Secrets of the Forest

By the next morning, Tora was already capable of running and jumping. Though one wouldn't dare say that the wound had completely healed, the tiger's energetic actions and reactions made it clear that he could resume his task of pulling the carriage.

Luke and Gareth were now able to travel out of the woods, riding the carriage pulled by the rejuvenated Tora. As they prepared to depart, Luke noticed Gareth feeding Tora an unusual breakfast. Instead of the expected meat, Gareth offered the tiger a bundle of greenery. Luke, recalling videos from his childhood, knew that tigers were carnivores and ate meat. Puzzled, he examined Tora more closely and realized that the tiger lacked fangs and had entirely molar teeth, much like those of cows or sheep—teeth designed for herbivores.

Seeing the dumbfounded look on Luke's face, Gareth asked, "What's astonishing you today?"

"Is Tora really a tiger?" Luke asked, his confusion evident.

"Yes," Gareth replied simply.

"Then why does Tora's teeth look like that? Aren't tigers supposed to have sharp teeth for eating meat?"

Gareth's initial confusion gave way to understanding as he recalled Luke's origins.

"Ah, I see. You're from a place not like here. Your understanding must differ. Tora is indeed a tiger, and he's more like a cattle. I watched him grow as I cared for him."

For you all to understand, in this world, herbivores are what you might know as carnivores, and vice versa.

Luke's mind raced as he processed this information. It began to make sense. The Aerdeich, with its deer-like appearance, was carnivorous, just as all other deer in this world. This also explains why Gareth hunted black bears for meat.

As they rode in the carriage, slowly creeping out of the woods, Luke marvelled at the peculiarities of this world. Tora's herbivorous nature and the inversion of predator-prey roles fascinated him. The forest began to thin, revealing more open terrain ahead. The sunlight filtered through the canopy, casting dappled shadows on the ground. The world outside the forest seemed vast and unknown, filled with both danger and wonder.

Gareth, noticing Luke's contemplative silence, began to speak.

"The forest holds many secrets. You've only just scratched the surface. There are many more creatures and mysteries out there. This world is not kind to the unwary."

"I understand. Thank you for explaining things to me, Gareth. I still have much to learn," Luke nodded, his resolve strengthening.

"We'll face it together. Just remember, in this world, not everything is as it seems. Stay curious, stay cautious, and we might just make it through," Gareth smiled.

As the carriage moved steadily forward, Luke felt a mix of anticipation and trepidation. The promise he made to Mrs. Williams echoed in his mind, driving him to persevere. With Gareth and Tora by his side, he felt a glimmer of hope. The journey ahead would undoubtedly be filled with challenges, but also with discoveries that could change everything he thought he knew about the world—and himself.

They continued their journey, the forest gradually giving way to rolling hills and expansive plains. The adventure was far from over, and as they ventured into the unknown, Luke felt ready to face whatever lay ahead.

As they continued their journey, Gareth decided to rummage through the back of the carriage, searching for something. After a short while, he returned to the front with a scroll in his hand. Sitting back next to Luke, Gareth began to explain.

"This is the map I have," he said, as he started to unfold the scroll.

The map revealed a vast expanse of land with various places and names meticulously written. The landscape was marked with forests, mountains, rivers, and cities. Gareth pointed out several key locations, explaining each one briefly. However, something immediately struck Luke as different: the writing on the map. It wasn't in English. Instead, it resembled hieroglyphics—an intricate series of symbols and characters that were completely foreign to him.

Gareth showed where the City of Purewood was located on the map, but Luke's face of surprise made him pause.

"What's wrong?" Gareth asked, noticing Luke's perplexed expression.

"I can't read it," Luke admitted, a mixture of frustration and curiosity in his voice.

Surprise etched across Gareth's face.

"You can't read Iatspich?" he asked, incredulous.

Hearing the word for the first time, Luke shook his head.

"No, I don't know what that is."

"But you're speaking it. You've been speaking Iatspich all this time, and I've been understanding you perfectly," Gareth furrowed his brow.

Realization dawned on them both. While Iatspich for Gareth and English for Luke sounded and were pronounced the same, they were written completely differently. Gareth set the map aside, and they both fell silent for a moment. Luke pondered the language difference, trying to understand how this world could have such an uncanny overlap with his language but diverge so starkly in written form.

Gareth, on the other hand, was deep in thought about where Luke was truly from. Luke had already shared stories about his world, describing machines that could take people places, towering buildings that seemed to touch the sky, and vehicles that flew like birds or travelled the water like fish. Initially, Gareth had assumed that Luke was from a highly advanced country not depicted on any maps he knew—a place teeming with mages and saints that caused such advance. But now, Gareth began to consider a more fantastical possibility: Luke might be from a completely different world, a world beyond the skies.

"Where are you really from, Luke?" Gareth finally asked, his voice filled with a mix of wonder and concern.

"I've told you what I know. Where I'm from, we have machines and technology that to you seem like magic. But this place… it's completely different. I mean it looks just like where I'm from. But the animals, the way things work, even the written language… it's all so foreign to me," Luke sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"It sounds like you might be from a different world, someone who came down from the sky. In our stories, there are tales of people who arrive from other worlds, bringing with them knowledge and skills that are beyond our understanding," Gareth nodded slowly, his earlier suspicions solidifying into a theory.

"You really think that's possible?" Luke looked at Gareth, his eyes wide with realization.

"To my understanding, anything is possible," Gareth replied. "Magic, monsters, and now, it seems, people from other worlds. It explains why you know so much that is beyond our comprehension and why you struggle with things we take for granted. We don't just have a record, but we have Saint Cynthia, the living embodiment to argue for it."

Setting the map aside, they both sat in silence, contemplating the vast implications of their conversation. For Luke, the realization that he was truly a stranger in a strange land settled in deeper. For Gareth, the presence of a different worlder opened up new possibilities and questions. Who else might arrive? What other knowledge and wonders could they bring? And most importantly, how could they help each other survive and thrive in this unpredictable, dangerous world?

The carriage continued its slow progress out of the woods, carrying with it two men bound by an extraordinary circumstance and the mysterious, determined tiger, Tora.

The rest of the journey through the forest was filled with a heavy, contemplative silence. Gareth occasionally glanced at Luke, his mind racing with the possibility of having a different worlder by his side. The concept was almost mythical, but Gareth had always been a man who embraced the extraordinary.

Tora, now fully capable of running and jumping, pulled the carriage with renewed vigour. The tiger seemed almost eager to leave the dense woods behind. Despite his internal musings, Gareth kept a vigilant eye on their surroundings, wary of any lingering threats.

As they approached the edge of the forest, the landscape began to change. The thick trees gave way to rolling hills and scattered patches of open land. The sun climbed higher in the sky, casting long shadows and illuminating their path. The sense of foreboding that had hung over them like a dark cloud began to dissipate, replaced by cautious optimism.

Luke couldn't shake the feeling of being watched, though. Every rustle of leaves, every distant call of an unseen bird made him jumpy. The revelation of his potential otherworldly origins had left him more unsettled than ever. He had no idea how he had ended up in this world, nor how he might return home. But one thing was clear: he had to trust Gareth and his knowledge of this place.

As the carriage crested a hill, they saw a vast expanse of land stretching out before them. In the distance, the faint outlines of a city could be seen, shimmering in the morning light.

"We'll head there," Gareth said, breaking the silence. "The Village of Midhill. It's a haven, and we can gather more supplies and information."

Luke nodded, trying to push down the anxiety that bubbled within him. The mysteries of this world were deep and unsettling, but he had no choice but to face them head-on.

As they began their descent towards the city, a distant, unearthly howl echoed through the forest behind them, sending a shiver down Luke's spine. He looked back, but there was nothing to see—only the dark, impenetrable woods.

"Let's keep moving," Gareth urged, his voice steady but his eyes betraying a hint of concern.

Luke turned forward again, gripping the edge of the carriage. The mysteries of this world were far from solved, and with every step forward, he felt both closer to answers and deeper into the unknown.