Lost in the Forest? Just keep walking

After a week more of traveling, Strixx and I finally reached the end of the Lysendrall Ranges.

 As we stepped off the mountains, we set foot in a forest at their base—unexpectedly green compared to the cold, snowy peaks behind us.

 As we entered the forest, Strixx suddenly perked up, her ears twitching. Then, she jumped excitedly.

 “Strixx… hear water! Strixx thirsty!”

 Before I could react, she rushed off.

 I sighed. “Ahh… Strixx, don’t wander off alone like that… uh…”

 With no choice, I hurried after her as she trailed deeper into the forest.

 At this point, we were definitely lost.

 Eventually, we reached a small water body nestled between the trees. Strixx stood at the edge, her elf-like ears twitching, a proud expression on her face.

 “Well… I gotta say, you have good hearing."

 Then it hit me.

“Wait, we were supposed to head south… where are we now?” I looked around, realizing the obvious.

“We’re lost!!”

 Strixx, completely ignoring my concern, crouched down and dunked her entire face into the water, drinking just like an animal.

 When she lifted her head, her face was dripping wet.

 I just stared at her in silence.

 She blinked at me, then tilted her head. “Luca?... What happened?”

 I sighed. “Hmmm… that reminds me, you always drink that way.”

 Strixx looked at me curiously. “Luca… how do you drink water? Show Strixx.”

 I hesitated. “Um… okay, but why?”

 She didn’t answer, just watched me expectantly. So, I sat down, cupped my hands, and scooped up some water.

 Strixx frowned. “Luca… you know… that way, you lose a lot of water.”

 I looked at my wet hands. “Hmmm… I guess.”

 Her ears perked up. “Want Strixx to tell you a secret method?” She stood proudly in front of me.

 I raised an eyebrow. “Let me guess… is it the way you just drank your water?”

 Strixx gasped. “How did Luca know?!”

 I gave her a blank stare. “I mean… you just drank in front of me.”

 “That’s right!” she said proudly. 

“But… Strixx wants Luca to try drinking water that way.”

 She kept staring at me with an expectant expression, as if she really wanted to see me do it.

 I sighed. “…Fine.”

 Leaning forward, I dunked my whole face into the water.

 The coldness surprised me, but it was refreshing. I could drink much more this way than using my hands.

 When I lifted my head, Strixx was sitting in front of me, watching with a bright smile.

 “Woah… that was actually satisfying,” I admitted.

 Strixx nodded proudly. “See! Strixx told you!”

 Then she puffed up her chest. “Strixx calls it Mountain Rabbit Style!”

 I stared at her. “Mountain Rabbit Style?”

 Strixx nodded eagerly. “When Strixx… first time enter a forest… I found water just like this. Strixx was thirsty. Strixx drink water with hands… but water kept… spilling out from Strixx hands… but then Strixx saw a rabbit!”

 “A rabbit?” I asked.

 Strixx nodded again. “The mountain rabbit drank… water, but… rabbit didn’t use hands. Just mouth… directly!”

 She smiled. “Strixx had to try it. And… Strixx could drink more water that way!”

 I looked at her, not really knowing what to say.

 I looked at Strixx, but before I could say anything—

 Grrrrrrr

 My stomach growled loudly.

 Strixx blinked, her ears twitching slightly as she stared at me. “Luca? You… hungry?”

 I sighed. “Yeah… it’s been days since we had a proper meal.”

 Leaning back, I stretched my arms with a longing sigh. “Ahh… that meat patty Riko gave us was so good…”

 Strixx perked up, looking determined. “Wait here, Luca! Strixx will find something for Luca!”

 “Huh? Wait—Strixx, don’t just—!”

 But before I could stop her, she had already dashed off into the trees.

 I sighed, running a hand through my hair. This girl never runs out of energy…

 With nothing else to do, I sat by the water, listening to the quiet sounds of the forest as I waited.

 …But she was taking way too long.

 I frowned. “Hmm… don’t tell me she got lost too…”

 I shook my head, already knowing the answer. “I told her not to wander off alone…”

 Well, I guess I had no choice. I stood up and headed in the direction she ran off to.

 It didn’t take long before I found her.

 Under the shade of a large tree, Strixx was lying on the grass—fast asleep.

 But what caught my attention wasn’t just her sleeping figure.

 Beside her, a few empty shells of Qualot fruit were scattered on the ground.

 I let out a small chuckle. “I see… so that’s how it is.”

 She had probably found the fruit, eaten her fill, and then dozed off right there.

 I shook my head, smiling. She’s really a handful.

 Still, she must’ve been exhausted after all that walking through the Lysendrall Ranges…

 I glanced up at the tree and plucked one of the ripe fruits, taking a bite. The sweet, tangy flavor filled my mouth—just as good as I remembered.

 With a satisfied sigh, I sat down beside her.

 The breeze was soft, carrying the scent of leaves and earth. The sunlight filtered through the branches, casting dappled shadows across the grass.

 Its a beautiful day.

 I looked at Strixx, curled up peacefully in sleep, her ears twitching slightly now and then.

 For once, she wasn’t running around or causing trouble. She just looked… calm.

 I exhaled quietly. “…Guess I’ll rest for a bit too.”

 And so, with the gentle rustling of leaves above us, I leaned back against the tree and closed my eyes.

 When I opened my eyes, the sun was already setting.

 “Ugh… I slept too long,” I muttered to myself with a sigh.

 Strixx was still sleeping next to me, curled up peacefully.

 “No wonder… if I kept waiting for her…” I mumbled, watching the gentle rise and fall of her breathing.

 A small smile formed on my lips as I reached out, giving her a gentle shake.

 “Strixx, wake up.”

 Her ears twitched slightly as her eyes slowly fluttered open.

 With a groggy, half-asleep voice, she mumbled, “Strixx needs to bring these fruits to Luca… Then…”

 She suddenly blinked, fully realizing the situation, and sat up in a panic.

 “Ahh…! Strixx fell asleep! Luca must be hungry!”

 I chuckled softly, calling her name.

 “Strixx.”

 She turned to me, still looking nervous.

 “U-Um… Luca, you see… Strixx was trying to bring these to Luca, but then… Strixx tried a few of them… And then… Strixx had more than one… because Strixx loves sweets… And then… Strixx fell asleep…”

 I couldn’t help but smile at her.

 “That’s fine. Now you know that eating too many Qualot fruits makes you sleepy. You dozed off from overeating.”

 Strixx fiddled with her fingers, standing in front of me.

 “Sorry… Luca…”

 I shook my head with a gentle smile.

 “No, no… Because you found the fruit, I was able to have some too. I should be thanking you.”

 Strixx blinked, looking around in confusion.

 “But… Luca… where are we now?”

 I let out a sigh.

 “Hmm… Now you realize? We’re… kinda lost.”

 Strixx, surprisingly, didn’t panic. Instead, she confidently reached out her hand to me.

 “Luca, let’s go!”

 I raised an eyebrow.

 “Eh? Go where?”

 Strixx puffed out her chest proudly.

 “Strixx doesn’t know the way… But! When Strixx keeps walking, Strixx always reaches a new place! So we should just walk!”

 I sighed, rubbing my forehead.

 “Strixx… Listen. It’s already getting dark. We don’t know how far we are from the nearest town, and wandering aimlessly at night isn’t a good idea. We should settle here for tonight.”

 Strixx tilted her head.

 “Hmmm… Luca…”

 I looked at her. “What is it, Strixx?”

 She fidgeted nervously, her ears twitching.

 “The thing is…”

 I leaned in curiously.

 “Yeah? What is it?”

 Then, suddenly, she shouted excitedly—

 “STRIXX IS HUNGRY!!”

 I sighed, shaking my head.

 “Ah, yeah. I was expecting something like that…”

 I glanced around. “Hmm… It’s too late to go foraging now…”

 Then an idea struck me.

 “Wait. Maybe… we can make something delicious.”