A few seconds earlier—
*
I didn't plan it. I didn't think.
One second the Cub was raising its claws, and the next—
[Greater Hop]!
I was between them.
Between that thing… and the girl.
Ohgodohgodohgod—WHAT AM I DOING!?
My head was blank. My heart was pounding like crazy.
No plan. No backup. Just me, a glowing rabbit, and a death wish.
The Cub's shadow fell over me.
Its claws rose, ready to end my entire existence.
Okay—okay, think! Do something! Anything!
Nothing.
Run? Dead.
Hide? Dead.
Play dead? Extra dead.
The Cub growled, low and rumbling.
My tail twitched on its own.
And then, before I knew it, I turned around—
and shook it.
I had no idea why.
Instinct, maybe. Panic. Something deep and stupid in my body just moved.
The Cub blinked. Hesitated.
Ha! Yeah—uh, that's right! Be confused! I'm confused too!
It actually worked—for half a second.
Then sunlight flashed off my horn.
The glare hit my eyes. I winced.
And something clicked.
Wait. Light. I can make light.
…Oh, you're gonna hate this.
I shuffled sideways wiggling that thang as hard as I could, trying to catch the sun just right.
The Cub roared and reared back to strike.
C'mon… just a bit more—
Its claws came down.
[Flash Horn]!
Light exploded.
White. Hot. Blinding.
The Cub screamed, slashing at everything around it.
It worked! Holy crap—it actually—
No time.
It was already recovering, blind rage shaking the air.
One chance.
I dropped low, dirt biting into my paws.
The Cub froze mid-swing, breathing hard, head turning toward me.
For a heartbeat, everything went still.
Its eyes cracked open—red, furious, and full of hate.
We locked gazes.
And I moved.
[Thrust]!
The Cub jerked back, but too late—
my horn caught its face, slicing across one eye.
The monster howled, stumbling, paw clutching at its bleeding eye as it swung wildly at empty air.
I didn't wait to see more.
I grabbed the girl and ran.
Branches whipped my face. My lungs burned.
Only when the clearing vanished behind me did I realize—
I was still alive.
*
*
*
Oh god. Oh god. Oh god.
Branches whipped at my face as I tore through the forest, the girl slumped across my back like a sack of doom.
Ugh—can't—see—a—thing—!
Her braid kept smacking me in the eyes. Her hair was full of dirt, leaves, and what I really hoped wasn't blood.
Every hop sent her bouncing, and every bounce meant a mouthful of fabric or hair.
Would it kill you to have shorter hair!? I spat. Not that you can hear me—ugh—gah—why does it taste like bark!?
Behind me, silence.
No roars. No crashing. No pursuit.
Was it over?
Or was the Cub waiting for me to stop before tearing me apart?
I didn't check. I just ran.
Until—
Wha—?
My paw caught on something.
THUD—SCRAAAAPE—
I went tumbling face-first into the dirt. The world spun. My jaw hit a rock, and somehow I twisted just enough to keep the girl from hitting the ground with me.
When everything stopped moving, I was flat on my belly, half-buried, the girl draped over me like an unfortunate backpack.
Mmmf… delicious, I muttered into the soil. Vintage year… earthy notes… hint of despair.
I spat out mud and staggered up, shaking like a wet dog.
Okay. New rule. No hopping with passengers.
Once I'd caught my breath, I realized I was still on the path—but somewhere new.
The trees here grew thicker, their branches blocking most of the light.
Everything felt quieter. Heavier.
I turned back to the girl. Still out cold.
Her skin looked ghostly pale, but no wounds—no broken bones, no claw marks. Just a thin scratch along her arm. A shallow line, likely from brushing against the Cub's brambles.
So if the blood on her dress wasn't hers… then whose was it?
And why was she there, laid out like dessert, completely unharmed?
Before I could puzzle it out, she let out a soft groan.
I froze. My nose was basically touching her face.
Uh… hi? I thought, waving my paw at her.
Nothing. Just a faint breath against my cheek.
Her skin looked pale, almost glowing in the dim light. Her hair—messy, streaked with dirt—still somehow framed her face in that unfair way girls in movies do after explosions.
Okay, I thought, ears twitching. Not creepy at all. Just me… hovering over an unconscious stranger in the middle of monster country. Totally normal.
I rubbed my face.
Seriously, what am I doing? I jump in front of a killer bear, nearly get turned into woodland jam, and somehow end up saving a girl? When do I do that? Now, apparently—the guy with negative social experience.
I sighed, looking down at my fuzzy paws.
Unbelievable. I finally do something cool in front of a girl, and I'm not even technically a guy anymore—and she isn't technically conscious for it.
My ears drooped.
…Figures.
Before I could wallow in self-pity, the girl stirred again.
Her body twitched. A soft sound escaped her lips.
Hey—hey, don't move. You're safe. I think.
I reached out and pressed a paw against her arm. Her skin was burning.
Whoa, that's not good. Why's she so hot?
[Possible cause: Poisoning. Symptoms consistent with toxin exposure.]
Poison!? From what—
My eyes dropped to the small scratch along her arm.
Right. The Cub's thorns.
Thorncoat, I thought. That was a skill I saw on its status. It must've grazed her.
[Correct. Thorncoat can inflict Minor Poison on contact.]
Poor girl, I sighed. Talk about bad luck.
[Without treatment, symptoms will worsen within one day. Without intervention, death will occur within approximately forty-eight hours.]
Forty-eight—what!? Are you serious!?
[Yes.]
There has to be something—some way to fix this!
[If you continue following this path, you will reach your planned destination, Lake Wyrdwell. Its waters are believed to possess restorative properties.]
Believed, huh?…Doesn't really inspire confidence. But it may be her only chance.
[Caution: The Green has proven to be unstable. Other abnormal entities may be encountered. Proceed with care.]
I looked down at the girl again—her shallow breathing, the sweat on her face.
She looked… fragile. Way too human for a place like this.
Of course,I thought. Out of everyone who could've dropped into murder forest, it had to be someone who needs saving.
I rubbed the back of my fluffy neck, trying to ignore the knot in my chest.
Yeah, yeah. No choice.
I was the Guardian after all.
...This is my life now isn't it?...
Alright then. Lake Wyrdwell it is.
I dug under the roots of a nearby tree, scraping out a shallow burrow.
It wasn't pretty, but it was deep enough.
I lined it with dry leaves and eased her inside.
Sorry about this, I muttered. I'll, uh… try not to make it weird.
A few more leaves over her body, some branches on top.
From a distance, she looked like part of the forest floor.
When I was sure she was hidden, I turned back to the path.
The woods were quiet.
Too quiet.
Hang in there, Sleeping Beauty, I thought. I'll bring back your miracle.
Then I hopped into the shadows.
And the forest closed behind me.