Everlasting dream (18+)

Chapter 68 — Summer heat

[Aster]

The bright summer sun crept over the horizon, painting the cloudless sky in vibrant hues of orange and pink. The forest came alive with various sounds — birds singing sweet melodies, squirrels scampering up and down tree trunks, and insects chirping their tiny songs. A gentle breeze caressed the land, swaying the tall grass and rustling the leaves as it passed through the trees.

It had been over a month since that accident with Aster's mana when Silvia had helped him recover by breaking through his mana barrier. For this entire month, Aster tried to return the favor by doing the same for his sister. The two would cuddle together every evening after Aster returned from the forest; the boy did his best to push his mana through hers, slowly filling her petite, trembling body with his warmth. Although exhausting for him and painful for the little girl, during this time, Silvia's health gradually improved.

Inside their cave near the entrance, hidden behind a curtain of vines, Aster and Silvia were getting ready to go outside. Nivalis stood beside them, helping tie knots and adjust their clothes.

— "Are you sure you're ready to come with me?" Aster asked, his golden eyes meeting Silvia's identical ones. "You can stay home with Mom. I don't mind," he added, gently pinching her pale, cold cheek, giving it a bit of color.

Silvia smiled, pulling up her face-covering cloth, leaving only her eyes visible. "Don't worry, Asty. I'm completely fine. I can even run now," she replied, her voice slightly muffled by the fabric. "And we need more food, don't we?" she added, glancing at her mother.

Nivalis sighed, adjusting the hood that covered her head. "That's true," she admitted. "I wish you didn't have to, though. Maybe I should go as well? My walking is much better these days," she mumbled, looking between her children.

"No way," Silvia replied immediately, shaking her head. "We talked about this, Mom. You're staying," she mumbled, picking up the spear from the floor.

— "Yeah, not happening," Aster agreed, putting on his leather backpack and tightening the straps.

Nivalis smiled at them, a touch of sadness in her blue eyes. "Alright, I guess..." she sighed, looking down. Noticing this, Aster came closer and wrapped his arms around her waist, resting his head against her chest, the hood on his head sliding down.

— "It will be fine, Mom. We'll get back before you know it," Aster mumbled, feeling her hand caressing his hair. The boy looked up at her, smiling, and motioned her to bend forward because he was too short. I will protect her no matter what. I promise," Aster whispered into her ear, his mother's arm wrapping around him in response.

"I know you will, honey," Nivalis nodded and gave a soft, wet kiss on his forehead, adjusting the hood of his disguise cloak and pulling up the cloth to hide his face. "Be very careful out there, alright? Especially you, Silvia," she whispered, glancing at her daughter. "Listen to your brother, sweetie, and be ready to run if anything happens. Always keep track of the sun so you know where our cave is. And please, watch each other's back, and don't let your guard down."

"Of course, don't worry," Silvia smiled and hugged her mother when Aster stepped aside. "I'll make sure Asty won't do anything stupid," she whispered against her ear, kissing her gently.

"Thank you, sweetie," Nivalis said, gently slapping their little bottoms and sending them away.

"Let's go," Silvia whispered, taking her brother's hand and squeezing it softly. Aster waved at their mother, and they stepped through the vines and exited the cave. Silvia and Aster carried their spears in their free hands, sharp stones glinting in the morning light as they walked away.

...

— "Careful now," Aster whispered, his voice barely above a breath. He led his sister through the uneven, rocky terrain, their footsteps cushioned by the soft grass and twigs tied to their boots. While it was great for hiding their tracks, walking with them was challenging in places like this.

"Mhm," Silvia hummed, eyes on the ground to avoid tripping. After a while, when the rocks gave way to soft grass, she asked, "Where are we going, Asty?" her voice as quiet as his.

— "Just somewhere I haven't been in a while. There should be more food," Aster replied, eyes scanning their surroundings. His sharp gaze darted between the thick trunks, tall grass, and bushes, looking for any movement.

"Okay," Silvia nodded, holding his hand tighter. "It's a bit scary to walk around just like that," she admitted, glancing at her brother.

Aster nodded in response, "It is."

The sound of crunching and rustling under their feet filled the silence, the only sound breaking the peace. Silvia followed her brother's lead, darting her eyes around and behind them to ensure nothing followed them. Her golden eyes narrowed as she spotted a familiar, barely noticeable bush with tiny, purple berries hanging from its branches.

"Asty," Silvia whispered, pointing at the plant.

Aster glanced in that direction, his gaze landing on the delicious, juicy berries. "No way," he mumbled, gently squeezing her hand and leading her closer. "It's so hard to find them. Great job, sis," he praised her.

They crouched next to the bush. Aster took a sack from his backpack and placed it on the ground. The two children began gathering the food, one by one plucking the ripe, purple berries, placing them inside, and, of course, eating a good share of them.

"I missed these," Silvia muttered, popping another into her mouth. When she smiled, her teeth stained purple.

— "Me too," Aster chuckled, watching his sister enjoy the berries. He took another one and tossed it into his mouth, the sweetness spreading throughout his tongue, the juice sliding down his throat.

After they had collected everything, Aster tied the sack and placed it back into his leather backpack.

They walked on, fingers entwined, silent as the forest around them. Each unusual sound — a snapping twig, a bird taking flight — had them crouching, their ears straining. Sometimes, they even hid in the bushes, being extra cautious. Being so paranoid probably wasn't necessary, but Aster was determined not to repeat his past mistake.

A few hours passed in silence as the siblings gathered food around the forest. They found primarily berries and nuts, occasionally mushrooms and herbs, filling only a third of Aster's backpack, nowhere near the goal they planned to get by the end of the day. A lot of work still lay ahead, but luckily, they had time.

The sun was now high above their heads, its blinding rays peeking through the leaves and bathing the entire forest. The heat was almost unbearable, and sweat dripped down the nape of their necks and backs, drenching their petite bodies under their disguise cloaks. Their body odor started to become noticeable.

The siblings decided to take a break, finding a large, old tree surrounded by thick bushes. They sat down beneath it, leaning against the rough trunk."Ugh, it's so hot," Silvia complained, pushing her hood back and using the cloth covering her mouth to wipe the sweat from her forehead.

Aster placed his backpack next to him and turned to Silvia, whispering, "Yeah, could you-" He was about to ask if she could cool them down a little but stopped when he saw that she was already concentrating on her mana, her eyes closed. He lowered his hood, removed the cloth from his face, and sighed in relief as he breathed in the fresh air, patiently waiting for his sister to create ice.

Silvia opened her eyes a few minutes later, a small smile on her lips. She looked at her brother and held out a small, perfectly transparent ice ball about the size of his palm. "Here, this should help," she said, smiling.

— "Thanks," Aster smiled back, taking the ice and placing it on the back of his neck. He let out a long sigh as the coolness spread. "Ah, much better," he mumbled, resting his head on the tree and closing his eyes. The melted water trickled down his skin, disappearing beneath his cloak.

When he opened his eyes, he saw Silvia silently waiting for her turn, her eyes pleading like a puppy's. Without a word, Aster leaned closer and placed the ice against her neck. Her long eyelashes fluttered shut as she moaned quietly in satisfaction. "Yeah... this feels good," she breathed, enjoying the refreshing sensation.

A minute later, Aster suddenly asked, "Do I smell?" still moving the ice around her sweaty skin.

Silvia opened her eyes and looked at him. She leaned in and took a sniff of her brother's scent. "Um, a little, yeah. But not as much as I do," she said, smiling awkwardly. "Why do you ask?"

— "We should clean ourselves or at least rub the skin with pine needles. It's better to do both," Aster murmured, glancing around the bushes. "This spot's perfect for it. Remember what Mom said about goblins?"

Silvia nodded, her expression turning serious. "They have really sensitive noses..." she whispered, suddenly feeling uneasy. "Are we safe here?"

Aster shrugged, scanning their surroundings again, and replied, "At least we're hidden..." he whispered, looking at her. "We'll be fine, don't worry. Let's just try to be quick," he reassured her, offering a weak smile.

Silvia forced a smile back, nodding. "Okay," she replied, slowly pulling up her disguise cloak and revealing her wet tunic. The garment clung to her petite body, sticking to her flat chest and belly.

Aster put the slightly melted ice ball on the backpack and began helping his sister undress, carefully moving the tunic upwards. Silvia raised her arms, allowing him to pull it over her head. An unpleasant smell immediately hit Aster's nose, but he didn't react in any way. He continued to peel off the damp garment from her armpits, revealing his sister's pink, pointy nipples shimmering in the sun.

Then, Aster slipped his fingers into her pants and tugged them down. Silvia lifted her hips, letting her little brother slide the clothing off her pale thighs and legs. Her boots followed right after, her delicate toes wiggling once free. Her silver hair was damp with sweat, sticking to her pale, completely hairless skin that glistened in the sunlight. Her flat chest rose and fell rhythmically as her golden eyes stared back at him.

The boy took a deep breath, scanning their surroundings and listening for any sounds. Satisfied that they were alone, he quickly removed his clothing while Silvia silently watched her little brother, her eyes following his every movement. Once done, Aster sat beside her, both of them completely naked, their skinny, petite, and sweaty bodies exposed to the summer air.

Aster picked up the ice ball from his backpack and pressed it against his sister's flat chest, seeing how the ice began to melt, tickling down to her trembling, pressed tightly together thighs, forming a small pool. "Ah," Silvia moaned softly, her back arching slightly. Goosebumps appeared on her milky-white skin, and her pink nipples hardened right before his eyes.

— "How's that?" Aster asked, moving the ice slowly around her chest, leaving a trail of water droplets behind.

"C-cold," Silvia whispered, eyeing her brother's fingers maneuver the ice across her body. "F-faster, p-please," she mumbled, her voice shaky.

— "Okay," Aster whispered, feeling his sister's chest rise and fall with each deep breath as he circled the ice around her skin. With his other hand, he began to rub her chest and soft belly, spreading the melted water all over.

"Mmm," Silvia breathed, closing her eyes. "It feels good once you get used to it," she murmured, letting him do his thing. Aster smiled, slowly moving down to her thighs, gently squeezing and rubbing each, cleaning them thoroughly. Then, Aster knelt before her, moving the ice between her tiny, wiggling toes, getting her feet clean. Hearing her muffled giggles and squirms made him chuckle.

It continued for no longer than two minutes; by the time the ice melted, Aster had thoroughly cleaned her shoulders, arms, back, and even her round, tiny behind, leaving no trace of sweat behind.

Next, Aster took a handful of pine needles from a nearby tree and began scrubbing his sister's soft skin, the strong smell of pine clinging to her body. Once finished, Aster threw the needles aside, whispering, "All done," patting her smooth, pale thigh, leaning against the tree trunk with a satisfied sigh.

"Thanks," Silvia smiled, stretching her arms before looking at him. Her skin glistened, slightly green and red from all the scrubbing. "Alright, my turn. Let me make another ice for you," she mumbled, closing her eyes and focusing on her mana.

...

After cleaning themselves, Aster and Silvia sat naked on the soft grass for fifteen minutes, letting the sun warm their damp, skinny bodies. They listened to birds singing and leaves rustling, watched the light rays dancing, and felt the gentle breeze on their skin. Now and then, Aster's golden eyes scanned the area to ensure they were safe.

"Ready?" Silvia whispered, resting her head on his shoulder.

Aster leaned his head against hers, his cheek touching her hair. "Yeah," he replied, taking a deep breath. Leaning towards their clothes, neatly folded right next to their leather backpack, Aster took his sister's tunic and helped her dress. She put her arms through the sleeves, the garment hiding her smooth, white skin.

She helped him, too. Together, they tied the knots and adjusted their clothes, hiding every part of their skin.

— "Let's go," Aster whispered, adjusting the backpack straps on his shoulders before picking up the spear and taking his sister's hand. They walked out from their temporary shelter side by side. Silvia's soft, slightly cold hand gently squeezed his warm one.

As they walked, Aster suddenly heard a familiar, low buzzing noise coming from the right. He immediately stopped his sister and signaled for her to stay quiet, his sharp gaze looking around. The bright smile on his lips was not visible due to the cloth covering his face, but the tiny wrinkles on his eyes and the sparkle in them reassured Silvia that there was no threat.

Aster gestured towards the tall, thick bush just a few steps away. The buzzing sound grew louder as the two children crept closer until finally, they spotted a tiny, yellow-and-black striped insect fluttering its wings and hovering in the air.

"Oh..." Silvia gasped, her golden eyes widening. She looked at her little brother and then back at the bee. "Oh!" the girl repeated, realizing what this meant. "Are we...?" she asked, tapping her brother's hand and excitedly pointing at the flying bug.

— "Mhm. We need to follow it," Aster replied, staring at the little flying creature. "It's not as easy as you think. Keep your eyes on it," he whispered, leading his sister after the bee.

Aster and Silvia watched as the bee flew a few steps ahead, stopped briefly, and took off again, flapping its tiny wings and flying further. The siblings followed the insect for more than an hour, going deeper and deeper into the forest, stopping whenever the bee would. Whenever one lost track of the insect, the other would point and tell them where it was. Having two pairs of eyes made the task so much simpler.

After a long time, they finally arrived at their destination, a clearing surrounded by thick pine trees, the bright sun peeking through the leaves. Flowers of every color imaginable blanketed the area, and bees buzzed around, gathering sweet nectar and creating a pleasant, gentle buzzing noise.

Silvia gasped, her eyes sparkling as she took in the sight. "Woah..." she breathed, staring at the incredible sight before her. "It's so beautiful," she whispered, stepping deeper into the clearing, never letting go of her brother's hand.

— "It is," Aster agreed, following after her. The two children slowly walked around, admiring the colorful, beautiful flowers, their heads turning in all directions. "There! The hive," Aster suddenly whispered, pointing to a tree in the middle of the clearing, a hollow hole visible in its trunk, high above the ground.

"Oh..." Silvia breathed, her golden eyes landing on the hive. She watched the insects hover in the air before entering the home. "So high... How will we get the honey?" she asked, her eyes still fixed on the beehive. "Won't they attack us?"

— "No, don't worry," Aster replied, shaking his head. "They don't like smoke, so if we make a fire close to the hive, they should fly away. That's what I did the last time. It worked great," he explained, glancing around. "We need a lot of pine needles, leaves... dry grass will do," he added, looking back at his sister.

"Okay, got it," Silvia nodded, releasing his hand and turning around. Her petite, skinny body immediately dashed towards the pine trees, her cloak fluttering behind her. Aster followed right after, not wanting to get separated even for a second. Together, the siblings gathered anything they thought would burn and created a pile next to the tree, the leaves, small twigs, a bit of bark, and dry plants reaching their knees.

— "It should be enough," Aster nodded, glancing at the pile. "Alright... we won't make the big fire here on the ground because it will be visible from far away, and we don't want that," he added, taking off his disguise cloak and backpack. "And with this wind, it won't even reach the hive."

"Makes sense," Silvia agreed, watching Aster place his disguise cloak on the ground and move the pile of dry leaves and twigs onto it. "Then how are we going to do this?" she asked, her hands resting on her hips.

Aster looked up at the hive high above them, then back at his sister. "Instead, I'll climb the tree and start making smoke next to the hive with my magic. I'll probably get stung a few times, but it's okay," he explained, tying the corners of the cloth together to create a makeshift sack. He slung it over his shoulder and secured it around his neck. Turning to his sister, he continued, "Your job is to stay here and catch the honeycombs I drop down. Oh, and keep an eye on the falling leaves I ignite so that they won't burn the entire forest."

"Okay, Asty. I'll watch the leaves, don't worry." Silvia replied, pulling down the hood and cloth from her face. "Be careful."

— "I will," Aster smiled, walking towards the tree. He glanced back, adding, "There should be a lot of honey, and I mean A LOT. Use my backpack and all our sacks we took. And your cloak if you have to. And keep an eye out for goblins, alright?"" With that, he grabbed the first branch and started climbing. Silvia opened his leather backpack and pulled out an empty sack meant for berries and nuts. She then positioned herself beneath the tree, nervously looking around.

Aster carefully climbed the tree, making sure not to make any noise. His eyes remained locked on the beehive, its inhabitants occasionally flying around and near his face. The bees' buzzing sound grew louder as the boy got higher, and the higher he climbed, the more his palms grew damp with sweat. After a few minutes, he finally reached the branch nearest to the hive. He carefully stepped on it, his weight making the entire branch bend down.

The bees were flying in his face, some even bumping into him, making him flinch. He took a deep breath, calming his nerves, and slowly lowered himself, wrapping his legs around the branch and shifting the makeshift sack from his back to his front. Then, he took a handful of pine needles from within, stretching his arm as close to the hive as he dared.

Once near enough, Aster closed his eyes and concentrated, feeling the familiar heat appear in his chest, a process of his raw mana getting ignited. He didn't need much; a tiny spark would do the trick.

In the center of his palm, Aster created a small flame, no larger than a candle's and brief as a single breath. But it was more than enough for pine needles to catch on fire, producing a thick cloud of smoke, the acrid scent reaching his nose. Aster leaned in, blowing gently towards the hive, coaxing more smoke from the smoldering needles.

Immediately, the bees swarmed out of their hive, buzzing frantically, filling the air with their panicked hum. The cloud of smoke continued to rise, slowly drifting in the air. Aster added more pine needles and leaves to the fire, tossing away the old ones as they grew too hot to hold. From one hand to another, he kept the smoke going.

More and more bees fled the hive, their wings creating a near-deafening roar. Fortunately, none attacked Aster, too busy with their natural instinct to save what little they carried from the upcoming fire.

Aster glanced down at Silvia, seeing her standing with the sacks open, ready to catch the honeycombs. Whenever a burning leaf or needle fell near her, she stomped it out quickly, her eyes scanning the ground for any sign of spreading flames.

Aster turned his focus back to the hive. Once the number of bees thinned, he moved closer to the entrance. He blew smoke into the hole, hoping to drive out the remaining bees. The sack slowly but surely emptied as he continued this process.

When the sack was finally empty, Aster paused, desperately catching his breath. He felt a bit dizzy from blowing the air for too long. He watched the hive entrance for any sign of movement or sound. There was no noise, nothing. Now, he could start dropping the honeycombs to Silvia.

Slowly and carefully, Aster stood, gripping the branch above him tightly. He leaned his face close to the hive entrance and peered inside. The amount of honey inside was unbelievable. Using his second hand, he reached into the hive, breaking off the pieces of it, his fingers sinking into the sticky, golden liquid.

His forearm glistened with honey as Aster withdrew it from the hive, the golden liquid dripping onto the grass below the tree. Silvia immediately ran towards it, trying to save as much precious food as possible, catching every little drop with her sack. A sudden "watch out!" whisper came from above. Silvia raised her head, seeing her brother was about to drop a whole, massive honeycomb.

Without hesitation, the girl raised her sack and positioned herself perfectly under the falling treasure, trying to catch it. But instead of landing in the sack, the honeycomb splattered onto her surprised face. A loud "splat" echoed, honey and sticky wax pieces flying in every direction, accompanied by a surprised yelp from the little girl as she stumbled back and landed on her bottom in the soft grass.

Aster immediately burst into laughter, nearly losing his balance and shaking uncontrollably.

"H-hey! Stop laughing! I-i can't..." Silvia managed to say, her words muffled by the honey as she frantically wiped it off to breathe. Aster kept laughing as he climbed down the tree and ran towards her, his belly already aching.

— "Here, let me help," Aster giggled, kneeling beside her. The girl tried to speak but only managed gibberish as she desperately tried to free herself from the sweet trap.

"This isn't funny!" Silvia managed to mumble as her little brother continued laughing, wiping honey off her face and dropping it into the sack. The annoyed, angry glare she gave him only made him laugh harder.

— "Ah, I can't... stop... my belly hurts so much..." Aster said, his voice shaky from all the laughter.

Silvia wrapped her arms around his neck in one sudden, swift movement and began rubbing her honey-covered face against his. And hair. Especially hair."H-hey! Ew, s-stop!" Aster whispered louder than intended, trying to squirm free. His muffled laugh mixed with his sister's suppressed "Hpmf!" or "Take it!" as they started rolling in the grass, covered in honey, wrestling and struggling.

— "Stop, stop. Not here. We are not safe," Aster muttered, his words interrupted by his breathy laugh. "Let's finish this at home. We still have work to do," he managed to say.

Silvia pulled away and looked down at her little brother, her golden eyes piercing his trembling soul, whispering, "You're right," before sitting up; her little butt kept shifting from side to side as she sat on his stomach, her thighs and knees pressed against his sides. The girl licked the honey off her lips as she looked around, ensuring no one was there. Then, after a long, calming exhale, she added, "Let's go... Next time, try not to be an ass and not throw the whole thing on my face, okay?" annoyance was evident in her voice.

— "Mhm," Aster whispered as he got up. He took his cloak and began wiping her pouting, angry face. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to. How about I give you a shoulder massage tonight? Will you forgive me?" he offered, smiling gently.

Silvia's golden eyes glanced at his, her lips slowly turning up, a soft "Nuh-uh" escaping her. She then closed her eyes, letting him wipe her face.

— "No, huh?" Aster chuckled, continuing the process; her right cheek moved up and down as he brushed the cloth against it. "Alright, how about..." he paused, thinking. "In addition to the shoulder massage, I'll give your feet a rub. How does that sound?"

"Better," Silvia mumbled, still not opening her eyes. "But not enough. You were really mean, brother," she added, a tiny pout visible on her lips.

— "Full body massage?" Aster chuckled, wiping her nose, causing it to wrinkle cutely. "Until you fall asleep."

Silvia's expression immediately changed; her eyes fluttered open, and her playful smile returned. "Deal," she chirped, taking the cloak from his hand and finishing the job, wiping her messy face in one go. "Chop, chop, go climb the tree again. The sooner we finish, the sooner I get my massage," she ordered, taking the sack and collecting the scattered honeycomb pieces from the ground.

— "Yes, ma'am," Aster grinned, quickly giving her a peck on her cheek before running back to the tree. His sticky, silver hair fluttered behind him.

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