Zack had read about most of the animals living in the kingdom in the library, and this is one of the most common: It's a rabbit.
The animals in this world are not exactly the same as the ones in Zack's world. There may indeed be some similarities, but the moment you examine them more closely, you realize that most are not animals that ever existed on Earth. The small animal several meters away is an ideal example: At first glance it looked like a small round ball of soft yellow color, its four little legs, almost indistinguishable from the rest of its body, helping it to move from one side to the other through little jumps. Unlike the rabbits in his world, its face looked like an oddly adorable mix of a baby pig and rabbit.
When its small black eyes saw Zack's figure, it was surprised. For a split second, it looked like it wanted to turn and run, but seeing that Zack wasn't moving, it stayed put.
Its little muzzle twitched energetically as if it was searching for something. When its eyes returned to look at Zack's figure, the animal shyly approached where he was with small hops towards his lap, where he began to rub against him without intending to get up.
The guard, who was setting up the camp, ignored the animal. He knew perfectly well what kind of creature it was, and that sometimes they became fond of travelers. it was no threat. If it could keep the wizard quiet for a while, he didn't care that it was there.
Zack began to pet the rabbit with a smile while he fed it some bread from his pocket that he had kept from yesterday's dinner.
To the eyes of third parties, it would look like the adorable scene of a nobleman happily playing with his pet while his assistant was preparing the camp. Only Zack knows that's not the truth.
If he could choose, he wouldn't mind exploring the wonders this world has to offer, discovering the hidden, and enjoying this new life. Zack still misses his family, but he knows nothing would make them sadder than finding out he was being miserable wherever he is now. Zack, seeing the little animal resting on his legs, felt an almost irrepressible desire to observe every plant, animal, and place in this forest. Unfortunately, Zack knows that this is impossible, at least for now.
The other guard returned from collecting firewood soon after, and just as the sun was beginning to set, the camp was ready.
None of the guards spoke at dinner. The only thing that could be heard was the sound of burning wood and the snoring of the little rabbit in Zack's arms.
"Mr. Wizard. It is late. Please go into the tent to rest. Me and my partner will do the night shift” said one of the men watching Zack.
"Eh? Are you sure? Wouldn't it be better if the three of us took turns? That way you could rest better” Zack said innocently.
"Don't worry. We are used to it. Please go to sleep” the guard repeated as he got up and approached him.
"But-"
"I insist" he said with a firm voice, interrupting what he was trying to say. By this point, the guard was a foot away, and his figure formed a shadow that engulfed Zack completely.
Neither of them spoke for a moment.
“Is that so? Thank you very much, the truth is that this is the first time I have made such a long trip, and I feel somewhat fatigued. Are you sure that you do not need my presence?"
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Just when it looked like the soldier was going to grab Zack and force him into his tent, he got up on his own.
"No. We are enough” The soldier stepped back to let Zack pass. It seemed that it had all been a misunderstanding.
(You won't even leave me unsupervised in the middle of the forest. It doesn't matter, everything is fine) Zack thought as he smiled at the guard.
Zack entered his tent and began to rest. Tonight was not going to be peaceful.
Nobody noticed it due to the perpetual movement of the fire, but if they had paid more attention they would have discovered that the area where Zack was sitting was wetter than before.
…
Like every day, night had reached every corner of this world.
In the cities, the good people retired to their homes to rest while others got up at this time to start their days.
In the depths of the forest, the darkness had sifted in every corner of it, and with it, things that did not happen during the day. Ordinary plants in the morning revealed charms that could only be seen in the moonlight, some shone with their own light, and others attracted animals that shone with their own light.
The light of fireflies fluttering in a small pond while frogs croaking in the middle of the night trying to catch them could melt any young lady's heart.
In the clearing, Zack and the two knights, who were watching him, were resting. Everything seemed normal. The only sounds that reached them were the sound of the fire, and the deep breath of that current corresponded to the watch.
The knight in question was in a resting position while he cleaned his sword. Guard duty can be tough, especially at night. The best thing you can do to stay awake is to be active. Doing something not complex enough to exhaust you, but enough to make your brain know that you shouldn't rest.
Suddenly, the Guard hurriedly got up and looked in the direction of the forest. Unfortunately, all that could be seen was darkness.
Chsk Chsk
Hearing the sounds of the forest getting closer to their camp, he changed his expression and hastened to wake up his companion.
By the time they were both ready, the sound got louder and louder, and small figures were revealed by the fire.
Bzzzzz
Insects, lots of insects appeared one after another in the direction of the guards. Seeing who their opponents were, their confident faces changed drastically.
Neither of them is afraid of the monsters of this forest: wolves, goblins, and ogres. They can take care of all of them without any problem, but the insects… How can you fight something that you can't hit with your sword?
Even so, running away would be of no use. They couldn't hurt the enemy, and he was already on them alone. They could only fight.
The knights swung their swords in the air as they cried out in pain at the insect bites. For a moment, it seemed that running away was their only option, with a bit of luck, they would find a river or stream to jump into to avoid mosquito bites.
Seeing that it was too late even for that, one of the guards hurriedly approached the tent and tried to open it, without much success. The tent Zack uses is specially prepared to ensure comfort and security. It's not perfect, and any professional could take it down with a few hits, but it is enough to protect them from pests.
"Mister Wizard, Mr Wizard! Please let us in!" A noise like something falling rang from inside the tent, and Zack's alarmed voice spoke from inside.
"W-What's wrong?"
"Insects, many insects. Please let us in" The guard's frustrated voice sounded.
At other times he would have kicked the door down, but that would create a huge hole for mosquitoes to get inside. The only thing he could do was try to get the magician to let them pass voluntarily. Otherwise, he would have to break down the door, not to survive but for the three of them to fall. After all, Zack wasn't strong enough to get out of there without them. What did it matter if he died there or not?
Just when they thought they were going to have to break the knob, the door was opened from the inside.
Pushhhhh
Before they had time to celebrate, a torrent of water shot from inside the tent, causing them to fall backward.
Suddenly, the water began to move unnaturally. As if it were a net, it enveloped the entire camp, trapping all the mosquitoes inside. Once the sound was gone, the water shrank and collected in the center of the camp, just above the fire.
Zack snapped his fingers, and the water turned into a ball of fire that consumed everything in its path, including the mosquitoes. Once there were none left, the fireball turned into a small ball the size of a football that fell onto the campfire, merging the two into one.
The eyes of the guards could not believe what they saw. Before their stunned looks, Zack walked towards them with a smile and asked:
"What is the problem?"