A mountain of white fluff swung back and forth behind a woman as she walked. She was beautiful, akin to a white orchid on an early spring morning as crystal dew pearled on its surface, reflecting the sunlight in a multicoloured arc. All just to say, she was breathtaking.

Nine soft tails fluttered in the wind as her perky buttocks swayed lightly. Her exotic, light, flowing dress failed to mask the ample bosom that threatened to overflow, yet such a sight was far from vulgar. Her exposed skin, which decisively attracted the male gaze, was soft and pale, giving her a pure and charming appearance. Yet, despite her overflowing youthful vigour, all the gazes she met on her way down the hall were only filled with respect and reverence, for she was the clan's elder.

She unhurriedly made her way to a small wooden cabin nestled among the branches of a massive tree. The only way to reach it was through a lengthy rope bridge spanning the distance between two verdant towers.

Although such structures made it somewhat awkward to live in, her clan had resided in this place for such a long time that she had forgotten what living on the ground felt like. At this point, she saw this massive height as nothing more than reality. She didn’t even consider the threat of falling anymore.

The same couldn't be said for the younger generation, as such a fear was deeply ingrained into the very fabric of their beings. It would take multiple lifetimes for them to put it out of their minds, just as it took her to do the same.

Indeed, she had lived for such a long time that she had even forgotten how long she had existed. Even the fear of death seemed trivial at this point. Barring any catastrophe, she still had much life ahead of her. Such was the vitality of her kind.

As for their life suspended above the earth, it was a matter of so long ago that none even knew the reasons why, except for her, of course. They simply accepted that fact as they hadn't known any other way to live; such is tradition.

She was the only one who remembered the days when her kind were mercilessly hunted, either for their blood, full of vibrant vitality, or their sublime beauty or even for their soft and luxurious fur. Those days were a living hell where their clan teetered off the edge of extinction. Of her friends, she was the only one to survive those dark days.

Yet even those bitter memories were small, trivial events within the unending flow of history. Time heals all wounds, as they say, yet she was the living example that such a saying was only the vain hopes of a short-lived species. The ones who said such words had never known the torment of living for an eternity with such moments still vivid in one’s mind.

Not a day went by that such thoughts didn't swirl in her mind, keeping her awake at night. Yet none was witness to her anguish, for she was their leader, the one pillar supporting this fragile community. And so, with such thoughts hidden deep within her heart, she walked with her head held high, waving at the children frolicking amidst the imposing branches, for she knew that her pain was worth it.

Once at the cabin, she nodded to the man guarding the door, the same man who had led the way for Sofia and her party, before she entered the dimly lit room. Only a small window on the wall allowed the barest of light through, as most was stopped by the dense foliage adorning the trees.

A man lay peacefully upon a wooden bed, his chest slowly rising and falling to the sound of the wind blowing through the leaves. His eyes were closed, and his skin emanated such a chill that one might mistake him for a corpse if not for the overpowering vitality bursting from his flesh.

The woman approached his resting place, her gaze glued to his visage as if attempting to bore straight into his heart to extract all his secrets—secrets she very much knew he had, for the man was no stranger.

One of her only few remaining friends, one who had seen the transient nature of ages, had mentioned him in passing. She sighed with a hint of melancholy at the thought; it had been so long since they had last been reunited.

Her gaze lingered on the immobile man for a few moments more, somehow expecting him to wake. However, to her disappointment, the man remained lost in unconsciousness. Somehow, unbeknownst to her, her slender hand found itself tracing the contours of the man's face using her soft fingertips, leaving a lingering scent of flowers. A single finger gently hovered over the man's lips, which brought a slight smile to her own, as if she was watching over a newborn child.

How long had it been since such a feeling last arose within her heart? She had forgotten. The cycle of life was unending. She had seen too much life and death that none could linger in her heart as most would be overwritten by more vivid memories.

She shook her head, expunging the feeling within her heart, returning her expression to a charming but non-committal smile. This is who she was now, a grand and mighty figure in the hearts of her subjects, both majestic and infallible. Such moments of weakness were impermissible. Who could they rely on if not her?

Her gaze grew, not cold per se but indifferent, as if above the petty grievances of the flesh. She turned and walked away before instructing the man guarding the door to notify her immediately if he woke. Although she was curious about the unconscious man, it would have to wait for now. She had much to do, as her guests would be arriving soon, guests who could sate her curiosity.

This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

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Sofia was mesmerized by the sights before her. The dark and dense forest from before was no more, replaced with a vibrant sea of greenery reflecting the sun’s light. She could hear birds chirping high above her as if their encounter with the black ooze was but a dream.

At first, she thought the wildlife had returned once the whole ordeal was over and done with, but somehow, she didn't really believe it that much. Instead, she was much more inclined to think that this small nook of the forest had always been safe as if sheltered from the world outside.

As if corroborating her hypothesis, she noticed a multitude of animals all living in harmony, coexisting with one another. Although the law of the jungle still applied, it seemed much more subdued, as if an overlord reigned over this small hidden Kingdom.

She had many questions for her guide to answer but kept them in her heart. While she figured the little girl might answer some, she also knew they were about to meet someone who could clear all her doubts, so she chose to be patient.

Conversely, Mina walked along as if in a daze, still ruminating on the last few days. Sofia shook her head, a slight sadness barely apparent in her expression. She was much too familiar with sorrow. She knew such pain would never really go away. All she could hope for was for the little demon girl to learn to live with it and move on.

Soon enough, the dense, overgrown path opened to a breathtaking view. They stopped atop a small hill overlooking a hidden valley below where the Red River flew unimpeded. Sofia stood, mouth slightly agape, lost in the beauty of this untamed world. More of her recent years had been spent in the filth of civilization. If not for her recent trip down memory lane, she would have long forgotten the pureness of nature.

On each side of the river’s banks, Sofia saw small dots of different colours mingle with each other near the water source. She could barely make out what they were from a distance, but their long and fluffy tails gave them away.

Sofia turned to her guide for confirmation of the veracity of her deductions, yet all she got in return was a smug look, which dampened her inquisitive mind right then and there. Although just a small thing, Sofia wouldn’t give her the satisfaction of rubbing it in her face. Knowing she wouldn’t get a kick out of Sofia, the young fox girl pouted, propping her cheeks outward in an effort to look cute, which drew a small chuckle out of Mina.

Ever since they left Mina’s ruined home, she had been down and unresponsive, but the beauty of this place, paired with the denseness of the world’s essence, reminded her of her hometown. Although still painful, it was nice to know that not all was lost and some small vestige of resemblance still existed somewhere else.

The young fox pointed forward toward the peak of a massive tree, showing a proud smile. Sofia squinted with a hand above her eyebrows, trying to block the radiant sun from impeding her sight, only to notice a massive wooden structure nestled among the branches. If not for the young girl pointing it out, she would have never noticed.

Then, the young girl's hand moved away from the structure as if following a path hidden amidst the greenery. Although the path seemed disconnected, and Sofia could barely follow with her eyes, she still noticed hints of bridges connecting the massive trees down below in a web of sorts. She caught glimpses of fur masses travelling back and forth on the precarious bridges that swung slightly over the void.

The girl's hand didn't linger on those bridges long, opting to distance itself from the trees. Finally, her land landed not far from their current location. Given just a few minutes, they could reach the location she hinted toward. Yet, this revelation made Sofia frown.

Although the destination the girl pointed to was unambiguous, owing to the fact that Sofia had seen the whole journey of the girl's hand, she was still disconcerted. There was nothing between the last tree and their destination, only an empty void. What were they supposed to do? Fly over there?

As if knowing her doubts, the young girl only chuckled before she resumed her march. Sofia could only follow behind, hoping to see the answer soon enough. Sofia turned toward Mina, hoping to find companionship, yet the demon girl was simply too absorbed in her own mind, relishing this place's peacefulness.

Sofia could only roll her eyes; how was she supposed to survive like this? She put a hand on Mina’s small head and ruffled her long, silky hair, which brought the young demon to reality. Mina looked upward with big round eyes as if a baby bird was asking her mother bird, What's for dinner? obliviously.

If not for the fact that Sofia knew Mina was older than she looked, she would be inclined to believe she was just a newborn based on how Mina acted. Still, that thought brought a gentle smile to Sofia’s lovely face, yet it almost instantly soured. Sofia couldn’t believe how fast her impression of Mina had changed. Was there something special about her?

Not long ago, all she could feel about her was indifference, yet now she felt a sense of kinship. Sofia couldn't believe being cute was enough to worm her way into her heart. Something else was afoot. Yet, this wasn't the time to investigate; this would have to wait.

Still, a thought struck her. Was this the reason Felix was so adamant about letting Mina follow them? Maybe... at least it made more sense than the answer he gave at the time. That man only seemed to do things on the spur of the moment; to hell with the consequences! Yet, things always seemed to work out alright. Was this a coincidence or premeditated? This was worth pondering.

Deep in thought, Sofia reached their destination. As she had suspected, nothing was there, just a cliff and a drop. If not for the fox girl's insistence, she would no doubt have believed she was mad. Still, what would be the point of coming here just to drop them in the middle of nowhere? She examined the void more closely yet still found nothing, which unnerved her somewhat.

As if oblivious to Sofia's inner turmoil, the fox girl stepped forward over the void, which was like a mace's strike on Sofia's brain. She felt like her heart would leap out of her chest. Was the girl suicidal all of a sudden? Although they were mostly strangers, Sofia wasn't cold-hearted enough to just look on as she killed herself for no reason.

Sofia leapt forward, trying to grab the fox girl before she fell, yet, for some unknown reason, it was unnecessary. The girl stood over the void as her feet hovered over empty space. She stood there with a smug look as if mocking Sofia's earlier attempt at playing the hero.

Sofia felt a slight tinge of embarrassment slowly rise, but she crushed it underfoot. Her eyes grew glacial as her stare sent shivers down the fox girl's spine. As if unable to withstand the pressure, the fox girl turned and continued onward, slowly rising with each step toward a nearby tree.

“Come on!” she shouted, prompting them to follow her.

Sofia hesitated at the edge of the precipice. She was never one to trust others. Asking Sofia to follow the girl deep in the forest without explaining much was already asking much of her. At this point, she considered turning back, but she had no way of knowing how to leave from there. Her only choice was forward. She gritted her teeth and offered a small prayer to those non-existent gods—just in case, one might never know—then took a leap of faith.