The master's pet (Berry)

Ai looks at him and hugs him tightly "thank you.."

Shin hugged Ai tightly back. "I promise I won't let anything hurt you..." Shin promised.
---
Near looked around the forest looking for Ai. The promise that Shin had made was the same promise that Near had made to Ai when they met... Sadly though he couldn't keep the promise and he blames himself for it ever sense Ai was taken from him...

Ai blinks "I think someone promised me that before but am not sure.." She sighs and looks at the ground. Small Ai begins to wake up and Ai eyes begin to turn emotionless again "we can't drink from that stream can we?"

"Yeah.. It doesn't look like that steam will be safe for drinking. It would probably be better to get something to drink elsewhere.." Shin said.

Near thought he heard voices coming from nearby in the woods. One of the two voices sounded like Ai's. Just in case of a fight Near grabbed his spear and started walking closer to the voices, careful not to make any sound.

Ai nods "where should we go?" She looks at him and smiles lightly.

"I say we should probably keep north. We're bound to run into a town hopefully soon." Shin said.

Near, hearing Ai's voice, was happy to know that it was Ai and she sounded okay as well. Near managed to stay hidden and rush ahead of Ai and Shin, planning to cut them off at the forests edge.

Ai nods and holds onto his arm as they walk "how far do you think a town is?"

"Hmm.. were in woodlands right now, and the trees look like they could bare some sort of fruit, so I'm guessing that there's one probably not to far from the edge of the woods." Shin said.

Near waited at the end of the forest with the spear, ready for a fight.

Ai nods "ok.." She keeps holding onto him as she walked.

Shin looked ahead and the end of the forest was in sight, but so was someone else...

Near looked and saw two people heading towards him. He readied the spear for combat.

Ai blinks "look the end.." She let's go of him and runs ahead.

"Ai!" Shin said. He had tried to stop her, seeing the weapon that the person over at the end of the forest had, but the person had lowered the weapon when he saw that Ai was coming towards him.

Near had lowered the spear when he saw that it was Ai coming towards him. He was so happy to see her.

Ai blinks when she sees him and looks at his spear. She runs back to shin "he has a weapon.." SmallAi blinks and looks at near before she ran back to shin, she was trying to see if she remembered him.

Shin held Ai closely. "It's okay... I won't let him hurt you. I made you a promise and I intend to keep it.." Shin said seriously.
After seeing Ai run back to Shin Near grit his teeth, unable to believe that Ai had decided to be with someone else, at least that's what he thought. Near looked at Ai with a feeling of hurt and anger. "Fine then." Near said walking away from the woods following the path. Before much longer he was out of sight...

Ai blinks "why did he leave..." Small Ai eyes grow wide and she tries to go after near and call out to him. She sighs and sits down with a sad look on her face.

Shin looked at small Ai. "That was him... wasn't it..?"

Small Ai nods and looks at the ground. Ai blinks "why was he carrying a spear then?" Her eyes had slightly confused look in them.

"He didn't know who I was and was worried about you." Shin answered.

Ai blinks "we should go after him?"

Shin nodded. "If we run we could probably catch up to him.."

Small Ai writes nears name down. Ai blinks "what did she write?"

"..Near..? Is that his name?" Shin asked small Ai.

Small Ai nods and smiles happy.

"We should probably got after him then.." Shin suggested.

Ai nods "if you think so.." She heads to were near ran to.