Run away. That’s the only thing I can think of.

Even though everything was fine before. Nothing strange happened. I lived happily with Byakko. It was supposed to be like that forever.

But, in one night, everything was changed.

I was attacked. Those hooded person came to kidnap me. My arms were greatly wounded and I almost died. But Byakko saved me… in return, he has to stay.

I couldn’t even convince him. That’s why, I run. I am pathetic. I couldn’t help him against them, and even if I stay, I would only become a burden to him.

The only thing I could do now is to run away as far as possible from the forest. Byakko told me to run straight, and that’s what I do right now.

Run, run, run. Don’t let them catch up with me. Don’t let Byakko’s effort gone waste.

Those thought became my fuel to keep running. My legs were going to broke down, but I reinforce them with Aura to push them to the limit. I have to run.

Without I noticed, the moon was already gone, and the sun was already rising.

“Ah…”

I turned back. The forest was no longer to be seen. There were only mountains and trees. I’ve run far away, and reached another forest. I've escaped.

“Aha.. Ahaha… Ahahaha!!! I did it! I am free!”

No one was there to catch me. Now I can breath free again.

“Byakko, you see! I made it..! … Right...”

Yeah, Byakko is not here anymore. He will no longer beside me. I am free, but now, I’m alone. No one knows me, and I don’t know anyone.

Can I survive?

Guuu…..

“Ugh, at this time, really?”

My stomatch was empty. I didn’t eat anything last night, and I ran until morning. If it was not because of my endurance, I would end up died from starving.

“…Let’s hunt for now. Empty stomach will led you to your demise, after all.”

Then, I spent the whole day looking for foods. I found fruits such as apples and berries. After fighting for fruits againts the monkeys, I went to look for water source.

By the way, why was the monkey smaller than what I faced back home?

Just as I wondered, I could hear the sound of water.

I ran to it, and found a waterfall. Its water was clear and edible, you could see under the water clearly. I set a small camp beside the waterfall and light a campfire.

Today was tiring. I ate while warming myself near the campfire and then, after the moon already high in the sky, I put out the campfire and sleep.

This is the first night I spent far from home.

“As expected, it’s lonely…”

I clutched my body tighter, I don’t know if it’s because the cold wind, or just because this empty feeling in my heart.

----------------------------------------

The next day, I made up my mind.

“I will find other humans.”

Yes, humans. An intelligent creature who has survived many occasion and reached their peak evolution. That was what Byakko told me.

Coincidentally, I am too a human. That’s why, I think I could blend perfectly with the humans.

“Alright! Let’s do it!”

First, I have to go out from the forest. The only human who live in the forest was me. Most of them will make a group and live together in some place.

Fortunately, I found a clear path yesterday. I think it was used to make trip easier, so I confident that humans must be using it. I will wait for them there.

“…”

“Wah! You’re here?!”

Just as I preparing myself to go, a white rabbit came blocking my way.

It’s the same rabbit as the one who I met before.

… You didn’t bring corpse here, right?

Speaking of that, my mind stopped sending me those fragments of memories anymore. It seems to calmed down after the attack.

“Well, if you are here, might as well follow me, right? err…”

The rabbit tilted its head in confusion. Of course, a wild rabbit doesn’t have name. I think a bit and decided a name for it.

“Ruby. How is it?”

“…”

If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

It hopping here and there. I take that as a yes.

“Well then, Ruby. Let’s go meet the humans.”

----------------------------------------

“… Why is there no one here?”

“…”

I arrived when the sun rised. Now, the sun was going to set, and not even a single person went trough this road.

“The food was thining too. I hope it will last for tomorrow…— Oof!”

Just as I lamented of my lacking food resource, suddenly, Ruby hopped onto my stomach and leaped to the middle of the road.

“Wait, Ruby!”

I rushed to the road too… and almost ended up stomped by horses.

“Woah! What is a kid doing here?”

A human who was holding the rein stopped the horses and pull back a little.

(So that’s a human… No different from me and the attacker, just a little bigger.)

I was holding Ruby on my hand while staring at the man.

Not long after that, two big men with their body coated with iron came out. They were holding sword that looks could cut me into two easily.

“Who’s this kid?”

“Dunno, stray kid?”

“As if. In the middle of the Death Forest? You would be killed before you even get out from there.”

“That’s true. Then, what should we do?”

The two men were talking at each other. Gladfully, I was able to understand what they’re saying. Maybe I supposed to introduced myself here.

“U-umm, my name is Saka.”

“Whoa! He talked!”

“Isn’t that only a groan? He didn’t even speak something.”

Eh? They were looking confused. Then, they came to me with their other hands on their sword.

“You can’t speak, huh? No matter what, I think it’s dangerous for a kid to wander here. Please come with us.”

“Haa… You and your soft attitude. Fine then, you kid, don’t do anything weird.”

Damn, why they couldn’t understand my voice? I’m talking just like usual!

Should I run now? But when I will get the chance to meet them again? They even called this place as the Death Forest. Even I know that this place rarely visited.

Before I react, Ruby leaped to the carriage and went inside it.

“Wha–! Ruby!”

I ran inside to chased them, but the men got vigilanted and unsheated their swords.

“Stop right there, kid!”

“Jeez, this happened when we almost arrive!”

Inside the carriage, there were boxes full of purple liquid filled glasses. Are that potions? I have heard about them before. They were supposed to be very expensive.

Just when I thought to not touch them, Ruby kick one of the box and crashed all of its inside.

“NOOOOO!!!!!”

“Shit! The potions!”

“God!”

Just when Ruby kicked it, the men came and shocked. Was it expensive as I thought?

“It was the last stock in this Area! What should we do now?!”

It’s rarer than I thought! I’m doomed!

“Kid… Now that it has come to this, you have to come with us, wether you like it or not.”

“Uh… I’m… sorry?”

With that, I met the humans, destroyed a box super expensive potions and ended up caught by them in the process.

(Byakko, I’m sorry. I think my head will be cut off from my neck once we arrive.)

Just as I lamented my fate, Ruby was there scratching the back of its ear with its feet.

“Must be nice to be a rabbit…”

----------------------------------------

“Sir, this is the culprit!”

“Good. Thanks for your hard work.”

“Thank you, Sir.”

Ah… This is bad…

After they captured and tied me, they brought me to a massive mansion. It was not really far from the forest, but they built walls and gates around the mansion.

The mansion was not the only building though. There were two other buildings, but now is not the time to worry about it.

This is my first time meeting humans… But why it has to be like this?!

Right now, I’m sitting in the floor with my hands tied together. In front of me was a middle aged man who seems to be in his prime. He is the one who supposed to be the boss.

“So you destroyed my goods.”

“…”

“Oh..? Don’t want to confess, ain’t ya?”

No, it’s not like I’m hiding it, it just that I couldn’t talk in human language. I would dig my own grave if I talk.

“Just reminder, I hold no mercy toward bandits, even if they are still a child. Talk, or I’ll have to send you to your maker.”

“Sorry, it’s not my fault.”

“Oh? Finally talk, eh?”

Damn, it’s either I died now, or I died later.

I have to prolonged it as I could! For the sake of my life!

“Yeah! It wasn’t on purpose! My rabbit was accidentally kicked it and it fell down. Please don’t kill me or her. I’ll do something I could do for it!”

“…”

Does my apology works?

…

No, his face certainly still mad. Damn, this is not gonna be good. Help me, someone!

“…Are you aware, that you’re talking with the Spirit language?”

“Huh?”

I was kowtowing to him, but when he asked me that, I looked up to him.

“N-no, I just speak as usual.”

“Hou…”

After he heard my response, his face turned amused.

(Phew… at least he doesn’t mad anymore… Wait, did he just understand me?)

“Fortunately, I am able to understand your words. Now tell me about yourself, if you don’t mind.”

He dragged and sat on a chair. I still wary with humans, and especially one who just wanted to kill me before.

Jeez, I can’t pick my way out from here…

I decided to let him know about me. I told him about how I lost my memory, living in a forest, and ended up having to get out from there because of something.

“…Isn’t that too vague?”

Yeah, I skipped alot of details.But would he believes that I was raised by a talking white tiger and attacked by hooded person who carrying black ominous collar with them?

Surely you jest.

“Yeah, I have troubles with my memories. I can’t remember detailed things.”

“I see…”

Does he believe me? Without I noticed, bead sweat started to trickled across my cheek.

“So, you never left the forest even once?”

“That’s right.”

“Well, do tell me how you able to speak? Or even more, why are you not even cautious meeting creatures… humans, that you never met in your entire life?”

Oho, my dear. You just don’t know what I felt. If it’s not because of my life on the line here, I would faint just from the tension. Even my heart felt like it would explode in any time.

“… I… I lost my memories, but I remember vaguely about humans. That’s why, when I met them, I didn’t get cautious too much. I was not expecting for them to not understand my words though.”

I squeezed every last of my brain cells to let out a convincing reason. If any of my words contradict my previous statement, my head would be cut off! Chop-chop! Adios!

“Hmm…”

“…”

“Alright. Since you Destroyed my expensive potions, which I need to bought with a Hefty sums, I would need you to repaid it.”

Gulp… he really pressed on the expensive related words…

What does he want? I don’t have anything right now. My head? No, no. Stop thinking about my head. It would not worth that much anyway.

Then, what’s left is…

“…My body?”

“How can you get into that?!”

“eh?!”

He retorted loudly at me. B-but, it doesn’t make any sense if he doesn’t sell me.

“I mean, I have nothing but my meat. I guarantee it’s at least edible!”

“Your assumption of selling body is very different from mine! And who the hell wants to eat humans meat?!”

Ehhh?? This man is weird. As long as it’s meat, you can eat it, right?

“Gosh, I really underestimating this jungle boy. What I said repaid, is not by selling you or something like that. I want you to work under me as a servant.”

“Servant?”

“Yes, the one who does chores and serving their masters. Of course, we will do no harm, as long as you do your job. How is it?”

So, that means… I could be alive? No chop-chop?

“… Can I ask for how long until I could be freed?”

“Let see… a hundred years or so?”

“…”

If I didn’t accept this, I would die. If I accept this, I would never leave for the rest of my life. Either I die now or I die later.

Eh? Aren’t the options don’t even change?

“… I have no choice, do I?”

“Fumu… It is as it is.”

With that, I was caught by the humans whom I just met, I almost have a meeting with the death, and ended being a servant.

Byakko, right after I left the forest, I became a servant of the humans.