Even during the day, the thick black clouds hanging over the western region kept the land locked in an endless dusk.
The only difference between day and night was how far one could see.
Every so often, faint flashes of lightning rippled through the clouds above, washing the woods in a white flash for a mere moment before the shadows returned like the tide.
Petra walked quietly through the forest, her steps light as her cloak brushed the damp foliage rising from the forest floor. The air was thick and fresh, heavy with morning mist that clung to her small frame. The Silver Song Forest stretched out in every direction, forming an ocean of towering trunks and drifting green haze.
Then, Petra stopped.
Her 'antennae' twitched faintly.
Someone was watching her, she could feel the gaze.
She had only been walking for a few minutes, yet something had already found her.
How odd…
The silence of the forest deepened, growing heavy in layers, forming an ethereal aura that spread through the mist until even the wind seemed to hold its breath.
Between the trees, half-veiled by the fog, a figure stood silently in the shadows.
She was tall, motionless, and watching.
Perhaps, the inhabitants of the Silver Song Forest didn't approve of the recent outsiders and their plundering.
Her body was covered in sleek black fur that caught what little light still existed, shimmering faintly like wet stone. A dark mane framed her feline face and wrapped around her neck like a scarf. Her eyes, bright and flickering with golden light, glowed through the mist like two lanterns in the dark. A Darkwood bow rested loosely in her hand, its string drawn just enough to hum softly with each breath, flickering with spiritual energy that blended with the forest. Her tail, long and ethereal, stretched out twice her height and moved with a slow and playful rhythm behind her silhouette. It didn't sway idly, but traced deliberate arcs through the air, coiling once before brushing along the bark of a nearby tree, leaving faint claw-like marks where it swayed.
This was a member of the Black Tail Tribe.
And a huntress, one of the guardians that should always remain with the clan.
Petra's eyes flickered.
She didn't move, didn't speak, and didn't even breathe. The black lioness only watched as the small, cloaked ant girl passed through the clearing without incident.
Petra's head tilted slightly as she glanced back, her empty black eyes meeting the woman's golden gaze for a mere moment.
Neither spoke, but for a second, it almost felt like the air itself had gone still.
Then Petra turned and continued on her way, vanishing into the veil without a sound.
She thought to herself, 'she has really sharp senses'.
The huntress remained in place, golden eyes narrowing faintly. Her tail curled upwards, looping once around her head to block her mouth, then unfurled again, a natural gesture that might have meant amusement, curiosity, or even disdain, it was unknown.
When Petra's footsteps completely disappeared, the huntress exhaled softly through her nose, the faintest frown flickering across her face.
She lowered her head, thinking.
Then, she melted back into the forest, leaving only the faint ripple of her tail snaking through the green.
* * *
Petra continued to walk.
The trees in the Silver Song Forest were tall and brown-barked, rising high above her head like pillars in a ruined temple. Their roots twisted through the ground in vast, smooth waves that occasionally poked through the forest floor. Their leaves shimmered faintly, each one a dark green plane that reflected the occasional flash of light from the sky.
As the wind shifted, the 'song' began…
Petra continued her leisurely walk as the unexpected noise slowly enveloped her.
A soft, trembling hum rolled through the forest. The leaves quivered, vibrating together as hundreds of thousands of thin metallic tones merged into one slow and methodical sound.
The 'Silver Song' was the phenomenon that the 'Silver Song Forest' was named after. It was quiet at first, a subtle vibration that could barely be felt through the soles of the feet.
Then it deepened as time passed, taking over an hour to fully build up, the sound rolling through the forest like the breath of a sleeping giant, low and harmonious, powerful, and reverberating. All around her, the forest began to glow in unison with the tremble and come to life.
Tiny motes of light drifted from beneath the bark, small luminous insects fluttering out from hidden nests. Their bodies pulsed with faint white light that flickered in rhythm with the forest's hum. Soon, hundreds filled the air, twisting around her like drifting stars in the night sky.
It was beautiful.
Petra stopped walking and tilted her head upwards.
The canopy shivered faintly above her head in the wind, the dark leaves brushing together to continuously produce a thin ringing that resonated through her chest. The luminous insects circled in slow spiral paths, weaving through the branches as if carried by the rhythm of the song. It was a sound too beautiful for words, something between life and time, echoing with both warmth and sorrow.
If a forest had spirituality, this was undoubtedly how it would be displayed.
At the same time, it seemed to pull at a distant memory, causing Petra to fall into deep thought.
She closed her eyes.
For a while, she simply listened, letting the rhythm wash through her body and mind. Her antennae flickered faintly, trembling in the breeze as the experience was transmitted back to the Tower Spider for the other girls.
As time passed, Petra thought it sounded a little like breathing.
And perhaps, it really was…
The forest continued its melody for several hours before it began to finally fade, the song dying away just as quickly as it had begun. The light dimmed as the luminous insects drifted off into the darkness one by one, leaving faint trails of light that faded into the wind like smoke.
The silence that followed was almost hollow, leaving one with a sense of emptiness.
Petra exhaled softly and continued walking.
-
She followed the wild and winding paths into the depths of the forest.
The deeper she went, the older the trees became. Their trunks thickened and twisted, their bark darkening with the breath of time.
At times, she saw things hiding in the canopy above, wild beasts whose eyes glowed faintly in the dark, following her as she passed. They didn't move or make a sound, only watched. Once, she caught a glimpse of a silver-winged owl perched on a nearby branch, its feathers only reflecting the faintest trace of green, then it was gone…
Petra moved deeper, enjoying each encounter.
If one were to only live here, then perhaps they would forget about the rest of the region.
The western region had about a dozen 'special zones' that didn't adhere to its normal environmental standards. Besides the 'Lions Tail Island', there was the 'Blackrock Barbarians homeland', formed from constant tremors and volcanic stone, the 'Stoneback Tribe's Riverland', a maze of glowing freshwater rivers carved through vertical black cliffs, the 'Whispering Clay Marsh', a fog-covered river network filled with disorienting spiritual energy and the Clay Clan, the 'Screaming Spine Gorge', a canyon where every sound warped and returned with strange echoes, home to the Echoing Elves, and the 'Fallin Star Abyss', a valley scarred with ancient void fragments that nourished unusual plants and high level magic beasts.
-
Time passed...
Soon, the forest floor began to change.
Moss grew thicker and more abundant, and the air grew noticeably colder. The roots were coated in a damp sheen, as if something had drained the warmth from the soil, dispersing it, and the underbrush had thinned into pale, brittle patches that crackled softly beneath her feet.
It was a sign of decay…
Even the mist was different now, it was heavier and darker, lying lower, and carried a faint bitter taste that clung to the back of the nose.
Eventually, Petra noticed that some patches of trees ahead were no longer alive, their vitality taken by some unnatural force. Their dark green leaves were gone, replaced by brittle black branches that stretched upward like skeletal hands.
Despite there immense size, it was obvious that whatever had caused this was spreading and would eventually begin to topple the trees.
Perhaps, it was some form of virus…
Regardless, Petra didn't pay it much mind.
-
Petra stepped forward, her mantle swaying in the wind, and her feet clicking on the wood. Here, the silver song didn't echo, and the insects had vanished completely from this part of the forest.
After passing through a clearing, she stopped to check the ground. The air carried a faint scent of old ash, buried deep within the soil, indicating that there had been a large fire nearby.
Petra frowned.
She didn't need to go much further, but this wasn't a good sign.
After all, 'Hometown', 'Fire', and 'Return', such elements usually carried an implication…
"Mm."
Soon, she saw it.
Through the blackened earth and warped trees, faint shapes began to emerge. Wooden platforms, collapsed bridges, and the remnants of old huts still dangling stubbornly to the long-burnt trees. Ropes and vines dangled from the upper canopy like tattered string, swaying faintly, but seemingly having been repaired, proof that despite the desolation, this place had not been fully abandoned.
At least, not yet…
Ahead, Petra stared at the treetop village. (Dangling Treehouses)
It was… Rose's village, or rather, what remained of it. The home of the Red Ring Tribe. This was where she had reached, but it seemed that Petra had come a bit too late.
The charred ruins were silent, already half-claimed by roots and moss. Whatever fire had burned through this place was long gone, its smoke soaked into the memory of what little remained. Days had passed since it happened, no, perhaps weeks or even months. Petra had no way of knowing.
What had once been a thriving treetop settlement was now nothing more than a still and breathless grave of charred wood and fallen bridges.
Petra stood at the edge of the clearing, looking up at the broken huts.
She didn't move for a long while.
Although her consciousness was here, she could practically feel Rose's sadness radiating from her main body. It was really annoying…
Cough-cough!
I mean 'encouraging', really encouraging.
Rose had been kidnapped when she was very young, but she, or rather 'he', remembered his childhood home very well. It would hurt anyone's heart to know that their birthplace had been burned to the ground while they were away.
After a time, Petra turned, stepping over the tangled roots, and entered the village.
Since there were still people living here, she might as well look around and ask.
Petra tilted her head up.
The remains of the Red Ring village were scattered across the trees like a hollow skeleton. Bridges dangled from the canopy, while half-burnt ropes still swayed lightly in the wind. The wooden platforms, or what was left of them, creaked faintly under the strain of age, yet the foundation remained surprisingly solid, giving Petra a good feeling.
She crouched, lightly placing a hand on the nearest trunk, feeling its texture through her hand.
Her Ant Avatar was exceptionally good at climbing.
Woosh!
The small, segmented legs dug into the bark with such ease that even a squirrel would be jealous. Within seconds, Petra was shooting up the tree, her body moving smoothly, with each step efficient and deliberate.
The view shifted as she climbed higher.
The forest floor disappeared beneath the sea of fog, and what little light filtered through the clouds painted the treetop ruins in a weak shadow.
She quickly reached the top, jumping down into the first treehouse.
The door had been broken, and the room was exposed. Moss had taken over the walls, and vines hung down from the roof like intertwining curtains. Inside, she found nothing. A collapsed hammock, a few shards of basketry, and a child's wooden toy resting on the floor.
Overall, the place looked like it had been looted, not abandoned.
Petra crouched down and picked up the toy. She turned it over once, scanned it with her eyes, then set it back down where she found it.
She didn't linger very long before moving on.
Stepping out, she crossed to the next house along a rope bridge that creaked with every step. The bridge swayed under her weight, despite already being extremely light. She even caused a few boards to fall out as she crossed.
As she moved, she looked around.
This village was formed in a spider web-like pattern, all revolving and intertwining around a few large huts in the center. From here, she could tell that the village was layered with multiple levels, like a three-dimensional structure.
She reached the second treehouse.
The walls were still intact, but the interior had been completely gutted. Someone had passed through here recently. The ash had been swept aside, and the footprints left on the damp wood were far too small to belong to an adult. In the far corner sat a neat pile of tiny bones, the remains of small forest creatures, carefully cleaned and stacked with meticulous hands.
Petra's heart stirred.
"Mm…"
She turned towards the next segment of the bridge network that connected the village.
Another rope bridge stretched ahead, but this one dipped sharply, its center half torn out and dangling down as loose boards. Only the two ends remained, swaying weakly in the cold wind.
Petra stared for a moment, then rolled her little ant-shoulders with a lazy shrug.
The Ant Avatar stepped back, crouched, and leapt.
Without drawing on any mental energy, her small body arced cleanly through the air, clearing the gap with ease. She landed on the opposite platform, light as a leaf, the old wood shaking beneath her feet.
When she straightened and lifted her gaze, she froze in place.
Someone was standing in the doorway.
A small figure stood there, a girl, no older than thirteen or fourteen, barefoot and covered in mud and dirt. Her hair was uneven, cut short with a knife, and her small cat-like ears twitched faintly under the tangle of red. She was dressed in a patchwork of leather and fur, with knees and elbows scratched and exposed, while her long tail, striped with pale red and white, swayed nervously behind her.
She was skinny and malnourished, but still seemed to carry the aura of a feral beast. On her neck was a deep horizontal scar that looked as if someone had tried to cut her head off.
What caused Petra to freeze wasn't the appearance of this girl… no, well, yes, it was the 'appearance' of this girl. She looked way too similar to the female Rose!
Upon a closer inspection, this little beggar looked quite mature.
Perhaps, she had been living here a long time.
Alone…
Why was she still here?
Was it just her instincts?
Or… maybe something else?
Her big amber eyes met Petra's.
As they did, the strange cat girl immediately felt a chill run down her spine.
For a long time, neither of them moved. One was inspecting, while the other was like a tense cat. The only sound was the slow creak of the wood beneath their feet, and the silent whisper of the wind through the trees.
The girl blinked once, slowly, then, without fear or hesitation, she tilted her head and spoke in a small, raspy voice that tried to conceal the unconcealable tension in her gaze.
"…You're not from here."
Petra didn't answer, but her finger twitched.
The girl tilted her head the other way, studying Petra even more closely. "You don't smell like the others either." Her tail flicked once behind her, looping into a small '?' before slowly uncurling. "...Are you lost?" She asked defensively.
Petra's expression didn't change. No, it's not that it didn't change, it was that it couldn't change.
Her attention had been drawn away from the Ant Avatar.
Currently, Petra's main body was being shaken back and forth violently by a certain red-haired cat maid.
"Hey hey, HEY! Stop! Stop stop stop, damn cat! Tell me what's wrong! Who is she!? Ay ya ya ya!" Petra shouted as her little head rolled back and forth like a rag doll.
Rose froze.
Her stubby little claws loosened, and she stumbled back, falling to her butt on the pavilion floor. Her long red tail twitched erratically, curling in on itself along with her ears. Her ears drooped, and for a moment, she just sat there, trembling. Then, to Petra's complete confusion, she started crying.
"Waaaaaaaa!"
Not the restrained kind of crying, no, this was ugly, messy, and way too emotional. It was the kind that cracked the voice and wrung the soul in an ear-piercing scream.
All the girls who were still gathered covered their ears.
Petra blinked, totally confused.
Did she go too far with this man…?
Mm…
This was the first time she had ever seen Rose truly cry ever since she 'found' her. She could take the strange experiments, she could take the loss of her identity, but Petra couldn't understand why she had such a close attachment to this little girl.
This did not seem to fit her character!
That could only mean one thing!
Now, Rose was shaking like a child, clutching her face as the tears poured down.
"Rose?" Petra asked in a very soft voice. "Are you ok? What happened…?" It was a careful question, one that might have felt more sincere if Petra wasn't poking her with a stick at the same time.
Poke poke poke…
Rose hiccupped through her sobs, trying to speak.
Her hand pushed away the stick that was aiming for her eye and began…
"I-I saw her…" she stammered, her words catching between breaths. "Just now, t-through your eyes. That girl… that girl is my…!" Her voice broke again.
"That's my little sister…"
Dum-da dum-dum, dum!
Petra froze.
She felt that this was a big reveal! Er, well… maybe not so big.
For a moment, the world seemed to pause. Even the quiet hum of the Tower Spiders' runic walls quieted down for a moment. All the girls looked at Rose with some shock.
Why did they not know this?
Rose looked up, her red eyes shimmering with tears, almost desperate. "She's still there, Petra! After all these years… she's still there! Alive, too!"
She choked on her sniff, wiping her face with the back of her soft hand. "I thought… I thought everyone was dead… I thought, the whole tribe…! I-it was, so long ago! And she, she…!" Her voice dropped, trembling with disbelief.
"But she's… alive!"
Petra stared at her for a long time.
Finally, she sighed and plopped down her tiny hand on Rose's head. "You're telling me that this little feral ugly hairball thing in the treehouse is your little sister?"
Rose nodded, sniffling, unable to speak.
Petra tilted her head, lip twitching in restraint. "…Well, damn~" She leaned back in her chair (The Calamity Wolf), while fighting off a mischievous smile. "I guess that means I'm 'obligated' to save her~."
Rose froze on the spot.
Uh oh…