Submission (#6448) Approved

The dark and old forest of Kyendi hummed with life, while Mio wanted to curse it. It was too dense, too overgrown, too wild - and he and River were hopelessly lost.
“How did this happen!?” His voice carried his dissatisfaction and slight fear, while looking around, but nothing felt familiar.
“I don’t know…”, River admitted and cocked his head, while looking at the map, slightly confused and uncertain on where to go next. “Maybe the map is wrong?”
“You’re wrong…”, mumbled Mio, to which River grimaced.
“How mature…”

As they delved deeper into the woods, the sound of rushing water reached their ears. Following the crashing sound that got louder with each step, they stumbled upon a narrow bridge spanning a swiftly flowing river. The bridge, woven from vines and sturdy branches, did not invoke much trust from Mio. The smaller one eyed the bridge warily, his instincts warning him of potential danger.
"I’m not setting a paw on that-... maybe we should find another way. This bridge looks a bit fragile," he suggested and his eyes pleaded with River, who once again, had the map out and tried to navigate.
“I’m not sure… this looks like the only bridge around. It will take us all day to find something else. It looks sturdy enough to me. Besides, where's your sense of adventure? We'll be on the other side in no time!"

River, ever the optimist.

“My sense of adventure left us about two hours ago when you got us lost”, Mio grumbled and very reluctantly followed his friend onto the bridge. He wanted to get out of this forest more than anything else.
Each step seemed to echo in his ears, and Mios’ anxiety heightened as the structure creaked beneath their weight. River, however, continued with unwavering confidence, encouraging Mio to relax. “It's fine… will you stop worrying already?”, River laughed, but it was drowned out by the rushing water beneath them and Mios anxiety. The white elnin couldn’t shake the feeling that the branches were dissolving under his paws and soon they would fall into their watery grave.
“Just hurry-!”, he answered, shivering.

But - midway across the bridge, disaster struck. With an ominous snap, the vines unraveled, and the bridge crumbled beneath them. Panic set in as Mio and River found themselves plummeting into the raging river below. The water swallowed them, the current pulling them downstream. In the chaos, Mio lost his nerves. He fought against the current, struggling to keep his head above water and he kept swallowing water. "River!" he called out, coughing and already exhausted.
Amidst the rushing water, Rivers’ confident demeanor faltered. He too grappled with the current, his usual bravado replaced by the raw reality of the situation. He was worried for the Nestling, but any attempts of reaching out were futile; even he couldn’t fight against the wild waves - and they were both swept away, desperately clinging to debris and trying to stay afloat.

As the river began to calm, they found themselves stranded on a patch of riverbank. Wet, exhausted, but miraculously unharmed, Mio and River exchanged glances. Mio was furious, and River shrunk under the piercing glare of the younger one. Too tired to snap at his friend, Mio hoisted himself up and crawled onto the lush greenery next to the riverbank, where he fell to his side, panting.

Now they were even more lost.

//Unbelievable,...//, the white elnin thought and closed his eyes in defeat, while trying to recover. But it wasn’t long, and Mio fell asleep. His energy was absolutely drained and he couldn’t stay awake. River noticed that Mio was unusually quiet after such an ordeal, but then he saw that the younger one was sleeping. He smiled softly and decided to lay down next to his friend. They would need all their strength to get out of this forest now more than ever.

[...]

After a few hours of sleep and a late lunch caught by River, they both continued their misadventure. Mio had spent the first hour awake ripping into River for being so careless and overconfident and the older had just accepted his fate at some point.
Eventually, they continued their journey through the dense jungle forest of Kyendi, the vibrant foliage creating a lush canopy overhead. The air was thick with the scent of wildflowers and the distant murmur of unseen creatures. As they ventured deeper into the heart of the forest, an atmosphere seemed to change, which Mio noticed.

“...why are you leading us deeper into the forest?!”

“We have to cut through this bit.. I think…” River was unsure. The map was water damaged and hard to read.
The younger one looked around, unsure. The forest path led them past ancient ruins to a secluded area where the sounds of wildlife grew hushed, and an inexplicable energy lingered in the air. As Mio and River exchanged curious glances, the vibrant colors of the jungle seemed to blur around them. The air shimmered with an unusual glow, and a sense of unease settled within the white elnin. He got a weird deja-vú, like when he first arrived at the corrupted shrine, back a few weeks in Strynhalde.

Ahead, the landscape transformed, and the familiar forest surroundings gave way to a surreal display. The overwild border revealed itself, a point where the natural world met the ancient forces of Kyendi. The boundaries didn't conform to a single appearance, but today, it manifested as an oil sheen iridescence hanging in the air, casting a dark glow over the surroundings.
Mios alarm bells rang as the air before them seemed to dance with unseen energies. Something didn’t feel right.
The sinking feeling in his stomach seemed to grow.
“What is that…?”, he asked quietly, as if he feared to awaken something around them.
Neither of them recognized the overwild border as such. Mio, as a Nestling, usually didn’t leave the city. And River was still a young adventurer without much experience. They lingered at the overwild border, captivated by the mesmerizing display before them. The air around them buzzed with a subtle hum, and the friends exchanged glances, Mios quite a bit more worried than River.
“Have you seen something like this before?”

River just shook his head in response and eyed the veil in front of them. He approached with a mix of curiosity and excitement. The border around them shimmered with dark purples and blues, reminiscent of the northern lights but with a nightmarish touch.
"It's like we've stumbled into a different realm," River mused, reaching out tentatively to touch the iridescent veil that hung vertically in the air.
The border shifted in response, the colors swirling and undulating like a celestial dance. The surface of the veil resembled water, defying gravity as it hovered in the air. The enchanting display seemed to call out to them, inviting the duo to explore the boundary between the known and the beyond. Mio hesitated, his cautious nature urging him to remain at a safe distance. However, the magical allure of the overwild border tugged even at his curiosity.
A little.
"River, we need to be careful. We don't know what lies beyond and I don’t want to repeat what happened on the bridge…" he cautioned, his eyes fixed on the uncanny border and he furrowed his brows. “Do you really think this is a good idea?” He didn’t like it one bit, the forest seemed too old, too dark, and this veil was strange.

But Rivers’ sense of wonder prevailed and he turned around to Mio.
"Yeah! This is incredible," River exclaimed, his eyes reflecting the mesmerizing hues of the overwild border. "Besides, it seems to stretch for miles - so who knows if there even is another way? We should try and find out where it leads."

The border almost seemed to respond to their proximity, creating a gentle breeze that carried the fresh scent of wonder. The friends felt a subtle shift in the air, as if the forest itself was alive with ancient magic, now more than ever. Mio couldn't deny that it felt exciting, despite the dread he was feeling - even his cautious demeanor began to soften in the face of the mystical display.

With a final glance at the iridescent veil, they decided to venture further, guided by a blend of caution and the irresistible allure of discovery, hoping to find a way home.