"Nyaha!"
Lady and I tore through the tall grass. I had no idea where we were going; I was following her. Apparently, she knew where to get one of the ingredients on the list.
At least I'm not completely alone?
The cat was quick and I was struggling a little to keep up with her. She seemed sure we were going in the right direction. Suddenly, though, she froze. She looked back at me, and her eyes were dilated.
"What's wrong?"
She stayed silent. I heard something faint. A quiet rustling.
Ah. Something's here to kill us.
A large green cat burst through the grass, tackling me. I looked it in the eyes. It wanted to eat me. I tried to push it off me, but it was a massive kitty. It sniffed my neck and took a taste, licking me with its large tongue. Strangely, though, it started to retch.
Lady jumped onto the beast's face and started scratching at its eyes. The beast roared, rearing and shaking Lady off.
I took the opening to cast a magic spike, but the wound was insignificant and barely got past the skin. All our attacks did was anger the creature further, causing it to swipe at me. I rolled over, dodging its attack, and got up.
I grabbed Lady and started to run.
"Nya!"
"I know, the exit has to be close!"
The tall grass completely blocked any visibility, and the beast was nearly silent until it was right beside us. I threw Lady into the air so she could get a better view, and promptly caught her.
"So?"
"Nya!" she meowed, pointing ahead.
I clenched my teeth as I heard the beast behind us and jumped forwards. I broke from the grass and found myself in a clearing. The beast didn't seem to be willing to follow us out of the grass, and we were safe.
I looked up at the hill in the center of the clearing. Surrounding us in an almost perfect circle was the tall grass, and at the top of the hill was a large, dark tree.
"Is that it?"
"Nya!"
Wyrdroot... it looks kind of, normal?
I climbed the hill and observed the tree. I wasn't sure how much I was supposed to take, but the branches were very large, so I decided to cut just one off. I stuffed it in my hat and sat down against the tree.
Well, what do I do now? It's not like Lady is pulling me in the direction of anything else. I still have the strange threads and the obsidian left. Seriously... where the hell am I finding obsidian?
"Nya! Nya!"
I looked up and immediately stood up, back against the tree. From all around us, several of the green beasts were exiting the grass into the clearing. They all had their eyes on me.
"Oh no..."
I started to climb up the tree, hoping they wouldn't be able to follow me. Once I reached the top, the large cats were all standing there beneath me. One started to scratch at the tree.
Lady hissed at them from my shoulder, swiping at the air. Not useful at all!
I aimed my hands at the beasts, who were now trying to climb up the tree, one by one. I started casting fire-spike-things over and over, trying to get rid of all the cats. They were only lightly injured by my magic, no matter what I did.
Do they have some mana-resistant fur or something? How are they so tough?! I don't think I can get out of this by killing them. That means I only have one option...!
I readied myself for something I'd never done before. I concentrated mana at the soles of my feet and exploded fire beneath me. I flew into the air, watching the clearing and the tall grass and the green cats far beneath me.
Alright! I can do it!
I repeated the explosions so that I was almost flying. Lady clawed into my skin, scared for her life.
But... how do I land!?
I started to fall. I hoped the trees would help break my fall along with my magic. I exploded mana beneath me one last time right before I collided with the treetops.
Wow, I made it! But where's Lady...? Don't tell me she fell!?
"NYAAAAAAAA!"
I spotted her falling from the sky to her doom. I fell to the ground and started to run over to her, but I knew I wouldn't make it in time. Strangely, though, her fall was broken by some invisible force. I grabbed her from the air and felt something wrap around my hands.
I squinted, looking closer at the air. It wasn't invisible at all, but incredibly thin, translucent threads.
Hmmm... this couldn't be, could it? How lucky would that be?
I wasn't sure if these were the strange threads I was looking for. Alwyn's illustrations were just scribbled lines, so I wasn't able to accurately identify what I was looking at.
"Lady, what do you think?"
"...Nya."
"Is that a yes...?"
"Nya!"
That doesn't clarify anything, does it?