The group trekked through the forest, climbing over exposed giant roots and ducking under six-foot-wide branches. Oswald almost fell off a cliff—thankfully, each friend caught him by a hand.
After hours of trekking beneath the dense canopy, sweat drenching their faces, Oswald spotted something ahead.
"Huh?"
A bush with blue strawberries sat among many bushes in front of the forest clearing.
He ran up to it, knelt down, and lifted one of the berries from the stem.
Is this edible?
He turned around, looking at Aelindor, eyes wide with excitement.
"Can we eat this?"
"Verily, I would partake any aught that is set before me; yet, alas, that particular fruit is most grievously poisoned."
An exasperated sigh escaped Oswald and Percival in unison, their bodies slumped.
GROWL!
His stomach mocked.
"This is like the fiftieth fruit, man!" Oswald muttered. "What does one eat here?!"
They continued onward, passing by the bush. The forest opened up to a large clearing—a wooden cabin sat at the center, the huge logs cut down to size to make up its walls. Beside the cabin, a vegetable farm—each column a different vegetable, sticking out the wet soil.
"WOHOO!" Oswald jumped and thrust a fist in the air. "Finally, ROOF!" He skipped to the cabin like a carefree child.
"Heh. Observe that display of childish exuberance."
Aelindor laughed.
As Oswald neared the cabin, the door creaked open—and out stepped…
Huh? WHAT?!
An eight-foot-tall bear beastman—walking upright in farmer's overalls—exited the cabin. It turned around, sticking its head back inside.
"Heyyyyy! We would like to have a single night stayyyyy!" He yelled, running and waving.
The bear's head shot in his direction, puzzled to see anyone else out here.
It tilted its head, its voice deep.
"Что ты сказал?" (What did you say?)
Oswald slowed to a walk, his mouth agape.
Whoa! It spoke Russian! There's Russian in this world?!
"Ahem. Hello sir, would you let us stay for a single night at your cabin?" he asked in Russian.
"Y-You speak our tongue?"
"I-It's a long story, but before that, my friends and I have been traveling for many hours. We would appreciate rest and a meal in your cabin."
Percival and Aelindor stopped a few feet behind him.
"By what cause is yonder bear so sorely disquieted?"
"We shall address the bear's agitation in due course; however, is he… speaking in another tongue?"
Oswald scratched the back of his head. "So um, would you let us stay for the night… Please." He bowed after his request.
The bear looked away in thought, debating whether to let strangers stay. It poked its head back in the cabin.
"Honey, three travelers—two humans and an elf—are requesting a night stay at our abode."
A female yet deep voice replied from inside.
"Really?! Well, don't leave them standing, you old fool! Let them in."
"Haaah." It let out a tired sigh, turning to Oswald. "She says you can come in."
Hahaha. You old fool, she says. Still laughing, he turned around and gestured to the door.
"We can head inside."
Oswald entered the cabin, followed closely by Percival and Aelindor.
* * *
Oswald cleaned his sabatons—armor protecting his feet—on the giant doormat.
Literally, it's huge! Like all three of us could stand together and clean our feet. And…
He looked around the cabin.
Everything here is MASSIVE. The furniture, the kitchen—everything! All scaled up. I-It's like a fever dream!
The female bear stood by a large pot, wearing a pink flower cap and an apron over a long dress.
TAP! TAP! TAP!
She tapped the ladle against the pot's edge, letting ingredients drip back into the wooden pot.
"Join us for dinner—it is almost ready," the female bear said, pointing the ladle at the dining table behind her.
"Of course!"
He walked toward the dinner table and climbed the chair to sit on it. Her gaze shifted to the two friends standing by the door, both holding personal luggage.
"You two can set your luggage behind the door for the moment."
The two exchanged puzzled looks. Oswald quickly translated for his friends, and they complied, joining him at the table.
The bear scooted its chair back from the short side of the table—beside Oswald—and leaned in.
"Where do you come from, little one?"
Little one? Well, I guess I am to them. What was the capital called again… Ah!
"Solara Prime. The two on my left are friends. The elf is a businessman, and the other is a noble. We arrived here to head to the kingdom for… business."
The bear closed its eyes, nodding. "I see… But how come you're here at our cabin and not in the kingdom?"
That's true… How do I explain my huge dragon?
"Well… we've been traveling for a while, and the dragon was tired. So it landed on the edge of the island."
"Landed… at the edge? What do you mea—"
"Fetch our son from his room."
The bear gave a nod and walked behind him, shortly after, a door opened.
"Of what matter did ye twain discourse?"
"He asked who we were, where we were going, and why we're here and not in the kingdom. I just answered his questions."
Aelindor pinched his chin. "'Tis no uncommon matter to wield many tongues; yet thou possessest a speech known only unto one tribe within the Bestial Dominion. H-How didst thou…?"
Wait! It's that rare?! Oh boy… How do I get out of this?
"I… I do ask myself that, now that you mention it…"
Aelindor and Percival stared at him, confusion plastered on their faces.
"…I think I'll tell you all later… in the future…"
He stared distantly as both his friends looked at each other, their puzzlement unwavering.
Shortly after, the bear and his son joined them at the table, and dinner commenced—awkwardly, given the oversized tableware.
* * *
The female bear ushered the trio to her son's room. Oswald dismissed their idea of him sleeping on the bed, taking the floor instead. So the two slept on the bed, while he settled beside them on the floor on a Japanese-style futon with an oversized blanket and pillow.
The sky darkened, stars blanketed the sky. He stared at the ceiling, the son's giant wooden wardrobe lingering in his periphery.
Haaah. What a day. Walking through the forest of trees that are skyscrapers high, almost fell off a cliff and ate rabbit stew. Yes, rabbit stew—with a giant spoon. This world… it's beautiful and I… I wish I could do this with mom and dad.
A sniffle escaped him, feeling liquid falling off both sides of his cheeks.
Ah, man. I didn't know how much I missed them until now.
He wiped the tears with his gauntlet-hand.
I miss the nighttime outside my house—cars driving by, cicadas singing their fill, the dog's bark in the distance. Then…
He sniffled. Her rose perfume, the expensive one gifted for their wedding anniversary. It would smell… elegantl, each time. And each time the door opened, footsteps approached, a… smooch on the forehead and I'm off to dreamland.
Heh. I'd give all this heroism back in a heartbeat for that ordinary, painful life of… failing at simple conversation than being here.
He felt his eye drooping.
Heh. I see. I guess my reflections end here.
He turned onto his side and closed his eyes, letting the memory of her perfume carry him off to dreamland.
* * *
ns216.73.216.247da2
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