FROST FOREST

Two years quickly passed by and now the girls were ten and nine years of age. Lexi who was now more fluent in English and had started schooling with Ari in the neighborhood school, always waited with patience while Aria waited with glee as they close from school but this time, Lexi was as enthusiastic as Ari because it was the last day of the semester.

It's a been almost two weeks since Mr Qi put their trainings on hold and they never saw Luna during this time.

" Can you hurry up?" Lexi shouted as she run to the park.

"If you stop running that fast, I'll catch up with you" Ari shouted back and even though they were running wildly, their voices was as steady as the still water.

Lexi although not liking the idea of being even a second late while meeting Luna reduced her pace for Ari to join her. They then run together before getting to the park.

The moment they got there the park, their smiles vanished as they saw only Mr Qi standing there with his hands behind him. The two girls looked at each other before walking towards him with disappointment.

" Master, Did Luna....." The question didn't entirely leave her mouth when they heard a loud sound behind them. Immediately, they stood in a defense style making them look serious as they met Luna's excited face.

They rushed and engulfed her in a hug with their laughter filling the air while Mr Qi watched them wirh a smile on his face.

The kids enjoyed some candies given by Luna's dad before settling into their rhythm of training.

They started an intense training and even little Luna wondered why their master is increasing their training techniques and time but whenever they asked him about it , he just laughs and shake his head. Sometimes too he would be staring at them as if he washed they had another friend was it the opposite.

It was a sunny day in late spring when Luna, Lexi, and Ari stumbled upon a girl around their age maybe ten or nine, being bullied by a group of kids in the park. The girls whose name is Chloe, is a shy and timid girl with curly brown hair, was crying and trying to defend herself against the taunts and teases of the other kids.

Without hesitation, the three girls sprang into action, using their martial arts skills to chase the bullies away. Chloe was shocked and grateful but as she saw how they high fived, she became a little sad. She thanked them and started walking away.

" Hey where are you going?" Ari asked with her hands on her waist.

" I...I don't know, My house ...was taken .....and mom she jumped and ....dad he also hanged himself" she said in between sobs as her voice cracked.

" So why where they teasing you?" Ari asked again.

" Because.....because of what happened to me" she said again and Ari's face morphed in anger.

" Why would they do that to her when she is crying, let's look for them and teach them a lesson" Ari spat angrily.

" It's okay, we won't do that. Whats your name?" Lexi asked.

" C...Chloe" she said.

" Would you come with us and be our friend?" Luna asked and Chloe looked at them for a while before slowly nodding her head.

As they walked together, Luna, Lexi, and Ari realized that Chloe was different from them. She was more timid and scared, and she seemed to be carrying a heavy burden on her small shoulders.

Luna, being the empathetic one, immediately sensed Chloe's emotional pain. She walked closer to Chloe and put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Hey, are you okay?" Luna asked, her voice soft and gentle.

Chloe looked up at Luna, her eyes welling up with tears. "I-I don't know," Chloe stuttered. "Those kids are always picking on me. I feel so alone."

Lexi and Ari exchanged a knowing glance. They had been in similar situations before, and they knew how it felt to be bullied and alone. Ari, being the fiery one, immediately took charge. "Don't worry, Chloe," Ari said, her voice firm. "We've got your back. Those kids won't bother you again."

As they continued walking, the four girls started to open up to each other. They shared stories about their lives, their families, and their dreams. Luna, Lexi, and Ari were surprised to find that they had more in common with Chloe than they thought.

Chloe, it turned out, was a kind and gentle soul who loved animals and nature. She was also incredibly intelligent and resourceful, often finding creative solutions to problems.

As the sun began to set, the four girls decided to take Chloe to meet Mr. Qi. They had a feeling that he would be able to help Chloe, just like he had helped them.

As they arrived at Mr. Qi's house, Chloe looked around nervously, unsure of what to expect. Mr. Qi, sensing their presence, opened the door and looked at the four girls with a mixture of surprise and concern.

"What's going on here?" he asked, his eyes scanning the group.

Luna, Lexi, and Ari explained the situation, telling Mr. Qi about how they found Chloe being bullied and how they wanted to help her. Mr. Qi listened attentively, his expression growing more serious by the minute.

When they finished, Mr. Qi sighed and rubbed his temples. "I told you girls not to bring anyone else into our little group," he said, his voice firm but gentle.

"But Master, Chloe needs our help," Luna protested.

Mr. Qi looked at Chloe, his eyes softening. "I know she does," he said. "But I also know that I'm not equipped to handle more students. You three are already a handful."

Ari, never one to back down from a challenge, spoke up. "We'll help you, Master," she said. "We'll make sure Chloe catches up."

Mr. Qi raised an eyebrow, clearly amused by Ari's boldness. "We'll see," he said finally. "But for now, let's just focus on getting to know Chloe better."

As Mr. Qi welcomed Chloe into their little group, the four girls couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement and trepidation. They knew that their lives were about to change in ways they couldn't imagine.

And as they walked away from Mr. Qi's house, the four girls knew that they were in this together, no matter what lay ahead.