Hours ter, Ruby hums to herself as she walks, occasionally stopping to poke at interesting mushrooms or chase shadows that look like tiny creatures.

  The sun filters through the canopy, but she can't see it as clearly anymore. The trees have grown thicker, and the path beneath her feet is now just moss, twigs and roots.

  But she's still sure she's going west. Totally.

  She gnces at her neckce, letting the gem catch the light. The warm red glow makes her smile. See? Everything's fine.

  ... Except the trees are starting to look kind of weird. The bark here is paler than the ones near the vilge, almost grayish-white. And the moss? It's a strange blue-green color now.

  She pauses, frowning at the roots beneath her feet.

  That's when she notices the cw marks in the dirt.

  Her ears twitch, heart skipping a beat. The marks are long and deep, as though something heavy dragged it's talons across the ground.

  Ruby swallows. Then shakes her head quickly. "Pfft. Just a... um.. big bird. Probably."

  She adjusts her backpack straps, forces a smile, and keeps walking.

  Northwest.

  Ruby keeps walking, her pace slowing as the day stretches on. The forest feels endless, the trees towering around her like silent watchers.

  Hey tail sways zily behind her now, no longer bouncing with excitement.

  Her feet ache a little, and her stomach grumbles. She frowns. "Ugh, okay, okay," she mutters. "Break time."

  She drops her bag onto a patch of soft moss, and flops down beside it, sighing dramatically. "Adventurers take breaks too, right?"

  She digs through her bag, searching for something to eat. Her fingers brush against a small bundle of wrapped paper.

  Her eats perk up. Ah-ha! Food time!

  She pulls out her supplies and spreads them on the ground.

  One bar of chocote. Three cookies. Two pieces of caramel.

  She nods in approval. "Perfect. A feast."

  Without hesitation, she pops a piece of caramel into her mouth, savoring the sweet, buttery taste.

  She then downs a cookie. Then another. Then a bite of chocote.

  Before she knows, she's eaten everything. She stares at the empty wrappers. "... Oh."

  Her tail flicks nervously. That was all the food she packed.

  "Well... it's fine," she says, waving a hand dismissively. "I can totally find something to eat tomorrow."

  She leans back against a tree, stretching her arms behind her head. "But first, nap time."

  Her eyes scan the forest, looking for a good sleeping spot.

  Ruby hops to her feet, brushing crumbs off her tunic. "Alrighty! Time to find a pce to sleep!"

  She spins in a slow circle, looking at the trees around her.

  ... Where do adventurers actually sleep? In a cave? No. Too Dark. Too Creepy. Up a tree? Maybe. But how would she get up there.

  She wanders through the undergrowth, searching for anything that looks remotely comfortable.

  After a few minutes, she flops down on a bed of thick grass, sighing in relief. "Perfect."

  Then a rock jabs her in the back. She yelps, jumps up, and gres at the ground. "Okay. Not perfect."

  She tries another spot-beneath a low-hanging branch.

  But mosquitoes immediately attack her ears and tail. She huffs, swatting them away. "Nope. Nope. Not happening."

  Frustration bubbles up, but she shakes it off. Adventurers don't compin.

  She curls up against the root, hugging her bag close. The ground is still a little cold, and the forest feels much bigger now that the sun has disappeared.

  But she's safe here. She gets her bnket out of her backpack, and wraps herself in it. Her tail settling around her legs, as she closes her eyes.

  Sleep comes easily. No dreams, just quiet.

  The first thing Ruby notices when she blinks awake is the soft glow of morning light filtering through the trees.

  The second thing she notices is the loud growl of her stomach. She groans dramatically, curling into a ball. "Ugggggh, I'm starving..."

  Then she pauses. Wait. She sits up fast, ears twitching. Wait... I have food in my bag, right?

  She grabs her pack, rummaging through it with growing urgency.

  Empty Wrappers, Crumbs. Her fox plushie. Her rock. Nothing.

  Ruby freezes. "... Oh. Right."

  She deftes, staring at the sad remains of yesterday's feast.

  For a moment, she just sits there, frowning.

  Then she cps her hands together. "Alright! No problem! I'll just... find food!"

  She springs to her feet, her enthusiasm fully restored as she marches into the forest.

  As she walks, she gces around the undergrowth, ears perked for any sign of movement.

  Maybe I should, like.... hunt something?

  She pauses, picturing herself, trying to hunt down a cute little rabbit, with her bare hands.

  The image immediately makes her stomach twist.

  She shudders. Nooope. No way. Not happening.

  "I can't just... hurt a poor lil bun-bun like that," she mutters, crossing her arms. "That's so mean."

  Her stomach growls again. She huffs. "Berries it is, then."

  She keeps moving, eyes darting between pnts, looking for anything edible-looking.

  Most of them just look like leaves and grass.

  Until- A bush catches her eye. It's silvery leaves shimmer in the morning light, almost metallic against the deep green forest. Sharp thorns just out along its twisted branches, protecting clusters of deep violet berries that seem to glow slightly in the shadows.

  Ruby gasps. "Oooooh, pretty!" She bounces over, her tail flicking excitedly as she leans in to inspect the berries.

  These totally look edible. She plucks one between her fingers, turning it over curiously.

  Ruby rolls the berry between fingers, watching how the deep violet skin shimmers slightly in the light.

  It looks fine. Smells fine. So it's probably fine! She pops it into her mouth.

  The taste hits instantly-a sharp metallic tang that makes her grimace.

  "Bleh!" She sticks out her tongue, rubbing it against the roof of her mouth. "Tastes like-like biting a coin!"

  But as the tang fades, the fvor shifts-turning oddly bittersweet, like overripe bckberries mixed with something floral.

  She smacks her lips thoughtfully. "Weird, but not bad...."

  Then comes the aftertaste. A cool numbness spread across her tongue and throat, sending a shiver down her spine.

  Ruby pauses. "... That's probably normal." She shrugs, deciding to grab another berry-but then, the ground shifts slightly beneath her feet.

  She wobbles, her ears twitching in confusion. "... Huh?"

  She takes a step forward, but her bance feels off- like she's walking on a boat rocking in the water.

  Her vision blurs slightly at the edges, and her tail flicks in frustration.

  "Okay, what the heck," she mutters, trying to shake off the dizziness. Then it clicks

  Her eyes widen. Ohhhhh. Oops.

  Ruby staggers backward, her arms filing slightly as the ground tilts beneath her.

  "Whoa-whoa-whoa-okay, nope, nope!" She pnts her feet wide apart, her tail bristling as she tries to steady herself. Her fox ears twitch, her heart pounding. "Okay, Okay, I can fix this! Um-uh-" She shakes her head, but that only makes the dizziness worse.

  Her stomach growls loudly. Ruby pauses.

  "... Y'know what? I bet I just need real food!" Yes. That's it. She's just hungry. Obviously.

  She takes a deep breath and marches forward, her steps uneven but determined.

  Her vision swims slightly, but she keeps scanning the undergrowth. Then-her ears perk up.

  Ahead of her, nestled between thick, green leaves, is a bush covered in bright red berries. The berries are pump, round, and glossy, their waxy skin glistening in the soft light.

  Ruby grins. "Oooooh! These look way better!" Without hesitation, she grabs a handful and pops one into her mouth.

  She chews eagerly on the berry. The first taste hits sharp and crisp-like biting into a frost-covered cranberry. A cooling sensation spreads across her tongue, almost like she licked an icicle.

  She shivers. "Whoa, cold!"

  But as she chews, the tartness melts into a smooth, honeyed sweetness-like a winter apple, with a faint hint of pine.

  Her ears twitch. "Ooohh.. that's kinda nice."

  Then the aftertaste kicks in. A gentle warmth blooms, starting from her mouth and spreading down her chest. It's a slow, tingling heat, like drinking a spiced cider by a fire.

  She grins. "Oh, I like these!" She grabs another handful and starts eating.

  Ruby leans against a tree, munching happily on the bright red berries.

  Every bite starts crisp and cool, making her shiver slightly, but the warmth spreads through her, wrapping her in a gentle cozy heat.

  She sighs dramatically. "Mmmmm. Way better than those gross metal-tasting ones."

  She pops another berry into her mouth, tail swishing contentedly.

  For the first time since waking up, she doesn't feel cold or tired. She grabs a handful of extra berries, stuffing them into a small cloth pouch from her bag. "Snacks for ter!"

  With her stomach finally satisfied, she pushes herself up, slinging her pack over her shoulder.

  "Alright! Back to adventuring!"

  She strides forwards, feeling lighter and happier than before, munching on a berry as she walks.

  Completely unaware that she's still going the wrong direction.

  Ruby hums to herself, zily popping another berry into her mouth as she wanders deeper into the forest.

  The sun hangs lower in the sky now, and it's golden light fading into orange and purple between the trees. Shadows stretch longer, the air growing cooler.

  She doesn't notice at first.

  She just keeps walking, admiring the way the evening light makes the leaves glow.

  By the time she realizes how dim it's gotten, the sky is already a deep navy blue. She pauses, blinking. "Huh. When'd it get so te?"

  The warmth from the berries keeps her from feeling cold, but her legs ache from walking all day.

  She gnces around. Tall trees loom overhead, their trunks twisting in the twilight gloom. The forest feels different now-not scary, exactly, but quieter. Like it's waiting.

  A small shiver runs down her spine. "... Maybe I should, like... find somewhere to sleep."

  She keeps walking, a little faster now, scanning the trees for a decent pce to rest.

  Then-she sees it.

  Tucked between gnarled roots and overgrown ivy, an old stone structure rises from the earth, its walls cracked and worn with age.

  It's small, maybe the size of a single-room hut, it's roof partially caved in, but the walls still stand. The faded remains of carvings are barely visible beneath the moss.

  Ruby's ears perk up. "Ooohh, a ruin!"

  She skips towards it, tail flicking excitedly.

  The entrance is half-colpsed, but she squeezes through, stepping into the cool, musty air inside.

  Broken stones litter the ground, but the far corner is dry and covered in moss.

  She nods in approval. "Perfect! Bedtime!"

  Without hesitation, she drops her bag, pulls out her bnket, curls up, and closes her eyes. The forest outside is dark and silent, but Ruby? She's asleep within minutes.

  Ruby stirs, stretching her arms over her head with a satisfied sigh.

  For a moment, she just ys there, listening to the soft morning sounds of the forest-the distant chirping of birds, the rustling of leaves as a gentle breeze moves through the trees.

  She sits up, rolling her shoulders.

  "Oof."

  Her body feels refreshed, but her back is a little sore from sleeping on stone and moss. She shakes it off, grabbing her bag before stepping towards the ruined entrance.

  The morning light spills in, casting a warm golden glow over the clearing outside.

  That's when she seems them.

  Just beyond the ruins, clusters of thick bushes spread across the ground, their leaves dusted with a faint silver sheen.

  Tucked among them are pump bck berries, their dark skins shimmering slightly in the light.Ruby's ears perk up. "Ooooh, breakfast!"

  She practically skips forward, tail swishing eagerly as she leans in to inspect the berries.

  They look so perfect-juicy, ripe and just waiting to be eaten.

  Ruby shoves the entire handful into her mouth without a second thought.

  The moment the berries burst on her tongue, her face twists in absolute disgust.

  "GAAAH!"

  She staggers backwards, nearly dropping her bag as her eats ftten against her head.

  The taste is cold, metallic bitterness, like sucking on an old iron nail. Her tongue feels coated in dust, dry and ashy, like she licked the inside of a firepce.

  She gags, trying to swallow. "Wha-what the heck is this?!"

  Then, for just a second, the bitterness vanishes.

  A fleeting sweetness repces it-like overripe plums, thick and heavy on her tongue.

  But something about it feels wrong.

  Like the sweetness doesn't belong. Her stomach turns.

  Then comes the aftertaste.

  A sharp, minty chill spreads through her mouth and seeps down her throat.

  She shudders violently, hugging herself. "Okay, nope, nope, I hate this."

  The chill lingers, numbing her mouth.

  Then...

  The forest around her shifts.

  The trees seem taller. Darker. Their branches twist in ways they shouldn't.

  The shadows move.

  Ruby blinks hard, trying to focus, but the edges of her vision blur and ripple, as if the world is breathing.

  Her pulse quickens. "Oh."

  Her legs wobble. "Oooohhh no."

  She rubs her eyes, trying to clear her vision, but it only seems to make it even more vivid.

  She shakes her head, feeling a wave of dizziness. her eyelids feel heavy, the drowsiness threatening to overcome her.

  "I feel.. weird... very weird..." She mumbles, slurring her words a bit.

  Ruby manages to pull out her bnket from her bed, and wrap it tightly around herself. Her limbs tremble.

  She sits down, at the base of a nearby tree, her chin drooping to her chest as she fights to keep her eyes open.

  Ruby_Foxgirl