The morning sun filtered through the dense canopy of the forest, casting dappled patterns of light and shadow across the ground. The soft chirping of birds and the rustling of leaves in the breeze created a tranquil atmosphere, belying the tension that lay between the trees. Yome and Elara sat beside the campfire, the embers of which were still glowing faintly from the night before.

The figure of the neko girl stirred slightly in her makeshift bed. Her delicate ears twitched, catching the sounds around her as she began to wake. Elara, who had been sitting quietly, keeping watch, noticed the movement and leaned forward slightly, ready to reassure the girl when she opened her eyes.

The neko blinked, her large, amber eyes fluttering open. She sat up suddenly, panic flashing across her face as she looked around, taking in her unfamiliar surroundings. Her gaze landed on Yome and Elara, and she immediately shrank back, her body tense with fear.

"Hey, hey, it's okay," Elara said gently, raising her hands to show she meant no harm. "You're safe here. We found you last night, injured and unconscious. We just want to help."

The neko's ears flattened against her head as she eyed them warily. "W-Who are you? What do you want from me?"

Yome, who had been sitting quietly by the fire, offered her a kind smile. "We're travelers, just like you. My name's Yome, and this is Elara. We saw you were hurt and couldn't just leave you out there."

Elara nodded in agreement. "You're safe now. We just want to make sure you're okay. Can you tell us your name?"

The neko hesitated for a moment before softly replying, "I'm Neri. I… I'm sorry. I didn't mean to intrude on your camp."

Elara shook her head, smiling warmly. "You didn't intrude. We're just glad we found you before anything worse could happen."

Neri's tense posture relaxed slightly, but she was still on edge, her eyes darting around as if expecting danger to leap out at any moment. Elara noticed this and decided it was time to get some answers. "Neri, can you tell us what happened? Why were you out here all alone in the middle of the night?"

Neri lowered her gaze, her expression turning somber. "I was looking for herbs… My village is at the Blossom Garden, high up in the mountains. We depend on rare herbs that grow in the lower forests. I came down here to gather some. It started to rain, and I got lost, deeper in the forest than I intended. Night fell faster than I expected, and then…" Her voice trailed off, and she shivered at the memory.

Yome leaned in, concern etched on his face. "And then what? What happened?"

Neri's voice was barely a whisper as she continued. "The Bloodmoon… it rose in the sky, and with it, the forest changed. The creatures… they went mad, driven into a frenzy by the moon's power. I tried to run, but… but the werewolves were out of control. They were everywhere, hunting, howling, tearing through the forest. I barely escaped with my life."

Yome's heart ached at the fear in her voice. "That sounds terrifying. You're lucky to have made it out at all."

Neri nodded, her eyes misty. "I thought I was going to die. They were so close, I could feel their breath on my neck. But somehow, I managed to outrun them, though not without getting injured. I don't even remember how I ended up here… I just kept running until I couldn't anymore."

Elara reached out, gently placing a hand on Neri's shoulder. "You're safe now. We'll help you get back to Blossom Garden. No more running alone through dangerous woods, okay?"

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Neri's eyes softened as she looked at Elara, gratitude filling her gaze. "Thank you… Thank you so much."

Yome, who had been listening intently, spoke up again. "Neri, we're heading towards the mountains ourselves. If you're okay with it, you can travel with us. We'll make sure you get home safely."

Neri's eyes brightened at the offer. "You'd do that for me? Really?"

"Of course," Yome said, smiling. "It's not safe out here. We're all in this together now."

Elara nodded in agreement, adding, "And besides, having someone as skilled as you could be a huge help. I've heard nekos have some powerful magic."

Neri's ears perked up slightly at the compliment, though she looked a bit embarrassed. "W-We do have some magic, yes… It's passed down through our tribes, ancient spells that don't need grimoires. My family has protected the secrets of our magic for generations."

Elara's eyes gleamed with interest. "Really? That's fascinating. Some elves have similar abilities, though not all of us are so lucky. What kind of magic do you use?"

Neri hesitated for a moment, then replied, "My element is Earth. I can control the ground beneath us, the trees, the stones… It's tied to the giant cherry blossom tree at the heart of our village. Our sacred tree grants us its strength."

Yome couldn't hide his admiration. "That sounds incredible. Your people must be really powerful."

Neri blushed at the praise, her tail swishing slightly behind her. "We… we do our best to protect our home. But we're not warriors like the elves. We prefer to avoid conflict whenever possible."

Elara smiled knowingly. "That's a wise approach. But it also makes me curious… why did you come so far down the mountain, knowing the dangers?"

Neri's expression darkened again, her ears flattening slightly. "I didn't know the Bloodmoon would rise. I just… I had to get those herbs. My village needs them, and… I thought I could handle it. But I was wrong."

Yome reached out, giving her a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "Don't blame yourself. None of us could have known about the Bloodmoon. What matters is that you're safe now, and we'll get you home."

Neri nodded, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "Thank you, Yome. You're… very kind."

Elara gave Yome an approving look before standing up and dusting off her clothes. "Alright, we should get moving. We need to get you back to Blossom Garden, and we have a quest of our own to complete."

Neri's ears perked up at the mention of a quest. "A quest? What kind of quest?"

Elara smiled at her curiosity. "We're looking for something called the core. We think it's hidden somewhere in the mountains, possibly near your village. The inscription we found mentioned the place where the angel weeps for the fallen god. Does that sound familiar to you?"

Neri's eyes widened slightly. "The Crying Angel… Yes, I've heard of it. It's a legend among my people. They say there's a place in the mountains where an ancient statue of an angel weeps tears of sorrow. It's said to be the resting place of a fallen god… but no one knows where it is. It's a place of great mystery and power."

Yome and Elara exchanged a glance, the pieces of their quest starting to come together. "That must be it," Yome said, excitement building in his voice. "We're on the right track."

Elara nodded, then turned back to Neri. "It's not going to be easy, but with your help, I think we can find it. And we'll make sure you get home safely along the way."

Neri smiled, her heart swelling with hope. "Thank you… I'll do my best to help."

The party spent the next hour packing up their camp, making sure Neri was well enough to travel. Elara handed her a small vial of potion to help with any lingering pain from her wounds, while Yome rummaged through his pack and found a spare set of clothes—one of the space adventurer outfits he had picked up from the warrior statue earlier.

Neri hesitated as she took the outfit from Yome, her eyes widening slightly as she examined the strange material. "This… this is from another world, isn't it? I've never seen anything like it."

Yome chuckled, scratching the back of his head. "Yeah, it is. I'm not exactly from around here, either. But don't worry—it should be comfortable and keep you safe."

Neri looked up at him, her expression a mix of awe and curiosity. "You're… really not from here? That's incredible. I've never met anyone from another world before."

Elara smirked, leaning against a nearby tree. "Yome's full of surprises, isn't he?"

Yome blushed slightly, feeling a bit self-conscious under their gazes. "I'm just trying to get by, like everyone else."

Neri smiled warmly at him, her earlier fear and wariness finally fading away. "Thank you… both of you. I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't found me."

Elara gave her a reassuring nod. "You're part of our party now, Neri. We look out for each other."

Once they were all packed and ready, the trio set off deeper into the forest. The morning sun had risen higher in the sky, casting a golden hue over the trees...