"This forest is called Spring Touch Forest —moo."
Chole Millian spoke calmly as they walked, her voice steady like someone who had lived in forests her whole life.
"The best way to find a safe place in a forest isn't by guessing," she continued. "It's by knowing what the monsters are doing. Where they are… and where they aren't."
Tyler listened carefully while Serena walked silently beside them, ears twitching at every sound.
"For example," Chole went on, "Goblins, Kobolds, and Orcs are the main monsters that roam here. Some move in groups, some wander alone. When stronger monsters move, the weaker ones are forced to leave their territory."
She pointed ahead with her staff.
"When that happens, the safest place is often where the Orcs used to live."
Tyler raised an eyebrow. "That sounds backward."
Chole smiled slightly.
"Most people think so. But weaker monsters fear those places. They won't return until the Orcs come back."
She continued walking.
