Three Cross - Time Youths

Cavekeeper

The bright morning sun burst out among the thick foliage, highlighting the layer of dew that soaked the green grass. In silence, there was only the singing of birds and the gentle whirring of the wind. Jayak, with his arrow and bow, moves agilely in pursuit of a bright-looking young deer. He stepped on a dry twig, making a cracking sound that shocked the deer.

"Ah, Jayak! Your heart is as hard as a rock but your feet are always sloppy!" mako sneered while laughing, patting the annoyed-looking shoulders of Jayak.

Jayak rolled his eyeballs, "Don't mock, Mado. You just sit writing poems and laugh at me."

Mado put her shoulders together, "You know, Jayak, there's beauty in every failure."

While the two were arguing, Kunta, seriously, tried to make a trap. With trembling hands, he tried to tie a piece of rope that was always tangled. "Oh, this rope! It seems like the trap god is not on my side today," his grunts.

Jayak approaches Kunta and shows her cynical face, "Maybe you should tie her to the poem, Mado can definitely help." The two men laughed, while Mado pretended to frown.

"OK, okay," Mado clutched her little book, "Don't mock my poetry. Look, even the big tree there is dancing around listening to it."

While laughing together, Jayak took a few steps back and almost slipped on a small slope. As he tried to balance himself, his hand touched the cold stone wall, finding the mouth of the cave hidden behind the bushes. The leafy leaves, filled with morning dew, covered the mouth of the cave, making it look like a natural painting.

"Hi, look at this!" exciting Jayak.

Kunta and Mado approached, their eyes round looking at the hidden cave. "God! How could we miss it all this time?" asked Kunta with wide eyes.

Mado stared at the cave with an expression full of admiration, "Perhaps because we are too busy with our own lives and forget to see the magic that lies before our eyes."

Jayak nodded, "Or maybe because we're too busy laughing over each other's silliness."

They laugh. In the midst of the silence of nature, their laughter becomes a perfect symphony, fused with the beauty of nature around them. While laughing, the morning sun shone on their faces, displaying an orange tinge that framed their faces perfectly.

Curious, they decided to approach the cave and explore further. However, before that, they sat together, enjoying togetherness amidst the beauty of nature, letting the morning breeze sweep their faces, before embarking on their next adventure.

The three stood in front of the mouth of the cave hidden behind the lush bushes. The cave gives off the scent of wet soil and the moisture it hugs. The sunlight that broke through between the branches and the leaves created a beam of light that bounced off the stone walls of the cave, revealing a rough texture and a dark color that contrasted with the surrounding greenness.

"What do you think is in it?" Kunta asked with sparkling eyes full of curiosity. While rubbing his chin that was beginning to be overgrown with a beard, he tried to peek into the dark-looking cave.

Mado, with dreamy eyes, said, "This cave is like an unsolved mystery. Like..." He paused for a moment, looking for inspiration.

"What's it like, Mado?" asked Jayak with a wicked smile.

"Like.. hmm... difficult-to-guess woman's heart?" Mado tried to structure her words.

Jayak laughed out loud, "It's not a poem, it's a joke!"

Kunta, trying to hold back the laughter, chimed in, "Maybe Mado is trying to captivate a woman with her poetry."

Mado rolled her eyes, "Alright, let me try again. This cave is like a deep secret of the world, waiting to be discovered."

"Hey, maybe this bird has a secret about this cave," jayak chirped, still with a big smile.

Mado pats on the forehead, "Ah, you're always there, Jayak! Can't be serious for a second?"

The three laughed together, feeling the warmth of friendship amidst the natural beauty that surrounded them. The fresh morning air, with the scent of wildflowers and wet foliage, further adds to the mystical impression around the cave.

They then sat on the rocks near the cave, enjoying a moment of togetherness before deciding on their next move. Kunta took out the provisions he brought, distributing them to Jayak and Mado. While eating, they talked about the past, about their previous adventures, and of course, about the mysterious cave that had just been discovered.

"I think we should go in and explore this cave" Kunta said excitedly.

Jayak agreed, "I think so too. Who knows we'll find something valuable in it."

Mado nodded, "But we have to be careful. Like any hard-to-guess poem, this cave may also have an unexpected secret."

The three of them stood up, steadied their hearts, and decided to embark on a new adventure in the mysterious cave.

As it approached the mouth of the cave, the atmosphere around them became thicker and colder. The depth of the cave exuded a mysterious atmosphere, like calling them to go deeper. However, as they prepared to enter the cave, something unexpected stopped their steps.

From behind the dark shadow, came the figure of a dashing mythical beast, with coiled horns and large wings that looked solid. Its body is covered in thick golden fur that reflects sunlight, giving the impression of magical and graceful. The tail is long and ends with glittering fine tassels.

All three, with wide eyes, stared at the beast. Jayak, who was always brave, took a deep breath, ready to speak, but before he could make a sound, the beast spoke first.

"Hey! Who are you and what are you looking for here?" The beast's voice was tall and shrill, in stark contrast to his dashing appearance. His voice sounded like the sound of a canary bird whistling.

The three of them looked puzzled, and their faces turned red holding back a laugh. Kunta covered her mouth with her hands, trying hard not to laugh, while Mado quickly covered her face with her little book.

Jayak, trying to be polite, replied, "Sorry, we are just curious about this cave. We have no intention of interrupting or taking anything from here."

The beast nodded with a serious look, "I am the guardian of this cave. My name is Lyno. This cave has a long history and many secrets are hidden in it. If you want to come in, you have to answer my question."

Kunta, who had already managed to calm down, said, "Alright, Lyno. We're ready to answer your question."

Lyno looked at them with sharp eyes, "Alright, the question is... Who won the race in your village last year?"

The three looked confused. How could Lyno know about the running race in their village? However, Mado, who had always been smart in remembering small things, immediately replied, "It was Bimo, our neighbor!"

Lyno looked satisfied, "That's right! You guys can come in. But remember, don't take anything from inside the cave. Appreciate the history and secrets that are in it."

The three nodded, thanked him, and entered the cave carefully, while whispering about Lyno who had a dashing appearance yet a shrill voice. Amidst the darkness of the cave, the light of the breaking sun gave off a hint of illumination, guiding their steps towards the adventure that awaited inside.