Infant, or rather Adrian as he was now called in this world, felt the weight of the cloth tightly wrapped around him as the little girl carried him on her back.
The scene before him was bleak—a trail of refugees, few in number, climbing the rocky terrain of a mountain.
Their faces were hollow, their eyes devoid of hope or life.
It was as if they were no longer living souls, just bodies moving forward out of habit, dragged on by the momentum of survival.
He couldn't help but think how miserable the situation was.
These people had lost everything, and in this strange new world where he had been thrust into a baby's body, Adrian had very little power to change anything.
He wasn't some grand hero—not yet anyway.
At the moment, his main priority was to survive and figure out just what had happened.
Why was he reincarnated here?
What was the purpose of this new life?
And most importantly, why did this little girl, no older than four or five, carry him so diligently while others were barely keeping themselves upright?
'Reading in a book and seeing myself....' As the group continued their climb, Adrian observed everything from his limited vantage point, slung on the girl's back.
The once-vibrant world around them was now shadowed by grief.
He watched the few refugees trudge forward, their steps almost mechanical.
No, no one was saying a word, as if they were zombies, and naturally, this whole scene was hellish for him.
Yet, out of nowhere, the little girl changed direction.
While everyone else stuck to the path that wound through the rocky hills, she veered off into the dense forest on the side.
Curious, Adrian tried to speak, to ask her where she was going.
But only a garbled sound came out of his baby mouth: "Guh-bah-deh-guh?"
The girl, of course, didn't understand and kept walking deeper into the woods, her tiny frame navigating the undergrowth with surprising ease.
Adrian, still carried on her back, could only squirm and observe, his mind racing with thoughts.
'Where the hell is she going? Why aren't we following the others? Aren't forests in these kinds of situations full of dangerous animals like lions or tigers?'
'Great. Just my luck.'
'I end up being carried around by a kid who thinks wandering off is a good idea.'
'Dumb kid, what if a bear or wild boar attacked us?!'
But as they went further into the woods, the quietness enveloped them.
No longer were they surrounded by the murmurs and groans of the other refugees.
Now, it was just them and the sound of the wind through the trees.
Adrian's unease slowly transformed into curiosity.
This girl hadn't spoken a word since he'd met her, and now she was leading him into the unknown without hesitation.
Where was she taking them?
Whatever,
'It's milk time.'
Adrian inhaled full lungs of breath to start his crying, given this was the only thing he could do in a child's body, before starting, "Uwaaaahh—Mpph?!"
'What an efficient kid,' Adrian felt how effective his method was as he had a bottle in his mouth. He was now drinking while resting behind the back of a little girl who was walking inside the forest.
Who cares if he gets this good ride and even something to eat?
Hours passed, and Adrian realized something odd.
The little girl, though clearly exhausted, had not eaten a single thing.
Meanwhile, he had been guzzling down milk from the bottle like it was going out of fashion.
'How is she still moving?'
'I mean, I'm getting all the nutrients here, and she's just... walking. Doesn't she need food?'
Adrian stared at her as she trudged forward, not once stopping to rest.
He felt a little bad, truth be told.
Here he was, the weakest he had ever been in both lifetimes, utterly dependent on a child who wasn't even taking care of herself.
But there was nothing he could do.
He couldn't walk, he couldn't talk, and the most complicated thought he could communicate was a half-assed: Baba boo.
At nightfall, the girl finally stopped by a clearing, setting Adrian down gently near a patch of dry ground.
Adrian watched as she skillfully gathered some sticks and dry leaves, setting them in a pile before starting a fire.
The flames crackled to life, casting a warm glow around them as night settled in.
She sat down across from him, her expression as impassive as ever, while Adrian contemplated what the hell was going on.
'Okay, so she knows how to start a fire... a kid of four or five. Is that normal here?'
'Wait, where's the stone she was rubbing or the wood? Anyone? Doesn't friction or latent heat come into play at all?'
'Who even is this girl?'
'More importantly, where's MY survival guide?'
'I'm starting to feel a little ripped off by this reincarnation thing.'
'Shouldn't I have some overpowered cheat ability or something?'
'Woo-hoo, System, fairy, Grimoire or....maybe Dorami?' he thought to himself, his inner voice dripping with sarcasm.
'I could have died of cold...' As they sat there in silence, Adrian, still lying on the ground, lifted the bottle of milk that had been his lifeline so far.
'Drink something or who will carry me, my ride,' he stretched his tiny arm toward her, offering the bottle.
'....' The girl, her face still blank, tilted her head slightly, looking at the milk and then at Adrian.
For a moment, Adrian thought she might actually take it.
After all, she hadn't eaten anything since they started this little trek.
But instead of taking the bottle, the girl reached over and ruffled his hair.
RUFFLED HIS HAIR.
Like he was a small dog or something.
'Oh, you've got to be kidding me!' Adrian thought, exasperated.
'I'm an ass-grown man inside this tiny body!
Do you even know how humiliating this is?
No, of course, you don't, you're a kid!
But come on, ruffling my hair?
Really?'
She didn't say a word, just gave him that same impassive, emotionless look before going back to staring at the fire.
Adrian, now visibly annoyed, couldn't help but glare at her, yelling," Abe-boo-be—"
ROAAAARRR!
'!?!'
Suddenly, a loud roar echoed through the forest.
Adrian's eyes stung as he whipped his head around, heart sinking into his stomach.
The sound was terrifying, primal, shaking the very air around them.
His mind instantly jumped to the worst conclusion.
'A bear!'