The next day, a girl from the village arrived at the clearing. Bright-eyed, mischievous, and impossibly talkative.
"Finally!" she exclaimed. "You've been holed up here for days, and the forest smells like… like old mushrooms! I couldn't take it!"
Mau blinked. "Lira…"
"Yes! I—your humble friend, your first witness to forest madness, your future accomplice in… everything!"
Lira had always been a whirlwind—curious, clever, slightly annoying. But in that energy was a spark Mau recognized. Someone who could match her chaos in a way that didn't threaten her control.
"You want to see what I made?" Mau asked, spreading her forest-born designs across the ground.
Lira's mouth fell open. "You… you made these? Out of… leaves and vines? Mau… this is insane. Beautiful, but insane. You could sell this. People in the city would pay everything for something like this!"
Mau smiled faintly, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "Sell…? Maybe one day. But not now. Not until I understand it myself."
Lira leaned closer, eyes sparkling with mischief. "Understand it… or run to the city?"
Mau stiffened slightly. The thought lingered like a shadow. City. Skyscrapers. Glass. Endless possibilities—and danger.
She glanced at Tay Eming, who gave no hint of approval or objection. Just quiet observation.
"City," she muttered softly, almost to herself. "Maybe… it's time."
Lira grinned. "Finally! I was getting bored listening to your fancy forest thoughts. The city is our playground. You, me, your designs… we'll shake things up."
Mau's lips twitched. She had never been good at words, but the idea of leaving, carrying her skills, instincts, and designs—it excited her in a way she hadn't expected.
And yet, the red mark beneath her ear tingled. A subtle reminder: someone out there had orchestrated her absence. Someone still waiting.
She glanced toward the mountains, forest stretching endlessly behind them. Tay Eming's voice cut through her thoughts.
"Remember," he said softly, "the world is larger than the forest. But it is also… more dangerous. Your instincts will guide you, but your heart must choose."
Mau pressed her fingers to the mark. Her fingers lingered.
"I'm ready," she whispered.
Lira laughed. "Finally! Now we pack leaves, vines, and the forest itself into our bags and take the city by storm."
Mau smirked faintly, a rare spark of mischief in her eyes. "We'll see if it survives me first."