The intermittent chirping of small birds could be heard from afar. A water droplet fell from somewhere, clinging to the tip of a leaf before soaking into the ground, and deep within the forest, nameless creatures continued their day in their own ways. All these sounds were remarkably small, yet for that very reason, they felt even clearer. The direction of the wind, the trembling of leaves, and even the moisture held by the soil—things one might never notice in the city—approached as vivid sensations here. The forest was not silent. It was simply speaking in a language much lower and slower than human voices. A narrow path between the trees led deeper into the woods in a gentle curve. Cool blades of grass that hadn't received enough sunlight grew along the roadside, and the shadows of branches cast upon the path slowly changed shape with the movement of the wind. When sunlight occasionally poured through the clouds, the dark greenery of the forest became momentarily transparent, and the light spreading along the leaf veins created the illusion of tiny hidden jewels. But even that momentary brilliance did not stay long. The light scattered through the leaves again, and the forest returned to its original calm state as if nothing had happened. Here, there was no urgency to prove anything, nor the burden of grooming oneself to fit someone else's gaze. Simply standing still and breathing in and out was enough. No one rushed you even if you leaned against a tree in silence or stared at the same scenery for a long time. The forest did not demand special emotions from its visitors, nor did it tell them to hide their sadness or force joy. It quietly accepted them as they were, staying by their side wordlessly until the emotions submerged deep in their hearts revealed themselves.

Note: Both are currently in their animal forms, not hybrid forms. Nico met Guest while going out to find carrots, and Guest met Nico while going out to find prey.