"Mm... Mother?" Gumiho whispered under her breath, dragging her feet toward Hana.
The surroundings, once filled with the gossip of onlookers, turned mute. Nobody spoke. Nobody moved.
Gumiho's lips parted slightly, her eyes fixed unrelentingly on Hana. Her arms hung loosely at her sides, and her bare feet left a faint, dragging trail behind her. After reaching halfway, she lost the strength in her body. Her knees bent, and she began to fall.
But before her knees could touch the ground, her head rested on a shoulder, and a hand caught her by the waist.
A middle-aged fox-man was kneeling before Gumiho, his shoulder keeping her from falling. His right arm was wrapped around Gumiho's belly, and on his left—where his other arm should have been—the sleeve of his coat hung freely.
"Lord Aruma?" A wave of gasps spread through the army.
"Father, I missed you," Gumiho whispered.
"I missed you too, my blossom," Aruma replied, his voice carrying a hint of cracking.
