Stary's shy and innocent appearance in front of her makes Nyla think with admiration, I've never really seen anyone like him, I'm going to try to get to know him a little more!, I just have to try not to seem too curious,
Looking at her long tail swaying from side to side, seeing the sight of Stary in front of her, Nyla has a flash of something she hadn't noticed before, making her blush immediately, and look away,
It turns out that Stary really had no clothes all this time, that's why this idiot was so cold, looking around trying to hide Nyla is convinced of the obvious, ha it must definitely be something fox, right? After all, he walks like an animal, it must be normal for him to walk around without anything, right?
"Stary ehhh" Nyla faces him again full of motivation trying to ignore her embarrassment and have a serious and adult conversation,
"I have some ideas of where we can go now!" Nyla states,
"That's fine with me, you know it's not like I have better options to go to" Stary says laughing nervously trying to hide his amnesia,
"You know I really liked this place, perfect to stay for a while, it has water, food, sun, I'm feeling much better now" Stary is now really well, after last night's rush,
"Look, I know it seems tempting to stay here, but we have to continue, the forests are very different than they were before, yesterday was proof of that, we must be careful" Nyla says, trying her best to think of a solid plan,
Looking down sadly, she adds "I know a place, it's not that far from here, if we leave now we can get there by nightfall",
"Wow! Seriously? What kind of place is this? your tribe?" Stary asks,
"No no no, my tribe is actually a long way from here, we ended up running in the wrong direction" Nyla says laughing at her lack of analysis as her escape was completely poorly planned,
"There's a city nearby, quite big actually, lots of humans live there"
Stary quickly looks at Nyla with a mixture of amazement and surprise, humans? he had a clear image in his mind of what a human being was, but although he had never seen one in his life, or at least he didn't remember,
"Have I ever seen a human before?…" Stary says softly
However, Nyla, thanks to her sharp ears, can clearly hear what Stary said, every minute she was by her side, the more her head created more questions,
"Look, Nyla, if I'm being honest with you, I'd rather stay here until tomorrow!" Stary says giving his part of the plan,
"We don't have resources, and besides, I don't think that maqui... I mean demon!, is going to attack again," Stary says with conviction,
"More Stary, we have to walk, the city isn't that far away, if we run we can…" Nyla stops for a minute to breathe, leaning on a tree, she was really tired from the rush of the night,
"Nyla, I know it seems stupid, but we're both tired, I know you really want to go back to your tribe, but what if along the way we find the demon back, he must be hanging around, I think it's better to wait for the one less day!" Stary's plan actually seems calmer and more structured,
"It's never a good idea to throw yourself into the forest without resources and tired, come on, trust me please, I can put up a tent with leaves for us to sleep in, what do you think?" Stary really knew how to survive, walking around tired on an unfamiliar planet was never a good idea,
"Alright, I'll go out again, and get some sticks, some fruit, you're right!" Nyla says looking at Stary,
"In my tribe they always say that it is never good to underestimate the forest, let's prepare first!" she says as she reorganizes her forces
Nyla quickly gets up from the log, preparing for long hours of picking up sticks,
"Come on Stary, we can't take too long, I'll run back there and get some berries, you can go to the river to drink water, I'll meet you there in a bit",
Nyla, demonstrating her agility, in seconds runs into the forest, leaving behind claw marks on the ground and Stary, who has now just calmly risen from the log she was sitting on,
As Stary heads towards the river, Nyla heads towards the fruit bushes, both with the same question on her mind,
Although until now trust has been their guide for them to begin a cute bond of friendship, distrust begins to invade the terrain of their minds, planting questions in both Nyla and Stary,
Nyla, picking the fruits, wonders if Stary is really trustworthy, and decides to create a crazy plan in her mind, although the curious fox was nice to her, several other things didn't make sense, in the years of her life in her tribe she never heard talk about other races living on this planet besides wolves and humans,
Wolves and humans really hated each other, and fought several wars in the past, one is even about to unfold at the present time, but Nyla's tribe, as it was closer to a main human city in the region, was forced to form bonds of trade with them, but Stary was not a wolf!, she could not enter the city with him, thankfully she knew of an informant within the city, who always helped her tribe to lower trade taxes,
His plan driven by totally selfish feelings was,
She would take Stary safely hidden to the human city, they had to cross the border, and she wouldn't risk going deeper into the forest, she didn't want to encounter any more demons, not after yesterday,
After they crossed the border, she would then re-capture Stary, he certainly wouldn't suspect anything, she would just be nice to him, then she would just take him to her tribe, who knows, maybe she wouldn't be respected in the midst of your people?
She could even become a leader of an exploration group in the future!, of course Stary had nothing to do with it, but it was his fault in the end, right?, who sent him to venture into the lands of her people's territory,
Nyla, saddened by this selfish thought, decides to focus on her more logical side, and do what was best for her, she would protect Stary until then and then the future in her tribe would be up to his fate,
Realizing that she had already harvested enough ice star fruit, Nyla charges again, heading back to the river to meet up with Stary, and begin her incredibly well thought out plan,
For Stary's part, he finds himself sitting in the river in front of him, the waters so crystal clear that although the ripples of the weak current reflect the two twin moons still visible in the daytime sky, he leans forward to drink the refreshing water, wondering some things about Nyla,
"What a difficult situation," Stary says to himself, seeing his reflection in the river,
"In the end, this is life, right?" he claims,
Stary already knows exactly what is going on, not for a moment did he trust Nyla either, although the white wolf seems like she could become a great friend, the current situation wouldn't allow that,
It seems that the temple he appeared in was in some territorial region, obviously they are half wolves! Of course they would have these things about territories, if I don't doubt this tribe of theirs must even have an alpha or something similar, I bet they must even howl at these moons, Stary thinks letting out a little laugh,
I really hope they are good deep down, like a cool tribe, the way Nyla seems to be experienced with forest things, and with a very tribal attitude, it wouldn't be anything new if she tried to capture me in the future and take me to that tribe , possibly some sacrifice?
Stary sees an image in his mind, him hanging under a huge fire, with naked wolves dancing around him, singing stupid words and preparing a death ritual, this mere vision sends shivers through his entire body,
But the thing that intrigues Stary the most is the machine from last night, and also the existence of humans on the planet, if they are the typical humans that her hazy mind remembers, they should start to see buildings or advanced constructions as streets, when they start to arrive. near this city,
I hope there are other foxes there like him, so it will be much easier for him to steal a ship, or get a job, he could even invest in a store, or start a partnership with Nyla, so they can form a singing duo. , and he, as a businessman, keeps the money! his ship could even have a recreation room! with bar, arcades, and everything!
Yes, Stary really was a megalomaniac fox!
For now the only thing he should focus on is the moment Nyla would try to capture him, now the question was when would that happen, would if I was nice to her I could make her change her mind?
Nyla now getting closer to the river, she sees the vision of Stary rubbing his paws in an evil way and muttering things, really he was a strange fox she thinks, or an idiot,
"Hey Stary, I'm back" She shouts to get your attention "I managed to get a lot of fruit, here get it"
Nyla approaching, catches Stary's attention, with a kind of cloth bag in her hands, throwing the bag high, Stary quickly focuses her attention on the object, taking a huge leap into the air and gracefully catching the fruits and her mouth,
Taking to the ground inside there were at least some fruits, enough to satisfy both of their hunger for a few hours,
"Wow, you have good reflexes" Nyla says in surprise, the last thing she expected was for him to be that fast,
"Thanks, come on let's go back to the logs, then you can get back to building the fire!" Stary says,
Maybe Stary could take this day to try to find out more about Nyla, about what she likes or doesn't like, who knows her suspicion could be wrong,
Returning to the clearing, they sat down and decided who was going to do what, Stary would set up the makeshift shelter, and Nyla would set up to pick some fruit, and pack it for the next day's trip,
"So… not to be annoying, but why did you capture me?" Stary asks unassuming,
"Like I know, I ran away, right, but I just wanted to know, do you always capture strangers in the forest? Or was this the first time?" Now was Stary's chance to find out what happened,
Nyla looks at him, with a mocking tone and says, she lets out a growl and says laughing,
"Look, you're kind of the one who invaded our territory, so it's your fault!" she says feeling superior for a moment,
"Besides, your escape was pretty pathetic, and before you ask, I only saved you back there out of pity, you were incapable of fighting, I know you're weak and all, but I couldn't let you die so badly. shameful" Nyla laughs loudly, emphasizing how weak Stary was,
"Hey I'm not weak, I would have run away if you hadn't cheated, I bet if I fought you one on one I would win!" Stary returned the argument, foxes didn't take shit home,
"Are… seriously? Are you going to beat me?" Nyla says bursting into laughter afterwards,
"Why don't you try it then? Come let's fight! I'll let you hit first since you're such a strong boy!" Nylá says, standing up in the process, mocking him,
Nyla walks a few meters, stopping in front of Stary, and lifts her clothes a little, showing her fit stomach. Did she by any chance work out? and points with his hand indicating the place for him to hit,
"Come show me what you can do! You name it, in fights I always let the losers get the first blow!" Nyla says while laughing, showing her courage,
"Look, just because I'm a girl and have a thin body doesn't mean I'm weak! Many other wolves tried to beat me in a fight because I was more feminine… and guess what. All defeated!" Nyla says challenging Stary to a fight, apparently he messed with her ego,
"Nha, it's okay, Nyla I would never fight you, why would I?" Stary looks away embarrassed by the situation,
"I look, let's forget about it, you're much stronger, okay, I admit it, are you satisfied now?" Stary really hopes to inflate the wolf's ego, so she can forget the situation,
"Hmm... Yes!, relax, I didn't really want to fight with you Stary, I was just joking, but if one day you really want to, just call!" Nyla says as she sits back down on the log,
"You really like to fight, don't you? Did you do that a lot in your tribe?" Stary asks,
"If I did? I was the best warrior in my tribe, all the boys lost to me in a fight, and the girls?, well they did too!" Nyla says making a victory pose in front of her,
"Wow, how cool! You must be very recognized, there must even be a statue of you there" Stary says sarcastically, rolling her eyes,
"Well... actually I don't... forget her" Nyla says as she looks down with a sad look on her face,
"Indeed, Stary! You also seem to be very strong, you know? It would be an honor to fight with you one day, I'm sure it would be a fair fight!" Nyla says as she lets out a small growl, trying to cheer the fox up for calling him weak,
"Wow, we talked a lot, I'm already hungry, and I haven't even set up the leaf tent yet, I have a lot of work to do!" Stary says as he stands up towards the forest,
"Hey Stary! What is this leaf tent? Is it for sleeping? because we can sleep on top of trees, or on the ground!" Nyla says, not quite understanding the point of a covering of leaves,
"You don't need to make an effort to set up a cabin… we'll only sleep one night" Nyla ponders,
Meanwhile Stary approaches a tree sapling, tearing off some branches with his mouth, and taking them back to the trunks where they were,
"Well, I know it sounds stupid, but it's actually super simple to do! and we can't sleep on the ground, there might be spiders or it might rain at night!" Stary says to Nyla, as she turns to a bush, removing some leaves,
"Okay… if that's the problem you can sleep on top of me! that way you would stay warm, and another if it rains... just do the opposite and I'll climb on top of you! I don't see the need for all this," Nyla says coming up with a better plan, making Stary blush in the process,
"In my tribe I already had lessons about living in the forest when I was a child, and they taught that it's okay to get a little wet, and if it rains just get on the leaves of the trees, besides, what is a spider?" Nyla says looking at Stary going from one side to the other, building the shelter,
"Wait just a little longer, when I said it was fast it was actually extremely fast, and Nyla can you just help me by putting this branch here?" Stary asks her for help, to put the finishing touches on the leaf tent,
After a few quick minutes they had finished, with the support of two trees they had managed to set up a small leaf cover, which protected them from the cold of the night and possible rain,
"Wow, it must be one o'clock already, what do you think about us going to eat?" Stary asks, looking for some fruit in the process,
"I got some, they're on that leaf there on top of the logs, and I thought the leaf tent was really cute, you really have skills, you could make an easy wooden cabin in three days Stary!" Nyla says, analyzing the little house made of leaves and twigs,
They both sit down, Stary devours the fruits while Nyla proudly helps him, as they finish eating lunch, they get up and arrange the logs again, so that they are closer to the tent, and can be more comfortable,
"Wow, I want to build my own house, a kingdom of my own, it's my dream!" Stary responds by giving a cry of happiness,
"I just don't do one here, because we have to move on, but I loved this place, the mountains and the lakes, they're really cute too" Stary says while admiring the landscape,
While Stary admired the landscape, Nyla watched him curiously, she was not used to the expression of genuine admiration he displayed, Stary really could see the beauty in things,
Not a single wolf from her tribe was like him, they were cold and only cared about staying strong and carving runes, due to the war everyone had become a little unhappy, but Stary was the opposite, he was happy, excited, and cute in a way ,
"Stary, you're cool, you know?" Nyla says, approaching him to see the landscape,
"Am I cool? Pss." Stary lets out a laugh, "You're cool Nyla!"
"I'm not cool, at least it's only you who thinks so," she replies,
"Hey Stary, do you think one day I can be like you? …I mean I captured you, you shouldn't try to be nice to me!" Nyla says,
"I don't know why, but you're the first person I know who isn't boring…" Nyla says showing her feelings,
"Actually, you look amazing!, yesterday I should have fought, but it wasn't just yesterday, my whole life, I always felt outside, like I couldn't talk... trust anyone!" she says turning her gaze to Stary, waiting for an answer,
"Nyla, right? Before I didn't have the chance to speak, but I liked your name too, come on… stop putting yourself down, you're strong, right? You can do it…" Stary says responding with a smile,
It doesn't seem like it, but upon hearing those words, Nyla's heart beat faster, Stary was so nice, for some reason she wanted to be friends with him, was that impossible? She couldn't let herself be carried away and trust someone she only met a day ago, however...
Nyla smiled, feeling excited at the possibility, she had never met someone like Stary before, someone who inspired her to dream beyond the limitations of her tribe, he made her feel like there was more to life than just surviving and fighting,
As the afternoon turned into evening, Stary and Nyla continued talking, sharing their dreams and hopes, throughout the day they asked each other several colorful questions, such as Stary's favorite color, Stary's violet, Nyla's blue, and many other inspiring conversations,
When the moons began to shine again in the sky, they huddled under the small canopy of leaves, looking up at the stars above them, the makeshift tent wasn't the most comfortable place in the world, but it was enough to keep them warm and protected,
Nyla did a great job with the fire too, thanks to her they had a fire, and could sleep comfortably waiting for tomorrow,
But while Stary slept, Nyla would stay awake the whole night, a strong insomnia hit her, but that was okay, because in the end, for some reason she didn't know, even with all the sudden challenges, her heart was heavy but she was happy,
As night gave way to dawn, the first rays of sunlight began to illuminate the forest, with renewed energy and a feeling of anticipation, they had spent another day and they were both excited and continued their walk,
"Hey Stary wake up, come on, let's go to the river, I'm waiting for you there sleepyhead" Nyla calls him, waking Stary up in the process,
"Aiai, one more day" Stary says as he stands up uncomfortably,
Arriving at the river Stary sees Nyla majestically on the riverbank, and quickly runs to get closer to her,
"Hi Stary! Finally woke up!" Nyla says laughing lightly at him,
"Good morning Nyla" Stary says yawning,
"Let me just drink some water ok, then we'll continue in that direction!, heading along the riverbank, we'll soon be in the city" she points ahead, the two beginning to drink water, and hydrate themselves,
Now both of them are at their maximum energy, she takes the lead of the group, feeling kind of proud to be leading someone other than herself, even if that someone is Stary,
"Let's go this way," At least Nyla knows the way to town,
Nyla and Stary follow the riverbank, entering the forest again, leaving the comfortable clearing behind, as they enter through the trees, the view of the snowy mountains in the background mixes between the leaves, the light and shadow intertwine in perfect harmony and the atmosphere became very relaxing, the air was filled with the fragrance of damp earth and ancient trees,
On the horizon, gray clouds began to form, announcing the imminent arrival of rain, serving as a reminder for both of them to hurry up, after all, rain now would ruin their chances of reaching the city,
"I think we better get going soon, are you feeling better?" Nyla looks back to see Stary walking faster,
"Yes thanks for asking, speaking of which can I ask you a few things? Just out of curiosity, do you know…" He decides to begin his barrage of questions,
"You're really fast, you know?, I almost didn't even see you leaving back there" Stary excited, tries to praise Nyla, she will reveal some information about her, or her tribe,
"Have you always been this fast? I mean I didn't really fail to get away from you guys back there and like, could you give me some tips on how to run faster? Hopefully Stary isn't seeming too obvious,
"And that spear of yours looks very sharp, did you make it yourself?" He says pointing to the wooden spear she was carrying,
"No problem, I always wanted to be an explorer, so I always tried hard to train my body and mind, if you thought that was impressive, just wait what the others in my tribe can do", Nyla boasts happily,
"The secret is to just avoid the trees, or use them to hide your presence, and use your claws every time you touch the ground, over time you get used to it",
"About the spear, everyone in my tribe gets a temporary weapon when they grow up enough to be real wolves", Nyla says removing her spear from a rest on her back,
"However, you will only be truly accepted, and you will be able to have your true weapon, if you compete in the moon tournament", Nyla says as a way of self-motivating,
Bingo Stary seems to have discovered a way to talk to Nyla, and make her tell more about her dangerous tribe, she seems to be very hardworking, I just have to return the subject more to her personal motivations,
"What about you, Stary?" Nyla asks,
"How can you fight if you wear neither armor nor any type of weapon?" She seems really curious, Stary seems very helpless without those things,
"Look, I would like some armor, I just really have to find one that fits me! And when it comes to weapons, I prefer long-range ones, but I've always been more inclined to resolve them based on conversation",
Nyla lets out an extremely low laugh, blushing a little, but enough for Stary to notice,
"Hey what happened?" Stary asks laughing a little back,
Nyla looks away and says,
"Nothing, nothing, I'm just laughing at the idea of you wanting armor but not even wearing clothes,"
Stary stops for a moment, blushing quickly shouts,
"Whaaaat?" Stary stops walking for a moment and says, paralyzed,
"Like this?" He asks
"Hey, just look at yourself!" Nyla says continuing to walk in front of him,
Stary quickly looks down nervously only to notice the truth, he was actually without clothes!, how in the hell had he not noticed this before? Who is the person who spends half a day walking and doesn't notice this kind of thing? some kind of idiot?
Running to try to match his speed with Nyla, Stary quickly tries to explain the misunderstanding,
"Look, I really didn't notice that, you know?" Stary asserts his will, "I really didn't mean to," He sniffles fiercely, trying to shake off the guilt,
"Look, it's okay, I thought this was normal for you animals, I would even give you my clothes more" Nyla, unable to take it anymore, starts to laugh a little,
"Not that I also wanted to stay like you until I got to the city, everyone would look at me and think I was some pervert or something", Nyla stopping for a moment she realizes the shame of the current situation, her momentary happiness decreases, returning the shame she ends and say in her current speech,
"Don't worry, no one will look at you, everyone will think you're just a strange animal, just try to pretend to be some kind of dog or cat, right?"
Does she really think this is a good idea? Stary thinks;
"Okay, I'll stay back here, okay? you can walk ahead and I'll follow you the rest of the way", Stary says shamefully,
"Okay, and Stary," Nyla in front of you says looking back one last time,
"Relax, I'm not going to look back any longer, ok!, you can rest assured" She says shyly, focusing her attention on the walk in front of her again,
As time went by, Stary felt like they had walked miles and miles, the previously quenched thirst began to return little by little, and the bag of ice star fruits was almost gone.
The sun had already passed over them a while ago, now being located to their side, Stary thinks that now it could be more than midday, in a little while the afternoon would begin,
Along the way Stary had the opportunity to see some unique birds that he had never seen before flying above him, leaving a blue rainbow like a trail, as well as some fascinating and strange animals, but he ignored any chance to talk or ask anything again with Nyla in front of you, due to the embarrassment from before,
Step after step, and land after land, they will walk, they have already passed what looked like a mountainous region, passed through points where there will be spots of accumulated snow near some mountains, and now they are heading towards what looks like a deeper part. flat, perhaps a plain?
The horizon became darker from time to time, indicating the chance of a storm hitting them, the sun no longer shone as it did moments before, leaving a melancholic air in the forest they were walking through, the darkness of a day that would become rain gradually surrounded them,
Nyla was all the way paying attention to her surroundings, remnants of the previous night's trauma, which was still vivid in her mind, but now decided to a possible neediness or boredom, she decides that she will be the first to break the silence of hours now much more motivated to talk to Stary again,
"Is Stary there?" Nyla breaks the silence, catching Stary's attention,
"I was here thinking about yesterday and today, thanks for supporting me, whenever I was sad no one from my tribe ever cared, you just know, I don't want there to be a strange atmosphere between us", deep down Stary seems to be a fox cool, sometimes I just don't know him that well yet,
Nyla really didn't know how long she would stay in Stary's company, but for some reason she felt like she wanted to try it for the first time, try to be friendly with someone she didn't know, curiosity? She didn't know, but in a way, she really wanted to know who he really was,
"It's okay if you want to talk, I'm here!" he says with a smile,
"After all, I'm the best when it comes to bringing up random and dubious topics", Stary really knew how to talk to break the ice,
"Besides, Nyla, I know that we met in a unique way, let's say, but believe me, the first impression I had of you was good, I knew that deep down you were cool", Stary says, making Nyla automatically feel thrilled,
"Who knows, if we had met differently, we could have talked for hours, and who knows, maybe in the future we would have even become friends", he says thoughtfully,
"Don't worry about feeling that way, I don't blame you after all" Stary didn't know either, but the wolf seemed cooler in a way than he thought the night before,
As they advanced between the tall, imposing trees, a gentle breeze blew through the branches, creating a constant, melancholic whisper; the sunlight, once bright and warm, now filtered timidly through the leaves, creating a gloomy gloom that enveloped the trees. the path ahead,
Suddenly, a distant thunder echoed on the horizon, causing the entire forest to tremble slightly, the sound reverberating among the trees, spreading out like a deep and ominous roar,
It was as if nature itself was preparing to show its power,
Nyla and Stary stopped for a moment, immersed in the grandeur of that sound, Nyla's eyes shone with a mix of fascination and caution, while Stary, with her sharp ears, captured every resonance and pulse of that powerful thunder,
"It looks like it's going to rain again, let's go we have to walk quickly, the city should be close by now", Nyla says with hope and calm,
As thunder echoed in the distance, they walked forward, allowing the now dark and mystical atmosphere of the forest to envelop every step they took,
"Hey Nyla what do you mean again?" Stary asks,
Nyla looked at the horizon, watching the rain clouds approaching,
"It rained last day," she said in a soft voice, as if she was remembering something important,
"Exactly when the guiding moon was supposed to appear in the skies, but yesterday was different" Nyla tries to remember,
"Guiding moon?" he retorts, could this be the moon guiding the planet he saw last night?
"I remember seeing a plan, I mean moon, last night, is that the moon you're talking about?" he says seeming to beg for any information,
"Unfortunately that wouldn't make sense, what did that moon you saw look like?" Nyla asks curiously,
"Well it had a violet glow and a drawing!" Stary states being simple-minded,
For a moment Nyla, who was now walking quickly to get to the city before the rain, stopped suddenly, as if Stary's words had paralyzed her,
"What?" Nyla wasn't believing what she was hearing, stopping for a moment and turning to Stary, she looks into her violet eyes, and says with fear in her words,
"That's not possible, so did you really see the guiding moon?" Nyla, now in shock, reaffirms, "But that's impossible,"
"Uh, why?" he says with calm in his voice,
"Yesterday Stary, not a single moon appeared in the sky, for the first time in centuries, the moon tournament ritual was delayed, because at dusk there was a giant storm everywhere", Nyla says looking like she saw a ghost,
"My group and I were going out yesterday to do the traditional patrol, to prepare the younger people for the moon tournament, including me, kind of to connect those who want to become warriors to the energy of nature", Nyla looks up at the sky again,
"I remember that I was very sad at the time, just when it was my turn, everything had to go wrong, as soon as we left it started to rain, and when it got dark the storm started, covering the sky, and not letting anyone see the guiding moon" , she says sadly,
"When we found you in the Stary forest, the storm had just happened, our leader was looking at the sky trying to find the moon, but it looked like it had disappeared, that's when I saw you, walking in the middle of the forest", Nyla says again looking at Stary with her eyes full of questions,
"After all, Stary, who are you?" She asks, wanting to decipher the mystery,
Stary sits on the floor, also full of questions, the riddles in his mind didn't make sense, while he was inside the temple last night he didn't hear anything that sounded like a storm, and when he went out to see the planet, the sky was as clear as he had never seen it before, there was even a northern lights!
"I don't really remember anything" he says looking up,
As if he was looking for the answers to his memories lost in the cloudy sky, the answers to his heart just got harder, but a path still remained in his soul, that planet had the answers he was looking for, who knows where this guide moon would take him?
As they continued to watch the sky, small drops of rain began to fall, gently touching Nyla and Stary's skin,
The rain became more intense, turning into a light drizzle that enveloped the forest. The sound of rain falling on leaves and soil created a peaceful, relaxing soundtrack,
Stary looks at Nyla, her face soaked by the rain, and smiles shyly, despite all the confusion and mystery that surrounded his presence in that forest, he felt a connection with Nyla, as if they shared something special, after all she also had something to do with his treasure map now,
As the rain enveloped them, Nyla took the initiative to resume walking towards the city, with each step, the forest transformed, gaining a renewed shine with the raindrops that danced on its leaves. Stary follows Nyla, with a heart full of curiosities,
As their minds continued to question, the city looms ahead, a large wheat field separated them from the nearby city, emerging among the trees like an oasis in the rain, the thatched roofs, the dirt streets and the small cozy houses seemed invite them to find refuge from the impending storm,
"What?" Stary says in surprise
"Wha, what?" Nyla asks,
"Nothing", Stary says trying to hide it,
A giant wall could also be seen separating what seemed to be the more rustic houses from the more luxurious houses,
Stary seeing this can't help but get a headache,
Like this? I was expecting buildings and streets, but then why do these houses look medieval? this is not good at all, my plan to buy a spaceship fell apart as fast as this rain falling, I hope they are not aggressive, and I hope the city does not have guards,
After a while, they emerged from the tall trees and came upon the broad field of wheat, the swaying, rain-soaked stalks seemed to bow in reverence as they passed, creating a mystical and melancholic scene,
Nyla and Stary walked side by side, leaving their footprints marked in the damp earth, the medieval city rose ahead, its gray stone walls contrasting with the verdant landscape. The city seemed rooted in time, with its houses with sloping roofs, small windows and weathered wooden doors,
The rain fell incessantly, giving the city an even more melancholic air,
The thatched roofs were dark and leaky, and the cobblestone streets showed small puddles of water, the lanterns hanging in the alleys cast a faint, flickering light, creating dancing shadows on the dirt and stone streets,
Little by little, Nyla and Stary cross the wheat field, getting closer to the city, they enter the city, being welcomed by the aroma of hot food and laughter coming from the houses. People seemed excited and wrapped up in their own lives, oblivious to the mystery surrounding the two new travelers.
As they look for shelter or an inn, Nyla looks at Stary and says tenderly,
"My tribe's informant is in this city, we just have to find an old hut near the wall" she says, walking quickly again,
As they advance through the streets of the Village, the mounted guards in their armor wielding spears catch their attention, the rain that fell incessantly did not seem to shake the rigid posture of the guards, who carefully watched each person who passed by,
"Oh great, guards…" Nyla says rolling her eyes,
"Come Stary, let's go this way quickly", she pulls him by the tail, pointing towards the back of one of the houses,
As Nyla tries to locate the cabin next to the wall, she and Stary are suddenly approached by two guards, the guards' eyes lock on Nyla, and a silent tension settles in the air,
One of the guards raises an eyebrow with suspicion and disdain as he looks at Nyla. He lets out a look of disgust, and in a rude tone, says, "What do we have here? A wolf venturing onto our lands? You are not welcome here, wild creature!"
Stary feels her anger begin to boil inside her, but Nyla remains calm, although her eyes show a slight sadness at the fact she is facing, she was already used to it,
"I'm not here to cause trouble," she replied firmly, "I'm just passing through, I don't intend to cause any trouble, please,"
"You were born, that was a problem", the guard laughs, bending down from his horse to throw a pile of clay at Nyla,
"We don't want your kind hanging around here," the other guard replied with a tone of superiority. "Leave before we have to deal with you more drastically."
Nyla felt a wave of anger course through her body as wet dirt ran down her white fur, but she remained silent, aware that intervening could make the situation worse.
"Hey, what's that on your side" the guard says in surprise "It looks like a dog, I thought you wolves only stayed with your own kind" the guards' laughter persists in the rainy city,
"Seriously man, stop it, the poor dog doesn't deserve to go through this" another guard intervenes, making fun of the occasion,
"That doesn't look like a dog to me" a guard says getting closer,
"Au Au Au" Stary starts barking, perfectly imitating a dog,
"Rrrrrrr" Growling towards the guards, scaring everyone present, including Nyla for her performance,
"Okay, okay, let's go, and you wolf, I don't want to see you around here again, I want the two dogs away from my city" The guards say, turning around, disappearing in the rain mist,
Nyla's expression was a mix of sadness and exhaustion, while Stary seemed dejected by the experience,
The rain continued to fall, mixing with the tears that formed in Nyla's eyes. She lowered her head for a moment, rejecting the sensation, feeling the pain of rejection weigh on her, it was a familiar wound that never seemed to heal completely,
Stary, with his shoulders hunched and his ears down, approaches Nyla, feeling empathy for what she was going through, he knew he couldn't erase the pain, but he wanted to offer some comfort, he owed it to her,
He placed his nose against Nyla's side, making a soft, comforting sound. Nyla placed one of her hands on Stary's head, stroking him tenderly. They both found mutual support at that moment,
As they continued forward, the rain continued to fall, washing away the sadness of the previous moment and strengthening their resolve, now the night was beginning to show itself again, thanks to the storm darkening the region more easily,
As they advanced through the narrow streets, they passed houses with closed windows and locked doors, as if the city was protecting itself from something. The silence was almost deafening, broken only by the sound of rain falling in drips and puddles, revealing the end of the street they were on,
Finally, they saw the cabin next to the wall, its dark wooden walls looked worn by time and damp, the window was partially open, revealing a glimpse of the interior lit by a lone candle, the muffled sounds of conversation and laughter coming from the houses. in the distance they seemed distant and indistinct, echoing like distant memories in the heart,
Nyla approaches the cabin, instead of the normal knock on the door she scratches the wood, producing a distinct sound,
After a short time, the wooden door opens, revealing a mysterious figure, covered only by a dark black cloak, the figure invites the two to enter,
"Come sister of the moon, find comfort on your journey through these lands", the figure quickly bows to Nyla, generating between looks of discomfort between them,
"Okay, are you my tribe's informant?" Nyla asks walking in, Stary right behind her,
"Which of the great tribes are you from?" The figure asks, closing the rustic wooden door behind them,
Upon entering, they were greeted by a warm and simple atmosphere, the fireplace was crackling, emitting comforting heat, while the gentle smell of burning wood permeated the air, the furniture was rudimentary, consisting of a worn wooden table, a few chairs and a bed. modest covered with worn cloths,
Stary had the idea of one day having a similar cabin, but he definitely needed it, it wouldn't be so simple, he wanted something more enchanting and charming,
The windows were adorned with linen curtains, which let light filter in softly, creating a cozy and intimate atmosphere. Next to the fireplace, there was a small shelf with old books and some decorative items, each with designs that imitate the silhouette of a wolf,
"I am from the moonlight clan" Nyla says showing the insignia attached to her spear,
"Okay, may the moon guide your steps" The figure begins to take off his hood, sitting at a table, "Sit down, the trip with this rain must have been difficult",
The rain outside continued to fall, hitting the thatched roof and creating a constant melody, water ran down the windows, following the rhythm of the storm,
Sitting together in one of the chairs, they shared a moment of silence, letting the melancholy of the situation echo in their hearts, the atmosphere in the cabin seemed to envelop them, offering a brief respite amid the emotional storm they experienced,
"Let me guess, you want to cross the border, probably because of the rain or because of the demons in the forest, right?" The figure sits in front, on one of the chairs,
She takes her hands to her coat, removing the black cloak, and revealing a young human,
"I have already helped many of your tribe with this, it will be easy, easy, just follow my orders" the human says,
"Pleasure, my name is Raven, your people call me Silverlock, it's practically my nickname now" Raven says
"Oh my name is Nyla, thank you for helping us all this time" Nyla says trying to be cordial,
Stary looks at the human, Silverlock, right? From the way she speaks, she must be very experienced in convincing others when it comes to speaking, looking more closely, he notices a dagger stuck in a holster on her waist, this Raven woman might be young, but she was definitely cunning,
Raven was taller than Nyla, she was a classic human woman, she wore black clothes, tight pants with armor plates in some parts, she also had long blonde hair, her youth was in contrast to her serious face and experienced, she also had brown eyes, and well, she really looked like she was equipped to go to war or some assassination mission,
As Stary examines her, Raven notices his presence in a corner of her house,
"Oh you have a dog, how cute is he, is he some new breed?" Raven asks Nyla excitedly,
"You know what" Out of nowhere Stary screams inside the cabin, "I can't stand being called a dog anymore, I'm a fox, FOX!"
Raven and Nyla, startled by the shock, jump back from their chairs, Raven especially seeing a talking dog for the first time,
"Aaaaa a talking dog" Raven screams in despair,
"Hmm of course" Stary rolls her eyes,
"Calm down Raven, calm down he's just a friend, hmm a new species, that my clan found nearby" Nyla tries to calm the young woman in shock,
"I met him in the forest, that's all, he's Stary, he's actually really nice, try to calm down" Nyla begs,
After the initial shock, Raven takes a deep breath, trying to regain her composure, she looks at Stary with curiosity and surprise on her face,
"A fox that talks... that's really impressive," she says, still a little shaken.
"Sorry for the reaction, Stary, I guess I wasn't prepared to meet a new species so suddenly,"
"It's okay, I'm not usually mistaken for a dog, and I'm sorry Nyla, I thought about following the plan of being a dog but I couldn't hold out any longer" Stary looks at Nyla with regret,
Nyla watches the interaction between the two with an amused expression, it was unusual to find someone as fascinated by Stary as Raven, she feels a certain relief that Raven did not react in a hostile way to the fox's presence. It seemed they had found an unlikely ally,
"Raven, how can you help us cross the border?" Nyla asks, returning to the main question,
The young thief regains her confident posture and leans forward, resting her elbows on the table.
"I have contacts, I know some secret routes that can take us there without being detected by the guard patrols, I can guide you safely to the border, before you ask, no, you don't have to pay anything" She states
"I am eternally indebted to your people Nyla, I am a great student of your culture, I can't stand seeing others treating you like trash, I will help you whenever possible" Raven says, seeming to remember the past with sadness,
"Well now that we've explained everything, follow me, and Stary" Nyla looks at him
"Hi, what's up?" Stary says
"Sorry about that, but could you go back to being a dog?" Raven speaks quickly,
"We don't want my reaction to the rest of the people" she states, making Stary mutter rudely and silently,
Raven pushes her bed aside, revealing a trapdoor underneath a rug, quickly unlocking the padlock, she opens it, going down a staircase after,
"Follow me, and be careful not to make noise" she shouts,
Nyla and Stary follow Raven down the dark staircase, descending to a hidden opening in the city walls, as they continue through a passage similar to a mini cave, the sound of the rain outside becomes muffled, replaced by the distant murmur of voices. and the muffled sound of footsteps,
When they reach the end, they find themselves in a large cave-like underground space, illuminated by natural light coming from the ceiling where there are glass tiles spread across the stone walls that lead to an unknown place outside. The place is full of people, some in small groups, others busy with their tasks, such as preparing supplies or sharpening their tools,
Raven leads Nyla and Stary through space, while greeting other members of the thieves' community. She seems well known there, and many greet her with respect, bowing and everything,
"This is Nyla, wolf of the Runic Wolves of the Moonlight clan, and her companion, Stary," Raven introduces, indicating them to the others,
"They need our help to cross the border safely,"
The looks turn to Nyla and Stary, some curious, others suspicious, Nyla notices the tension in the air and decides to come forward with a highly elaborated speech for the situation,
"Hi" Nyla says softly,
As the thieves look at each other, a rapid thumping of footsteps is heard overhead on the cave's ceiling, snapping everyone out of their trance, the group of thieves quickly return to preparing supplies, sharpening, and planning future robberies, thieves' stuff,
Amidst the conversations, Nyla realizes that everyone has a deep respect for Raven. Her leadership and experience are evident, and she is considered a trustworthy figure, possibly even the leader of the group,
"Nyla, Stary, here we are a band of thieves with a greater purpose," Raven whispers,
"Let's say we don't like the current king, the bastard found a way to usurp the throne, your Nyla tribe must know it well, since the new king took over, he has banned any contact with his people, besides the majority who are outside the walls they go hungry daily", Raven says explaining the situation,
Raven goes on to explain how the thieves' community has provided support and resources to the Moonlight clan in times of need, helping to alleviate the hardships they face,
"Okay we have to be quick with our explanations, you can go home tomorrow morning, when the first wave of carts leaves the city, what you are going to do is get into one of those fake barrels, and thanks to our partnership with the main exporter of wines from the region, you will cross the border without any problems" Raven explains quickly,
"Have you guys done this before?" Nyla asks innocently,
"Of course, a few days ago, a group like you of five male wolves came asking for help to get back to their tribe, you're going to see Nyla, like hell you'll be home soon, speaking of which say hi to everyone there. me" Raven says with a farewell tone,
"Thank you, really, when I heard about you in my tribe, I didn't know you were such a nice girl", Nyla says happily,
"I'm nice, only with those I trust, the least I can do, your tribe is special to me, it's an honor to be able to help. Now, let's prepare for tomorrow, get some rest and be ready for the journey,"
"You can sleep in the supply area, it's very comfortable there, I'll send someone to put up a brazier and bring some water and food" Raven says pointing to the place and starting to walk away to another area of the cave, sort out her business matters. thieves,
Nyla and Stary find a quiet place to rest, taking advantage of the chance to replenish their energy before the big day. While Nyla lies on a makeshift bed, she reflects on the last few hours,
The barrels they have to enter tomorrow are in front of her, Nyla looks at the barrel, feeling a mix of nervousness and excitement, she knows this is her best chance to return home and reunite with her tribe,
Next to you is Stary, in the opposite corner of the room, leaning in a corner preparing to sleep on top of some bags thrown on the floor,
"We haven't drunk water since we left that clearing, right?", Stary says warmly,
"I hope room service doesn't take too long" he says sarcastically, managing to get a few laughs from the white wolf in front of him,
"Hey Stary, what's the chance they brought us a feast?" Nyla says laughing back,
"I think it's possible, they are thieves after all, I just hope they stole some fancy food" Stary actually in part hoped he was right about that,
The two laugh, creating a relaxed, cozy atmosphere as they wait for the kind thieves to take pity and bring them some food,
"Oh, oh, I would much rather be here with you hungry and thirsty, than out there in the rain" Nyla says, recovering from her laughter crisis",
"Are you going to sleep already Stary?" she asks,
"No, I'm too hungry for that" he states back,
At that moment, the large wooden door of the store opens, revealing a tall human on a platform with two bowls of food, and a little girl behind her carrying what looked like a pan of water,
"I'm sorry for the delay, our newest member here was looking forward to meeting you" the man says placing the containers in front of both of them,
"Hi our lady, are you really a wolf?" the little girl takes the lead, going directly to interact with Nyla,
"I can't believe it, I've always wanted to meet one of the wolves, you're really pretty too, I loved your fur, you must be invisible in the snow, right? You are strong?" the little girl says excitedly, looking like she ate a kilo of sugar,
"Come on Trixie, she must be tired, be gentle" the man says pulling the little girl out of the pantry against her will, closing the door behind them,
"See yassssss" the little girl shouts, lowering her voice as she walks away,
"Wow, what a nightmare" Stary can't resist letting out a laugh, "Lucky they didn't even see me here"
"Really, at least we have food now!" Nyla says, ignoring the traumatic event, and turning her attention to the supplies in front of her,
Nyla and Stary take advantage of the food brought by the thieves and begin to eat voraciously. The hunger that has accompanied them for days finally begins to be satisfied, the food is simple but tasty, and each bite brings a little comfort and hope for the journey that awaits them,
While Nyla heads for some pieces of meat the man brought, Stary ferociously devours an entire carrot and other vegetables,
While eating, Nyla and Stary share brief moments of silence, enjoying the tranquility of the moment, but Nyla notices something curious, Stary barely touches the food,
"Hey Stary, why don't you eat the soup, the chicken is delicious" she says while in minutes she destroys the remaining soup from the cauldron, apparently without remembering that she had just offered it,
"Apart from that, you know, I prefer more vegetables or fruits, I don't like them that much, forget about it" He says shyly, while looking at Nyla devouring the rest of the food, well she must need more energy, right? She's running around,
After finishing their meal, Nyla and Stary settle into their respective places to rest, the exhaustion of the last few days begins to weigh on them, but the feeling of safety in the thieves' shelter brings some relief.
Beside him, Stary settles into her resting position, letting out a loud yawn, Nyla laughs softly, watching him fondly,
"Sooo, Stary, you don't remember anything?" Nyla says breaking the silence, "I heard you when you said that back in the forest" she says curiously, surprising Stary,
"Well yeah, sorry but I really don't remember" he says taking a long pause,
"Like I remember some things, but what I was doing in that forest I don't", Stary decides to open up his feelings to her, looking sadly down,
"Let's say I woke up nearby, the part about me seeing the moon there was after I woke up, but I really can't remember anything before that" he says awkwardly,
"No problem, you must have just hit your head, it must happen all the time" Nyla says trying to encourage the discouraged fox a little,
"You'll see, after a few days you'll remember everything", she says with certainty in her voice,
Stary smiles slightly, appreciating Nyla's support and confidence, his tired eyes meet hers, and he feels a comforting sensation, he just hopes that deep down the distrust he feels for her is just in his head,
In the end, if Nyla would just come and ask him to go to her tribe, and talk to him about what they want, he would gladly agree to go with her,
"I hope so, Nyla," Stary responds, letting her sadness show,
Closing his eyes slowly, Stary slowly begins to fall asleep, curling up to find a better position to sleep, but before sleeping he lets his feelings speak for him,
"I know you don't trust me, but yesterday after the attack I really wanted to see you happy, I don't know you, but for some reason, I wanted to protect you", Stary says trying to resist, but sleep takes control of her his body, making him doze off,
Leaving Nyla, awake in the living room, listening to this and feeling a huge sense of guilt, for simultaneously plotting, arresting and taking Stary to her tribe tomorrow, she looks at him, who is now peacefully sleeping in a cute way,
She knows that her tribe expects her to bring Stary to them, and she wanted to be valued by them, however, as she spent more time with Stary, she began to question if he deserved it, it wasn't his fault, that he was in trouble. wolf lands, there was something genuine about him, something that touched her and made her want to protect him,
As Nyla watches Stary sleeping, a sudden growl fills the room, accompanied by Nyla banging her head on the stone wall next to her.
"Nyla, come on, courage, don't get carried away by this" she says while scratching the wall with anguish, leaving scratch marks,
Guilt seemed to now take control, as she looked at Stary across the room, she again let her feelings guide her path,
"Damn…" she mutters,
She silently gets up from the makeshift bed and walks to the other side of the room, where Stary is resting. Looking at him tenderly, she wonders if she is doing the right thing,
Nyla sighs deeply, feeling the pain of her impending choice. she doesn't want to hurt Stary, but her tribe believes he is a threat,
Sitting down next to Stary, she watches him for a moment, admiring his peaceful expression as he sleeps, she sits down, crossing her arms around her legs, and throwing her huge white fluffy tail over Stary, covering him and him. protecting from the cold,
"Stary...", she whispers softly, even though she knows he can't hear her,
Settling down next to her, Nyla lays her head down on her stomach, letting the sadness and guilt follow her into the night, followed by a single tear, trailing through her white fur,
Stary didn't know, one more curiosity about her was that wolves could go up to at least three days without sleeping, depending on their feelings, the more conflicts a wolf went through, the more attentive and difficult it was to sleep, so most likely, she didn't she would sleep today, maybe she would stay there, by her side, tonight it would be her turn to protect Stary,
As Nyla reflects, sleep seems to escape her soul, but she remains alert, her gaze returning to Stary's serene face, who seemed to be sleeping comfortably,
"Why does everything have to be so complicated?", she whispers to herself, in a sad voice full of uncertainty,
The hours pass slowly, while Nyla remains attentive to her surroundings, the voices that came from the cave have now dissipated, leaving only true silence around her, for the rest of the night,
After a long time, dawn begins to appear on the horizon, painting the sky with soft tones of pink and orange, Nyla remains at Stary's side, maintaining her position as guardian,
As the sunlight intensifies, Nyla feels a mix of emotions: fear, uncertainty, she knows she will have to make a difficult decision soon, but for now, she allows herself to stay by Stary's side,
As the morning lightens and sunlight invades the room, she observes his serene face and, with a gentle smile, decides to wake him up, it should be time for them to leave,
Careful not to scare him, Nyla approaches, with a playful look, and lightly touches Stary's cheek with her nose, making him murmur, and move a little, she makes a gesture with her paw, as if was encouraging him to get up,
"Good morning lazy!" She says excitedly,
Stary slowly awakens, confused by the soft voice, his eyes open and he finds himself with Nyla. Surprised, he lets out a laugh and rubs his eyes, still trying to fully wake up,
"Nyla, what? where? When?" Stary says slowly,
Nyla lets out an amused little growl, imitating the sound of upbeat music,
"Time to get up, little fox! We have a world waiting out there!"
As she speaks, Nyla swings her fluffy white tail from side to side as if in a fun dance. She tries to bring a smile to Stary's face, hoping that the funny approach will be able to bring some joy to Stary. morning,
With a look of confidence and an exchange of smiles, Nyla and Stary prepare to enter the wine barrels, they were just now waiting, for some kind of warning from Raven,
However, they hear a voice, coming from the other side of the door, half muffled,
"Yes, of course they are inside, let's prepare them to transport" followed by a sequence of light knocks on the wooden door,
"Oh no, come on let's go quickly" Nyla says, running to get into one of the barrels,
Stary in turn follows her, clumsily entering the other, just as he was beginning to wonder who would cover the barrels, the door opens, and a man quickly says,
"It's all here, the most expensive vintage of wines from the last harvest in the region!" the man takes a lid and quickly closes it, sealing the barrels that Stary and Nyla were in,
"Let's get it over with, time is money" he says,
They feel the barrels move, as if a great force lifted them off the ground, Stary and Nyla are thrown from one side to the other, as if they were making smoothies with them, Stary falls face down on the wood, not knowing where it is anymore. above and below, but luckily he notices something, there is a hole in the barrel, where he can see what is happening outside,
The narrow, winding streets are buzzing with activity, with people coming and going in their colorful robes, trading stalls set up on every corner and the echo of excited voices filling the air,
As the cart passes through the main gate, they enter inside the walls, into the real city, where the king's castle is probably located, and the luxurious houses,
Stone houses with steep roofs and decorated facades beautify the landscape, some of them display coats of arms of noble families, while others are adorned with flowers and vines that add a picturesque touch to the environment, Stary glimpses the imposing tower of a castle on the horizon, rising stands majestically above the other buildings, with its solid walls and flags with the coat of arms of the unrecognizable city from that distance fluttering in the wind,
Stary watches skilled artisans at their craft, shaping metal with hammers, carving wood with precision, and weaving beautiful rugs on traditional looms,
The news Stary thinks, I ended up in a typical medieval city, lucky that we are already leaving, but the way they treated Nyla, back there, these humans could do much worse if they discover me, who knows, maybe send me to strength? from what Reven said the king, they don't do a good job, it must be a very corrupt city, although beautiful at first sight,
Plus, the city is alive with entertainment. Skilled musicians play catchy tunes on musical instruments, while acrobats and jugglers delight the crowd with their impressive acrobatics, Stary can't help but smile as she sees children running and playing through the streets, bringing an atmosphere of joy and innocence to the environment, truly a typical city human!,
As the barrels containing Stary and Nyla are transported through the medieval city, the cart they are in is suddenly approached by a guard at the border, a guard, dressed in shining armor and carrying a spear, raises his hand to signal the cart to stop. ,
"Inspection analysis" the guard shouts,
The man in the cart quickly responds: "Just a load of fine wines from the last harvest, sir. All duly documented",
The guard examines the shipment papers and looks suspiciously at the cargo, his eyes narrowing as he does a closer inspection,
"Make sure you are following all border rules and regulations," warns the guard, "We do not tolerate smuggling or illegal activities,"
At this moment, Stary and Nyla inside the barrels remain in absolute silence, holding their breath so as not to be detected, each heartbeat seems to echo inside the barrel as they wait anxiously,
The sound of a barrel opening echoes next to Stary, stopping his poor fox heart, and giving him a fright, hopefully it's not Nyla's barrel,
"What is that?" shouts the guard,
"Because this one is empty, I can't let you pass with one less barrel," he says,
Stary feels a chill run down his spine upon hearing the guard's words, he looks to the side and sees the guard pointing to the empty barrel, his expression serious and suspicious, Stary's heart begins to accelerate, fearing that his presence has been discovered. ,
The man in the cart, visibly nervous, tries to quickly explain,
"Oh sir guard, it was just a counting error, it must have been taken out by mistake during loading, I assure you there is nothing wrong."
After a moment of unbearable tension, the guard says,
"Give me one of those barrels of wine, and we're even, and you can pass," the guard's ultimatum is issued,
"Okay, you can take it", the man in the cart says depressed,
As the barrels are once again set in motion, Stary and Nyla exchange thoughts of relief, they have narrowly escaped being discovered by the vigilant and obviously wine-addicted corrupt guard,
With every step of the cart, Stary watches the curious faces of the townspeople, they cast intrigued glances at the cart and its barrels, having no idea that they are hidden inside them, they must be thinking of the wine as well as the guard,
As the cart passes the border, the voices and music fade away, changing the scenery to a forest landscape again, however different from before, new trees that Stary had not seen appear,
In addition to pine trees, now trees similar to autumn trees appear, filling the surrounding forest, some with blue leaves, some with yellow leaves, fill Stary's vision,
The cart passes over a small stone bridge, revealing an innocent lake beside it, these blue trees really gave a magical touch, in the middle of so many pine trees, Stary, seems quite surprised, each time he discovers more about this planet,
After some time just seeing what the hole in the barrel allowed him to see, they arrived in a huge closed forest, it no longer looked like morning, and the shadows of the trees didn't help at all to figure out what time it was, either.
The cart stops abruptly, in front of a huge green area,
"Hey you back there, you can go down now, just be careful with the barrels on the sides, go quickly! before anyone sees," the man says,
Stary climbs down from the barrel carefully, feeling his legs a little shaky after the hectic journey inside the barrel, he looks around and sees a lush landscape before him, the huge green area in front of him is a clearing surrounded by majestic trees,
The sun is almost setting, possibly around 6 o'clock in the afternoon,
"Wow, I didn't know we had been traveling for so long", Stary says, stretching,
Nyla climbs out of the barrel next to Stary, a little clumsy but relieved to finally get out of the confined and hectic journey, she stretches her legs and looks around in awe,
"Finally, I know this place, we are almost close to my village!" she can't help but smile anxiously,
"Come Stary, if I'm right, heading that way, we'll pass a waterfall, and soon we'll see the walls of my tribe" she says taking the lead to show the way,