The morning sun filtered softly through the dense canopy above as Lira, Renkai, and Rose resumed their journey. After the desert and open plains, the forest felt like a sanctuary—cool air flowing between moss-covered trunks, shadows curling along the undergrowth, and hidden streams gurgling quietly beneath thick ferns. Every step seemed to carry them deeper into a living, breathing world, where the hum of life was constant but gentle.
Rose guided the chariot slowly along the narrow path, shifting the rose horses and kakraje when the terrain required it. Their hooves and feet pressed lightly on the spongy forest floor, leaving no lasting mark, and the sound of their movement blended with the whisper of leaves and the soft calls of birds. Small creatures—tiny fox-like rodents, iridescent beetles, and chameleon-winged insects—peeked curiously from beneath roots and moss, then disappeared at the slightest movement.
