Lost in a chapter

Four

The moment the black swirls enveloped them, Tora felt the world tilt, her stomach lurching as if gravity had momentarily lost its hold. The sensation of shadowing was unlike anything she had experienced before, both weightless and suffocating, like falling through a tunnel made of dense fog. When they emerged, the chill of Sylvarune’s air hit her skin, starkly different from Aurathen’s golden warmth. “Is Marthos your love?” Tora asked suddenly, her voice breaking the silence. Her curiosity gleamed in her eyes as she glanced sideways at Solis.

Solis shifted uncomfortably; his expression unreadable. “She is beautiful, like her brother,” Tora added with a small smile, clearly testing his reaction.

“You find Aureth attractive?” Solis asked, his voice tight but calm.

“One hundred percent. Very attractive,” Tora replied without hesitation, her tone light. “I get why you like Marthos, they’re both good looking.” She peeked at Solis again, but his gaze remained fixed ahead, his face giving nothing away.

“Where are we heading?” she asked, deciding to change the subject when Solis offered no reply.

“Somewhere you can clean up,” he said bluntly, glancing sideways at her. “You smell horrible.”

Tora frowned in mock offense, pulling her shirt up to sniff experimentally. “Oh, the paste,” she said, her face scrunching as she remembered the foul-smelling mixture Marthos had given her. “I must’ve gotten used to the smell.” She flashed him a teasing look. “Aureth didn’t seem to mind.”

“He’s a High King. They’re trained to be pleasing,” Solis replied matter-of-factly, though his tone carried a faint hint of irritation.

They stopped at a small water hole, the surface dark and mirror-like, reflecting the faint silver glow of the forest canopy above. Solis gestured to the water. “Go ahead, I’ll wait here.”

“No way,” Tora said, taking a wary step back. “That looks creepy as hell.”

“It’s safe, I promise,” Solis said, his voice calm but firm.

“It’s black. Anything could be in it,” Tora argued, crossing her arms.

Solis let out an exasperated sigh, shaking his head. “Nothing dangerous lives in black water. Small fish, maybe, but nothing deadly. It’s clear water you should be afraid of, everything that can kill you hides in plain sight, sometimes.” He added, his tone sounding as if it were basic knowledge.

Tora hesitated, glancing between the water and Solis, who stood patiently, his arms crossed as if daring her to argue further. Finally, with a sigh of resignation, she stepped toward the water. “If anything bites me, I’m blaming you,” she muttered, casting him a wary glare before crouching by the edge of the water.

Solis smirked faintly, but said nothing, his eyes scanning the dark forest around them as he stood guard.

As Tora knelt by the water’s edge, dipping her fingers into the black surface, the chill startled her, but she steeled herself, splashing it over her arms to wash away the remnants of the paste. The faint glow of the forest made the dark water shimmer, creating an eerie beauty that almost distracted her from her unease.

Solis, ever watchful, kept his attention fixed on the forest, his sharp gaze scanning the trees. The faint rustling of leaves overhead and the soft hum of glowing plants set a fragile quiet, one that felt like it could break at any moment.

“What’s with this place?” Tora asked, breaking the silence as she combed her fingers through her damp hair. “It’s... beautiful, but it feels like it’s hiding something.”

“It is hiding something,” Solis replied, his voice low and calm. “Sylvarune isn’t kind to intruders. It’s alive in ways you can’t see, listening, watching.” He turned his gaze to her, his expression unreadable. “It’ll leave you be as long as you show respect. But if you cross it...” He left the sentence unfinished, his meaning clear.

Tora frowned, glancing back at the trees, suddenly feeling very small under their towering presence. “Great. More things to worry about,” she muttered, shaking water from her hands.

Just as Tora was about to rise, a soft ripple spread across the water. She froze, her eyes darting to the surface. For a moment, nothing moved, and she thought she might have imagined it, until another ripple appeared. Panic started to bubble in her chest when a small, round grey head bobbed up from the water.

“beeeep,” it said in a squeaky voice.

Tora screamed, scrambling backward as her foot slipped on the mossy edge. Solis was at her side in an instant, his hand gripping her arm and lifting her to her feet.

“What is…” she began, her words trailing off as Solis’s expression shifted. He sighed in exasperation, stepping closer to the water, his movements suddenly calm and sure.

“It’s a baby pudin,” he muttered, amazed to see one so close. He reached down to scoop up the round, gelatinous creature.

Tora blinked in disbelief as she watched the tiny blob wiggle in Solis’s hands. It was no bigger than a cantaloupe, its shiny grey surface glistening like polished stone. Two bright, curious eyes blinked up at her, and she felt her fear drain away, replaced by cautious wonder.

“A baby what?” Tora asked, edging closer.

“Pudin,” Solis said simply, holding the small creature toward her. “Adorable now, but at a ripe age, they’re beasts you don’t want to cross.”

Tora’s shoulders relaxed as Solis’s calm explanation put her at ease. She hesitated for a moment, then held out her hands. “Can I hold it?”

Solis raised a brow but carefully placed the pudin in her hands. The creature let out a content sound, its smooth, squishy body warm against her palms.

“Hey there,” Tora cooed, a smile breaking across her face. “I’m so sorry I freaked out. I’m not from here. You’re... adorable.” She said feeling a strange burst of joy, something she hadn’t felt in what seemed like forever.

She set the pudin down gently on the mossy ground, but it immediately stuck itself to her leg, its little eyes blinking up at her with what could only be described as affection.

“Um, what do I do?” she asked, looking to Solis, who was watching her with mild amusement.

“I think,” Solis said with a faint smile, “you’ve found yourself a lifetime friend.”

Tora’s eyes widened. “What? Really?”

“It’ll go and return as it pleases,” Solis explained, “but most of its time, it will likely be spent near you.”

“Oh my gosh!” Tora exclaimed, practically bouncing on her toes. “It’s like a pet!”

Solis tilted his head slightly. “I don’t know what that is, but... sure.”

“Do you have one?” she asked excitedly.

Solis shook his head. “No.”

“What? Why not?” Tora demanded; her voice filled with mock outrage.

“It’s pretty rare to come across a baby pudin, they are very quick, I’m just as surprised” Solis explained. His lips curved into a small smile, one that made Tora’s heart skip.

“I can’t believe it,” she said, clutching the little pudin like it was the most precious thing in the world. “It’s like my very own Pokémon baby!”

Solis raised a brow, clearly not understanding the reference. “Pokémon?”

Tora just grinned, knowing the explanation would be lost on him. “Never mind. This little guy is perfect.”

The pudin snuggled closer to her as though it understood her words.