant soup.

"Hi!" Uri walked over to the kitchen. "Why didn't you wake me up?"

Finn smiled and said, "I saw you slept late last night, so I didn't want to wake you up early."

Uri looked at the boiling pot of soup on the stove, surprised, and asked, "Where did you get the meat to cook this soup?"

"This morning, I went rabbit hunting, then went back to the mountain cave to get some spices to make soup. You don't have to worry; I'll protect you." Finn opened the pot's lid, put a handful of herbs in it, and stirred it with a wooden spoon. "You go to the stream to wash your face and then come here for breakfast."

Uri went to the stream to wash his face. The water was so clear that he could see the fish swimming below.

When he returned to the chalet, a pot of hot soup, a plate of mashed potatoes, and two white porcelain bowls were on the table.

Finn happily waved, "Come here for breakfast."

Uri sat down at the table, marveling at Finn's cooking. "You're so good. If it were me, this soup wouldn't be edible."

"I had no place to live, always had to run away.  I would have died long ago if I couldn't care for myself." Finn scooped up a bowl of soup and set it down in front of Uri. "You eat it, and I'll teach you how to survive in the forest."

"Thank you!" Uri received a bowl of soup; rabbit meat smelled highly fragrant. "I saw fish in the stream, I was going to catch it to make grilled fish, but I didn't know how to catch it."

Finn looked at Uri's embarrassed expression and laughed. "You ate it. I'll teach you to catch fish later; we'll make grilled fish this afternoon."

Uri picked up the bowl of soup and ate it deliciously. The soft and fragrant rabbit meat served with spices makes the soup even more delicious.

"I can't go out of the woods to buy bread." Finn pours more soup for Uri. "So you eat more soup, or you won't be full."

"You guys never come out of the woods?" Uri raised his head to look at Finn, wondering.

"If we feel safe, then we will dare to go out of the forest," Finn replied. "Usually, at night, no one would notice us."

Curious Uri. "That means you only come out of the woods at night."

"Yes, we only dare to go to the city at night to buy essentials; the Red Leaves are always lurking around." Finn coughed lightly, looking a little awkwardly at Uri. "We can't go to work to earn money, so sometimes we have to do a small robbery to get money to buy groceries and food."

Uri rolled his eyes at Finn. But he said it was not wrong; the people in the mountain cave had to evade the pursuit, so they couldn't go to work like other ordinary people.

"I didn't expect your dad could keep you a secret until now. He's amazing," Finn continued.

Uri picked up the bowl of soup to eat. A moment later, he raised his head and said: "My father didn't say anything to me. I want him to tell the truth himself. Only when he spoke did I believe it."

Finn patted Uri's shoulder, smiled, and said: "Don't worry, we will wait for your father to come here; he will not lie to you."