[Jaykobell]

One Dalma held his nose up high, sniffing their surroundings. Despite the eerie fog and the rumors around this place, he couldn't pick up on anything dangerous nearby. "I think it's safe," the one Dalma said, taking a few steps forward towards the forest. "Let's go."

He walked onward, but his companion, the other Dalma, seemed a lot more concerned about walking in there. "Um," he said quietly, head hanging low, and body tense. "G-Greyson, I don't think we should go through this way."

[Jaykobell]

Greyson stopped in his tracks. He frowned, and he rolled his eyes, grimacing. The other couldn't see any of his expressions, and it was better that way. "Bug," he spoke out dryly as he turned around, his expression somewhat neutral, but upset still clear, "we've talked about this," he reminded the red-ribboned Dalma. "We have to go through this forest! It's the fastest way."

The one with the red ribbon, Bug, still looked unconvinced. "But everyone says those who go in there never get out, Greyson!" he argued, simply concerned for the safety of both of them. "I know you want to find that Dalma group, but..."

[Jaykobell]

At the mention of the group, Greyson nodded. "I do! And the fastest way to get to the Vast Plains from here is through Whisper Forest!" he insisted again. The fact Bug's voice had trailed away, though, made Greyson frown. "You do believe me when I say this group of wild Dalma exists," he said, the tone coming across as a question more so than a statement, "don't you?"

At being questioned, Bug straightened up. "O-of course I do," he assured his companion. "I just don't think..." His eyes looked back down at the ground, and his thought was left unfinished.

[Jaykobell]

When Bug failed to continue speaking, Greyson frowned a little. "You don't think... what?" he pressed, taking a few steps forward to close the gap between them. "Even if you don't really believe me, you gotta believe in it enough to have come this far with me."

Bug glanced up for a second, and then he looked away, his eyes looking this way and that. "I mean, I think they exist, but..." A front paw trailed along slowly, kicking away some dust. "I don't think they'd welcome us there," he finally voiced out loud. "And I still don't think going through this forest is a good idea."

[Jaykobell]

Greyson scoffed and rolled his eyes. "Please! Those Dalma came from the city just like us," he pointed out, curving his lip in annoyance. "So if they argue, we'll just show them what we're made of."

There was a pause as Bug didn't answer to that. With no reply, Greyson turned around to face the forest, a thin veil of fog encircling it in an air of foreboding. "And one way to prove we're strong," he spoke again, a little quieter now, "is by going through this forest, and making it out alive."

He looked over his shoulder. "So are you in, or not?"

[Jaykobell]

It had taken a bit of coaxing to get Bug to come along through the forest, but after a bit, the Dalma had agreed to go through with it. After all, had something happened to Greyson, Bug wouldn't have been able to live with the guilt. It was a lot more comforting to him that they face something together, than for Bug to survive without ever knowing what had become of Greyson, alone in Whisper Forest.

"See?" Greyson voiced after they'd traveled through the forest for a while, unchallenged. "Nothing is in here." He brought his nose to the sky, sniffing. "I can't pick up on anything weird or dangerous even this far in."

[Jaykobell]

While Greyson was much too confident, Bug concerned himself with being the voice of reason between them. "But are you really sure?" he challenged, his worried eyes scanning the area constantly. With the fog so thick, he always expected something to lunge out from the shadows. "I can't even smell the trees."

Greyson huffed confidently. "Oh, please, it's not that bad," he countered. "I mean, the fog blankets some of the smells," he admitted, "but I can still pick up on things a few feet away from us, even through this."

Bug felt shame rise in his chest at the comment.

[Jaykobell]

When Bug didn't reply and stopped — indicated by the lack of pawsteps behind Greyson as he continued to walk — the blue-ribboned Dalma stopped and turned around. "What's with you?" he asked, tilting his head.

Bug glanced up, but his eyes quickly fell down to the ground. Even through the thin layer of fog between them, Greyson could see shame in his face. "I can't smell anything," Bug said quietly, and his face mingled with shame and sadness.

Greyson narrowed his eyes with confusion. "What do you mean?" he asked. He knew for a fact Bug's sense of smell was just fine. So then?

[Jaykobell]

It was only after Bug refused to speak that Greyson eventually tried to come up with an answer on his own. Finally, he thought he had a good idea of why Bug seemed so troubled. "What, are you saying it's the fog? Or that... those wild Dalma wouldn't want you if you can't smell through this stuff?"

The words caused Bug anxiety. His face contorted into more sadness. And even then, he didn't know what to say. Greyson had hit the nail on the head, and Bug had nothing to defend himself.

When Bug's discomfort became clearer, Greyson felt uncomfortable. Uncomfortable, and sad.

[Jaykobell]

But there was no time to be uncomfortable.

Suddenly, so close, something cracked between the trees.

Bug was the first to react; his nose perhaps average, but his ears sharp as could be. "What was that?"

Greyson, instinctively, turned towards the noise. His lips curled into a snarl, and his claws scrapped the dirt. "I don't know," he admitted, "but it better come out already!"

"Are you nuts?" Bug whispered in a panic. "It might be a predator!" he pointed out as he cowered behind Greyson, his eyes wide and round, staring at the area where the noises had come from.

But unlike Bug, Greyson stood his ground, unafraid. "Come out!" he yowled, a growl tacked on to his threat.

[Wild Pet Found]

[Jaykobell]

It was quiet after Greyson had threatened the sound to reveal itself. A few seconds passed until, finally, a shy, unsure voice spoke from the bushes. "No, please," it said quietly, "I don't mean any harm."

Both Dalma straightened up in alarm at the voice. They both stared at the bush in dumbfounded silence.

It was Greyson, finally, who spoke again. "Well, prove it!" he challenged, keeping his voice loud. "Prove it, and step out here! Show yourself!" Another growl sounded deep in his throat.

A gasp echoed from the bushes. "O-okay, okay!" the voice said, and almost immediately, a shape emerged.

Even in this fog, the strange Akail stood out like a headlight. It stood close to the trees, leaves and debris stuck to its body, tiny protrusions glowing through the fog.

Meanwhile, the Dalma stared.

[Jaykobell]

Greyson's eyes stared, his mouth agape. "You... You're an Akail, right?" he asked hesitantly. From the body shape and the general appearance, it looked like an Akail, and yet, it didn't. The Akails he had seen from the city had looked nothing like this.

But the creature nodded, the mask on its head giving off a reflection of the two Dalma in front of it. "Uh-huh," it confirmed, in a temperament that was quite unlike that of regular Akails.

Seeing it portray this meek attitude, Greyson relaxed a little bit. If anything, this creature didn't seem to be a threat.

[Jaykobell]

Bug, who straightened up slowly and hesitantly, looked at the Akail curiously. "Um, aren't Akails..." his voice trailed away as he gave his sentence some more thought. "Don't you live in places like Craiss Caverns?"

The strange Akail looked up, and it tilted its head to the side. "I don't know?" it replied, confused. "Not me," it added.

"You don't look like the Akails we've seen before," Greyson pointed out out loud, and he dared to take a few careful steps forward, closer to the Akail.

When he got closer, the Akail turned its attention to the Dalma. And suddenly, now frightened, it crouched down and snarled, hissing and spitting menacingly.

[Jaykobell]

Greyson jumped when the Akail screeched, and he crouched down himself, his body ready to retaliate if the Akail moved in on him.

But once the Dalma had stepped back, the Akail withdrew as well. "Sorry! I'm sorry!" it gasped, dropping the defensive position to adopt one that was much more submissive and terrified. "Y-you got close, and I got nervous, and I..."

But with that outburst, Greyson's defenses were back up again. "Who are you, and what are you doing here?" he asked, now wanting to learn more about this Akail — not to make friends with it, but to figure out if it actually could be a threat.

[Jaykobell]

As Greyson confronted the Akail, Bug watched on silently. Its reaction had really startled him, but something told him that the Akail had been honest in its apology. He felt bad for it. It sounded scared, and lost.

"I... I'm not really anybody..." the Akail said quietly, hesitantly, its voice fading away as it spoke and looked away. "Someone made me, I think?" it added, but it sounded just as confused as the Dalma were about it. "I just roam. I go everywhere and anywhere."

Greyson narrowed his eyes. Maybe that outburst had really been the product of fear after all.