NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 79: 78
After changing her clothes, the little girl looked even thinner. The loose clothes dangled on her body, like a child who stole adult clothes. She walked to Mark and bowed deeply again. Her thin body was bent almost ninety degrees. Her messy hair covered her face, and only her small chin could be seen. Then she walked silently to the fire, curled up and sat down, hugging her knees with her hands. The little girl's hands were red from the cold, her knuckles were slightly swollen, and they were covered with small wounds and frostbite, which looked particularly shocking under the firelight. She looked around with some uneasiness in her eyes. The dilapidated wooden house, the flickering fire, and the strange man, all of which made her feel both novel and scared. Her fingers unconsciously scratched the corners of her clothes, and the small movements revealed her inner tension. She pursed her cracked lips, did not speak, but curled up more, wrapped her clothes tightly, and slowly closed her eyes. The long eyelashes cast a shadow under her eyelids, covering the complex emotions in her eyes. Her little face looked particularly pale in the light of the fire, which further highlighted her thin cheeks and deep eye sockets.
Mark got up and walked to the door of the cabin, carefully checking the latch to make sure it could be locked securely. The wooden door was made of rough wooden boards, and there was a hint of cold wind in the gaps. He inserted the latch, making a light "click" sound, which was particularly clear in the silent cabin. Then he returned to the fire, sat cross-legged, and began to close his eyes to rest. His breathing was steady and long, as if he was motionless like a sculpture.
The wind outside the house whistled like the roar of a beast, and the fire in the cabin swayed, stretching the shadows on the wall long and distorted. The two sat quietly like this, one sleeping and the other guarding.
"Go to sleep, child." Mark said softly, although he knew that the little girl couldn't understand. He turned his head slightly, looking at the little girl's sleeping face, and an inexplicable warmth surged in his heart.
The little girl moved slightly, tucked her face into her clothes, found a more comfortable position, and continued to sleep. Mark looked at her, with a barely perceptible smile on his lips. He reached out and gently brushed away a strand of hair that fell on the little girl's face.
Mark closed his eyes and continued to rest. The crackling of the flames, the rustling of the wind blowing through the woods, and the even breathing of the little girl intertwined to form a small peaceful nocturne. He knew that tonight was destined to be a sleepless night, but he did not feel tired, but felt an unprecedented calm. He needed to stay alert and protect this helpless little girl until dawn.
"Woo woo woo..."
Mark heard a strange cry from outside, he opened his eyes suddenly, and looked at the door of the wooden house alertly. He gently pushed the little girl, "Wake up." He had to confirm what was going on outside.
The girl opened her eyes dazedly, rubbed her sleepy eyes, and looked at Mark blankly. She didn't seem to be fully awake, with a hint of doubt and uneasiness in her eyes.
Mark made a silent gesture, then pointed at the door and his ears, signaling the little girl to listen carefully to the noise outside. "Woo woo woo..." The strange sound came again, and it seemed to be closer to the wooden house.
The little girl seemed to understand what Mark meant. She stopped rubbing her eyes, pricked up her ears, and listened carefully to the noise outside. Her little face was tense, her originally rosy lips turned a little pale, and her eyes were full of vigilance.
Mark slowly stood up, picked up a wooden stick from the corner of the wall, and held it in his hand. He walked to the door lightly and listened to the noise outside. The wind outside the wooden house was still whistling, mixed with the rustling sound of the branches shaking, and the intermittent "woo woo woo" sound.
He carefully opened the door latch a crack and looked out through the crack. With the faint moonlight, he saw a short figure shuttled through the woods, and the figure's movements were a bit strange, like some kind of animal.
Mark closed the door gently, turned back to look at the little girl, and said in a low voice: "There seems to be something outside."
The little girl hugged her clothes more tightly with fear when she heard Mark's words, and her body trembled slightly. She stared at Mark closely, her eyes full of fear and helplessness.
Mark walked to the fire and added some firewood to make the fire burn more vigorously. The firelight reflected on the little girl's face, making her pale face flicker.
He walked to the door again, put his ear against the door panel, and listened carefully to the movement outside. "Woo woo woo..." The sound seemed to be closer and clearer.
Mark took a deep breath and pulled the door open. Outside the door, a short figure was standing not far from the wooden house, with his back to Mark. It was covered with scales, with slender limbs and a short tail, and was making a "woo woo woo" sound.
The figure seemed to have noticed Mark's appearance and turned around suddenly. Mark could see clearly that it was a small ice abyss beast.