Chapter 37: Eternal Forest VI
Elara felt like a wooden puppet unable to move at all because her legs were glued.
The difference was, that her legs weren't glued, but they were being rubbed by a small creature with soft fur suspected to be a beast. The creature below persisted in rubbing its furry body against Elara's legs, as if deterring her from running or making any movement, lest her legs be bitten by its small yet sharp fangs.
Plus, its long tail winding around Elara's slender calves gently, almost lured Elara to weaken her defenses to stroke the owner of that tail.
"Meow~" The creature's friendly voice echoed amid this dense forest.
Its bright yellow eyes sparkled momentarily before it began to move cheerfully, circling between Elara's legs while rubbing its furry body against her short legs.
The furry creature, with its cat-like demeanor, would deceive anyone into thinking it was just an ordinary cat. Yet, Elara's instincts screamed otherwise, warning her of its true nature.
Especially when she met its intense, mysterious yellow eyes, sparkling like liquid gold.
'What should I do?' Elara pondered frantically, her mind racing to find a way out without provoking the enigmatic creature and risking her safety.
As she mulled over her options, the creature unexpectedly placed its soft paw on her leg.
"It's okay," a soothing voice resonated in Elara's ears, though oddly muffled.
!
At that moment, the voice's vague reassurance washed over her, dispelling her fears like a warm, comforting flame.
"Who...?"
Elara quickly looked around and saw only trees stretching as far as she could see. Besides herself and the cat-like creature, there were no other signs of life in that part of the forest.
But Elara's instincts, shaped by numerous encounters with the inexplicable, convinced her that someone was closely watching her, even though she couldn't determine their distance.
Fortunately, the sensation of being watched slowly faded away, leaving Elara to believe it was merely a hallucination.
'What, what is actually happening...?' Elara felt her brain function stop as she continued to hear the meowing sound coming from the small creature with soft fur as if telling her that she wasn't hallucinating.
"Meow."
The sound of meowing once again sounded endearing to Elara's ears, prompting her to realize one crucial thing.
'Don't tell me... Was that sound actually from this cat?' Elara pondered, her throat tightening with apprehension. 'Just like the roots that helped me earlier, is this cat also an intelligent creature capable of speech...?'
Despite her curiosity, she hesitated to glance downward, fearful of the possibility of encountering a cat that could converse in human language. The mere thought sent a chill down her spine.
"Meow..."
To her surprise, the cat continued to emit friendly meows, as if reassuring Elara of its benign intentions. Despite her lingering worries, the cat's comforting demeanor slowly eased her fears.
'That's right. With my affinity for nature, I shouldn't be suddenly harmed or attacked, unless I've unwittingly offended or violated something in the forest, angering its inhabitants,' Elara concluded, her mind finally settling into a state of calm reflection.
After reassessing her actions and confirming that she had never engaged in anything out of the ordinary in the forest, aside from conversing with tree roots and the wind, Elara mustered the courage to gaze back at the furry creature by her side.
Elara slowly bent down and watched as the brown-furred cat continued to circle between her legs.
The cat stopped moving and sat down, its head tilted upward as if realizing it was being watched by Elara.
"Meow~" The cat meowed again, licking its paw.
'Was I mistaken...?' Elara's round brown eyes observed the small furry animal.
Gathering her courage, Elara squatted down and reached out her hand to stroke the head of the brown-furred cat.
The sharp bright yellow eyes stared at Elara's approaching hand, then the cat leaned forward to sniff her fingers before allowing Elara to stroke its head without even growling.
'This cat is really just an ordinary cat! And so tame!' Elara exclaimed joyfully in her mind as she quietly enjoyed stroking the soft fur of the cat in front of her.
"What brings you to the heart of this perilous Eternal Forest?" Her hand continued to stroke the brown-furred cat's head, as though compelled by an irresistible addiction.
"Are you lost huh?" Elara pondered aloud, her mind recalling the intricate nuances of the forest's labyrinthine first and second layers, where the odds of losing one's way reached a staggering 99%.
Escape from this maze, a well-known challenge among locals necessitated either the acquisition of a magical compass crafted by the Elemental Wings, readily available in abundance at affordable prices, or the assistance of the forest's native creatures. However, these creatures, wary of human greed, were selective in their interactions, offering aid only to those whose affinity resonated with their own.
"So, you sought me out deliberately to find your way out of this forest, hmm?" Elara inquired, her hand still caressing the head of the brown-furred cat, now emitting soft purrs as it relished her touch.
A slight smile graced Elara's lips as she raised her gaze to survey their surroundings, encompassed by an endless expanse of towering trees.
Confidently following the guidance of a group of winds, Elara had initially believed she was walking in a straight line. Yet, upon reflection, she realized the path had twisted and turned intermittently, obscured by the deceptive tranquility of the wind's guidance.
With a concealed sigh, Elara admitted.
"It's ironic, but I too found myself lost, much like you," her hand continuing its soothing motion on the cat's head.
"And I don't have a magical compass either," Elara admitted, her tone tinged with frustration.
"As I reflect on it," she continued, her hand still engaged in the comforting motion of stroking the cat's soft fur, "I've never even seen a magical compass at home. I've only glimpsed it when merchants displayed it."
Lost in contemplation, Elara failed to notice the cessation of the cat's purring, its bright yellow eyes fixed intently upon her with an enigmatic gleam.
'Why have the winds, meant to aid me in finding my way, vanished without a word?' Elara pondered, her brow furrowing in perplexity.
"What should I do now?" Elara muttered aloud, her frustration palpable in her tone. "If only other natural beings would once again come to my aid and guide me out of this forest," she lamented.
Dum-dum.
"Huh...?" Elara's head snapped around, a tinge of worry creasing her brow.
Surrounded by dense forests, towering green trees enveloped her in solitude. Elara believed she and the brown-furred cat were the only living beings in this forest at this hour. But...
Dum-dum.
Loud, rhythmic drumbeats resounded relentlessly, echoing through the forest with thunderous intensity. It felt as though the forest itself was welcoming someone of great importance, stirring from its previous stillness to a frenzy of movement.
The towering trees seemed to sway in excitement as if dancing to the thunderous beat.
Dum-dum. Dum-dum. Thump-thump.
Elara's senses became overwhelmed, the line between drumbeats and her own heartbeat blurring amidst the cacophony. Weakness washed over her, and she sank to the ground, wide-eyed, unable to articulate the inexplicable changes unfolding around her.
"What...?"
'What more could occur here...?!' Elara's thoughts raced, her tongue numbed by the relentless drumming, leaving her only able to voice her turmoil internally.
'Why does this keep happening to me?! Why can't I find my way home in peace?!'
Frustration boiled within her, and she unleashed a hoarse, trembling curse, disregarding the feeble sound of her own voice.
"Let me out--"
Suddenly, two small, adorable paws leaped onto her face, covering her eyes.
"Meow."
The cat's gentle, cheerful voice instantly drowned out the deafening drums, bringing a sense of calm to Elara's tumultuous surroundings.
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone