The sun was quite bright. When was the last time Jack had truly noted that? He almost had grown numb to the way it burned, the ground scorched by the heat. The fields had been barren for a long time, though that stopped concerning him long ago. He hadn’t been human in a long time, and the gods had forsaken man much longer than that. The forests that were said to once host them seemed so far on foot, further than he originally thought when young, when life was always bustling, when it didn’t matter how much he walked. He frowned, the thought of any such gods leaving a bitter taste in his mouth, coppery like blood and just as sticky. He couldn’t take his eyes off the forest, however, as if beckoning for his return, the branches of the trees swaying open like the maw of a beast searching to eat him whole. He almost felt compelled to enter, despite the trek it would be, as if he would be welcome there, a sort of refuge. He hesitated regardless, however, recognizing the sight he beheld could have been a mere mirage brought on by the heat. Though that only drove him furthr into craving the shade of the dense greenery.
He grit his teeth before giving into the desire, like a madman who had been given a dream from a deity. He began the long walk, his eyes staying on the lush greenery, something that he realized now was truly contrasting to the barren farmland that framed the forest. As he eventually made his way to the outskirts of the field, the weather seemed to cool like there was something separating the wild from that of humanity. He now understood why humans so desperately clung to the idea that the forest was home to some godly figure or another. The chill as he stepped onto the lush grass and leaves crunched beneath his feet seeped into his bones, making him shiver. He gently ran his fingers over the rough bark of a tree, a path clear despite his memory that no one walked through the forest. Perhaps his memory was finally slipping.
He took a deep breath, slowly stepping onto the path, following it, the urge within his chest growing more violent. What was beckoning him close? The walk seemed even longer now than it was outside the forest, as if the forest grew on for longer than he thought. He had never been within it, after all. He felt lost, as if he was walking in circles, but he knew he wasn’t, because the further he walked the more the path changed. Perhaps he was trapped by the gods for trespassing. Did he really deserve that, though? Maybe he did, he couldn’t recall. Though his mindless thoughts melted away as he was led to a clearing, the sun flickering in through a netting of leaves, the glint hypnotic as he stared at a figure in the center, almost like a statue in its stillness. He felt a nervousness in his chest, as if he wasn’t supposed to be there. He slowly stepped closer, taking a deep breath despite the shallow feeling of his lungs.
The figure didn’t move, though the details became more clear as he got closer, making it clear it wasn’t stone or wood but rather a creature, made of flesh and bone, soft downy feathers lining its frame, curled up like a cat, large, sharp claws poking out from under a head that was rested upon its legs, a long tail draped over its nose as it peacefully rested. He couldn’t help himself, almost laughing as he entertained the idea that this may be the god of old, that they say abandoned humanity, though its appearance wasn’t that of a creature one might naturally find. He slowly knelt down, gently running a hand along the head of the beast, which awoke from the gesture, though didn’t stir much, seeming like it enjoyed the touch. Though just as Jack was to assume it was merely a beast, it gently spoke, its voice tired and almost weary.
“So you’re the one who came,” it laughed, slowly sitting, its quadrupedal form stretching as it opened its beak-like mouth to smile, in a sense. Jack felt almost sick watching it, as if the reality of the situation came crashing in finally. He lost all ability to speak as the creature just rested its head on his lap, huffing softly. “How pleasant. A friend, finally.” And despite the anxiety, Jack couldn’t help but agree, relief washing over him that the path he took wasn’t the worst one.