Submission (#6719) Approved

Niyari had left the overwild border behind them and continued down the road but it didn't take long before they had to stop again. Niyari had made it to the point where the singular road split up into two. To continue on their path they would need to take the left road that lead through denser trees than before while the right road followed grass and a river that Niyari could see in the distance. But looking down the left road there was something strange about the shadows waiting there. Could it be that the overwild border ran through the trees and lead here as well? Niyari didn't know how big the affected areas could be. The situation in Bellmoril last time and walking into a pocket dimension had been strange enough, way too dangerous and exhausting. Niyari had walked into the danger without knowing about it, but now their mind was screaming at this path and how wrong it felt. There was no chance they would have bad luck again while travelling through Bellmoril again though, right? What was it about this region? Niyari should turn to the right path. They bit their lower lip before taking off their backpack and taking the map out of it. The right path would bring them more into a mountain territory and then into the direction of Faerindell... It could be hard getting through that in a steady pace depending on how steep the road would become. It would definitely cost them at least a whole extra day of travel, probably closer to two though. Niyari sighed and glanced towards the left road again. Maybe their mind was just playing tricks on them because of the last time they had to go through a dense and shadow filled forest.

Niyari packed the map bag into the backpack and took a deep breath. The pocket dimension didn't hurt them last time. If it still had the road inside then Niyari could just ignore everything else happening around them and continue to follow that road! Mind made up Niyari took the left path. The sun was still high up and the place seemed to be alive and well, yellow, orange and red threats being illuminated by the sunlight and giving off a warm glow. The feeling of an upcoming threat still never left. The autumn trees might be casting shadows on the road but it was easy to look ahead and see the bright blue sky, giving balance to the darkness. Niyaris body was tense, ready to jump or run at any given moment. The darkness was getting closer. No, Niyari was getting closer to the darkness. Was this really another border? It wasn't as easy to see this time. Niyari wasn't sure anymore. The flimmer wasn't as pronounced as it had been earlier on the road towards here, but there was still something in the air. Maybe it was just the pattern the red leaves and their shadows left on the ground, something like a kaleidoscope of dark and light. Their fur was still standing up a bit, almost as if sensing lightning coming closer. Everything felt electrified, their body being on high alert.
Niyari went forward. They blinked a few times. Mountains in the distance seemed to shift that weren't there before. The mountains were on the other route, right? Or maybe these were just mountains in the distance that this route wouldn't lead to, just another feature of the passing region. Niyari resisted the urge to look at their map. They focused on the road. The road was still there and was easy to follow. It still had a slight curve that seemed to match with the previous road. The same road? Whatever the correct description was, if Niyari just kept following the path then they would hopefully get to the next destination. Niyari still wasn't sure if this might be the beginning of a pocket dimension or not. Maybe Niyari just had been so paranoid and cautious that they put all their attention towards the shadows on the road and just didn't notice the mountains in the distance. It definitely was a real possibility. Niyari didn't really get tunnel vision that often, but it wouldn't be the first time that they would be super concentrated on the thing they perceived as a threat to block out anything else that wasn't of importance. Some mountains far in the distance were not important when you could be suprised by an overwild border or anything else that lurked in the shadows. Niyari was still unsure if they were just trying to convince themself that everything was well or if there really was nothing to worry about. For now they had decided on a plan and wouldn't back down from it. They would continue to follow the road in a steady place to get to the next town on time.

The shadows were getting longer but not in the sense of a slow and natural occurence from a setting sun. No, the shadows didn't seem to follow all the same direction, they just seemed to... stretch. And almost reach out for Niyari. Long tendrils pushing forward, big shadow spots forming puddles of darkness.
Niyari took another step forward and suddenly their paw seemed to disappear into the ground and they almost fell. Heart beating faster Niyari looked down, unsure if they might have walked into a trap, instinct kicking in and telling them to be completely still instead of quickly pulling their leg back up and risking the chance of triggering some mechanism. When Niyari looked down they saw their leg just being covered in a shadow, like a portal to another dimension and their vision was beginning to blur. No. Shake this off. It was just panic and they didn't think right. Now was not the time to get lost in fear, they had to analyze the danger so they could find the right solution. Niyari didn't feel any pain, no metal claws clamping down on their legs or the searing burn of something way too hot. Whatever they stepped in didn't seem to be an imminent danger so Niyari took the time and take a few deep breaths with their eyes closed before allowing themself to look down again.
Now, on further inspection, Niyari saw that they had actually walked into a deep puddle. No, not just a puddle. Swamp. Niyari squinted at it and looked ahead. The road was still made out of mostly dry earth with some grass here and there but the shadows being thrown from the white barked trees seemed to have all changed into swampy water. It felt unreal. The sun was still shining through red leaves, even if it was already setting. The rest of the road seemed normal, the trees seemed normal to Bellmoril, only these shadow patches seemed to have all transformed and didn't fit into this glowing warm forest, no, didn't fit into this region. Niyari now carefully pulled their leg back and saw that their fur was now wet and clinging to their skin. At least they still had the leg. Niyari took a deep breath and tried to focus. So they had crossed the overwild border after all. This changing scenery between Bellmoril and Enmir could not be explained any other way. At least they could still see the road ahead but they would need to hurry, it was getting darker and darker... The comforting glow of the afternoon sun would soon disappear and then it would be near impossible to get through. If the shadows were getting longer and longer with the end of the day and changed into more swamp... Niyari swallowed. They had to run for it and try to jump over as many spots as possible. A part of them thought about hiding in the trees and just ditching the road but who knows where they would end up? The road still seemed to be the safest bet. Niyari made sure that their backpack was still secured and closed, then they tensed up all their muscles and got ready for the obstacle course. They would need to run back and get out of this pocket dimension, getting as far away as possible. The puddles on the way back were a hindrance, but going back was the only chance they had. Jumping and running as best as they could Niyari traced their way back until they finally stumbled out of the pocket dimension, getting back to the purely red and white forest of Bellmoril.

“Well, this will suck…”
Finding another route would take a while but it was still safer than getting close to the overwild border again.