Submission (#7828) Approved

Shiro stepped lightly over the damp ground, his white paws pressing into the mossy earth with a soft squelch. "Well, this isn't ominous at all," he muttered, his tail whipping from one side to another as he eyed the scene ahead. To his left, the twisted, gnarled trees of the Shaedmoor loomed over him, their giant roots clutching at the wet soil like spooky fingers. The air was heavy with the scent of damp wood, decay, and something oddly herbal. Fireflies blinked in and out of existence, their soft glow reflecting in the pools of dark water that mirrored the dense treeline above.

A deep croak rumbled somewhere nearby, causing Shiros ears to perk up. “Uh-huh, noted. Big frogs. Probably bigger than me. Very reassuring.” Right now, he very much regretted coming here alone. Where was Yoru when Shiro needed him? Home alone, reading some books.

Traitor.

To his right, the landscape was vastly different. The Cindermarsh stretched open and free, its fresh green grasses and reeds swaying under a soft, gentle breeze. White birds darted through the air, calling out in short, sharp screams - seagulls that had moved inlands as the marsh gave them plenty of opportunity to catch fish. Wide rivers divided the marsh, the water shimmering under the bright sun that sat high up in the endless blue sky, and driftwood was sprinkled throughout, some carried all the way from the ocean, the other from the swamp. Shiro could see patches of vibrant wildflowers and herbs, eagerly waiting for someone to pluck them.

And in the distance, as always, the great Eldertree stood, its massive canopy swallowing the horizon. No matter where he went in Enmir, it was there - watching, waiting, stretching its ancient branches outward as if cradling the land itself. Hanging moss draped from its enormous limbs, swaying gently like curtains in the breeze. 

Shiro let out a breath, caught between two worlds - the open air of the marshlands calling him forward, and the dense, whispering swamp daring him to step deeper.

“Alright, alright. One foot in the murky doom, one in the sunny marsh. Balance.”

He hopped onto a half-submerged log, feeling the slick surface shift slightly beneath his paws. “Easy now-” He grinned and took another step, his reflection rippling in the dark water below. A single firefly hovered in front of his nose, blinking once before floating lazily toward the open marshland. He watched it go, then glanced back at the thick vines curling around the swamp trees.

It was strange, standing right at the collision of these two places - one open, one tangled; but both vibrant and humming with life. It was like the land itself couldn't decide what it wanted to be.

“Same, buddy…,” he said to no one in particular. “Same.”

A splash sounded somewhere behind him, and he whirled around. “Nope! Nope nope nope, that’s my cue.” With a final flick of his tail, he jumped off the log and into the Cindermarsh, leaving the swamps heavy shadows behind. He could always come back later.

Maybe.

If the frogs didn’t eat him first.