Author's Pov:
"Is....she okay?" Serena asked as she looked at Aria who has been acting weird for a while now.
She's been grinning and stifling a laugh with no reason at all.
"Just ignore it. She's probably doing something stupid again." Leah replied as she continued to play with Mika, the kid hanging on Leah's arm like a monkey.
"Get off kid. You're gonna hurt yourself." Leah told the kid hanging on her arm.
"Don't wanna! You're fluffy!" Mika said as she promptly stuck herself on Leah's arm.
Serena glanced at Aria again, her brow furrowed as the girl's shoulders continued to shake with silent laughter.
"I mean, seriously. Look at her. She's been grinning like that for ten minutes. Should we be worried?"
"Worried? No. Annoyed? Absolutely," Leah replied, trying for the third time to dislodge Mika from her arm. The small child clung stubbornly, her legs wrapped around Leah's forearm like a vine.
"I told you, kid. You're gonna hurt yourself," Leah grumbled, giving her arm a little shake.
"Don't care!" Mika chirped, her voice muffled as she buried her face into the soft fur lining Leah's coat. "You're fluffy!"
Leah groaned, shooting Serena a glare. "Why am I the one stuck with the monkey?"
"Because she likes you," Serena said, biting back a smile. "Apparently, you're fluffy."
"I'm not fluffy!" Leah growled, her ears twitching in irritation.
"Yes, you are!" Mika giggled, tugging lightly at Leah's fur-lined sleeve. "Fluffy like a big, soft pillow!"
Leah pinched the bridge of her nose, muttering something under her breath. "This is what I get for being nice. Next time, I'm throwing her into the nearest tree."
"You'd never," Serena said with a smirk.
"Try me," Leah shot back, though the faintest hint of a smirk tugged at her lips.
---
The wagon jumped slightly as it hit a bump, and Mika squealed in delight, her grip tightening on Leah's arm. Serena shifted her attention back to the strange scene, her curiosity getting the better of her.
"You're surprisingly patient with her," Serena noted, crossing her arms.
Leah raised an eyebrow. "Patient? I'm one step away from losing my mind."
"Doesn't seem like it," Serena teased. "If anything, you look like you're enjoying yourself."
Leah snorted. "Yeah, sure. This is exactly how I pictured my day going. Getting climbed on by a tiny gremlin while Aria sits there giggling like a lunatic."
Mika puffed out her cheeks in mock offense. "I'm not a gremlin! I'm a human!"
"A very gremlin-like human," Leah muttered.
Serena laughed, shaking her head. "You're good with kids, though. You ever think about that?"
"Not even once," Leah said firmly.
"But you're so cool!" Mika chimed in, looking up at Leah with wide, adoring eyes.
Leah groaned. "Don't look at me like that."
"Like what?" Mika blinked innocently.
"Like I'm some kind of hero," Leah said, her tail flicking irritably.
"But you are a hero!" Mika insisted. "You saved me from falling out of the wagon yesterday!"
Leah hesitated, clearly uncomfortable. "That's just common sense. Anyone would've done that."
"Not anyone," Serena said quietly, her gaze softening.
Leah rolled her eyes, shifting Mika slightly so the child wasn't cutting off circulation in her arm. "Whatever. I'm not a hero. End of discussion."
Mika pouted but didn't press the issue, instead snuggling against Leah's sleeve once more.
---
As the wagon rolled on, the conversation drifted into lighter topics. Serena leaned back, her expression thoughtful.
"Do you think we'll reach the next camping spot by sundown?" she asked, glancing at the horizon.
"Doubt it," Leah replied. "We're moving slower than usual because someone insisted on bringing extra supplies she found along the way."
"They're necessary," Serena said defensively.
"For what? Building a second wagon?" Leah quipped.
"Very funny," Serena said, narrowing her eyes. "I'd like to see you go without these 'extra supplies' when we're in the middle of nowhere."
"I'll manage," Leah said with a shrug.
"Sure you will," Serena muttered. "Right up until you're begging for my cooking."
Leah smirked. "You assume I'd stoop that low."
"Oh, you would," Serena said confidently.
"Would not."
"Would too."
Mika, sensing an opportunity to stir the pot, piped up. "Serena's cooking is yummy! Second only to Mama! Leah would love it!"
"See? Even Mika agrees," Serena said triumphantly.
Leah groaned. "Great. Now the gremlin's on your side."
The wagon hit another bump, and Mika squealed again, this time clambering up onto Leah's shoulders.
"Whoa, kid!" Leah yelped, grabbing hold of Mika's legs to keep her steady. "What do you think you're doing?"
"I'm climbing!" Mika announced proudly.
"She's not a mountain, Mika," Serena said, stifling a laugh.
"Then why's she so tall?" Mika countered, her small hands gripping Leah's ears like reins.
Leah froze, her golden eyes narrowing dangerously. "Let go of my ears."
"But they're so soft!" Mika said, gently rubbing them.
"Mika..." Leah's voice was low and warning.
"Okay, okay!" Mika relented, letting go and raising her hands in mock surrender. "No need to get grumpy."
"I'm not grumpy," Leah muttered, her tail flicking irritably.
"Could've fooled me," Serena teased.
---
The day wore on, and the wagon eventually came to a stop near a small grove of trees. Deciding that place will be their camping ground for now. Mika, Serena and Leah climbed down, stretching their legs and setting up camp.
Leah busied herself gathering firewood, her movements precise and efficient. Mika trailed after her, chattering nonstop about everything and nothing.
"You talk a lot, you know that?" Leah said, glancing over her shoulder.
"Yep!" Mika said cheerfully.
"Figures," Leah muttered, tossing a bundle of sticks onto the ground.
Serena, meanwhile, was setting up the cooking area, her hands deftly unpacking their supplies. She glanced over at Aria, who was still grinning to herself inside the wagon and shook her head.
"Hey! I know you're awake. You ever going to tell us what's so funny?" Serena asked.
"Maybe later," Aria said, her tone cryptic as she laid on the wagon.
Serena sighed, turning her attention back to the fire. "Whatever it is, I'm sure it's ridiculous."
"Ridiculous? Never," Aria said, her grin widening.
---
As the sun dipped below the horizon, the group gathered around the campfire, the warm glow casting flickering shadows on their faces. Mika sat cross-legged beside Leah, her head resting against the kobold's arm.
"Today was fun," Mika said sleepily.
"Fun for you, maybe," Leah muttered, though her tone lacked its usual edge.
"For all of us," Serena said, smiling. "Even you, Leah."
Leah didn't respond, but the faintest hint of a smile tugged at her lips.
When the others saw that they stifled a laugh, pissing off Leah.
Aria, finally breaking her silence, leaned back with a contented sigh. "You know, this might be one of my favorite days yet."
"Why's that?" Serena asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Because I didn't have to do anything, and I still got to laugh at all of you," Aria said, her grin mischievous.
Leah groaned. "I take it back. Today was awful."
Serena laughed, shaking her head. "You won't take it back?"
"Only if you promise to stop calling me fluffy," Leah said.
"No promises," Serena replied with a smirk.
Mika giggled, her voice soft and drowsy. "Fluffy Leah...."
With that, the group settled in for the night, their banter still echoing softly in the night air.