Ruby bursts out of Topaz's room, racing back through the common area of the only home she can truly remember. The familiar warmth of the hearth, the scent of fresh bread lingering in the air-it all blurs past her as she heads straight for the door.

  She's almost there, when Moonstone steps infront of her, arms crossed and brow raised.

  "Ruby, sweetie, are you sure you'll be okay on your own in the forest? Do you want Onyx or myself to come with you? Just to make sure you don't get lost?"

  Ruby stops dead, her eyes widening in shock. "What?! No, no, no! I'll totally be fine! I got this!" She excims.

  Onyx leans back in his chair, smirking. "Are you sure? Do you at least want a map?

  From the corner of the room, Emerald chuckle, not even looking up from her book. "Pfft. Does she even know how to read a map?"

  Ruby's ears twitch, but she pointedly ignores the comment. "How hard can it be?" She says, waving her arms dramatically. "I just go west... or maybe south... or something. Easy!"

  Onyx grins. "Right. And when you get hungry, you'll totally know what's safe to eat, huh?"

  Ruby huffs, her tail flicking in irritation. "Berries are berries, Onyx!" she says, clearly offended by the question. "And besides, if one taste weird, I'll just... stop eating it!"

  Moonstone punches the bridge of her nose, muttering something under her breath.

  But Ruby's already spinning towards the door, excitement overpowering every ounce of caution.

  "Baaaaaiii!!!" She shouts over her shoulder, flinging the door open and racing outside without another gce back.

  The door swings open, as Ruby bursts outside, her feet nding with a satisfying thump on the wooden steps.

  The crisp morning air greets her with a cool kiss, carrying the scent of damp earth and wood smoke. Sunlight spills through the trees surrounding the vilge, creating shifting patterns across the well-trodden dirt paths. The soft murmur of daily life hums through the air-voices chatting, wood being chopped, the distant ughter of children pying near the river.

  Ruby grins wildly as she looks back at the building she just left: the Spiritualists' Hut, the second rgest structure in the vilge. The wooden sign above the door swings gently in the breeze, the words carved in bold, precise letters. Its walls of smooth timber stand in contract to the rounded, bark-covered longhouses and smaller huts scattered across the vilge like fallen leaves.

  This is it, Ruby thinks, bouncing on her toes. I'm actually leaving!

  With her backpack slightly askew and her tail wagging with excitement, she takes off skipping down the path.

  The first vilger she passes, and older woman weaving a basket near her hut, looks up just as Ruby skids to a stop.

  "I'm going on an adventure!" Ruby announces, her voice brimming with pride.

  The woman smiles warmly. "Is that so, little fox? Then walk with courage-and don't forget the way home."

  "I won't!" Ruby chirps, already bouncing away.

  She zigzags through the vilge, calling out to anyone who will listen:

  To Mako, the hunter sharpening his spear: "I'm going on an adventure!"

  To Ka, the potter stacking cy pots: "I'm leaving the vilge today!"

  To a group of children chasing each other around a firepit. "I'm going to go find Aria!"

  Some vilgers smile and wave; others watch with quiet amusement, shaking their heads as Ruby practically dances past.

  Near the vilge's edge, Ruby stops just long enough to catch her breath. She turns around, for one st look at the vilge. The huts, the smoke curling into the sky, the familiar sounds of voices and crackling of fir. The Vilge Chief's Hut, and the Spiritualists' Hut, standing tall like twin guardians in the morning light.

  Her chest tightens unexpectedly.

  But then the gemstone around her neck catches the sunlight, scattering tiny red reflections across the ground.

  Her eyes light up once more.

  Time to go!

  With one st enthusiastic wave towards the vilge, she spins around and runs toward the forest path.

  Her adventure has begun.

  Ruby bounds down the narrow dirt path leading from the vilge's west gate, her tail swishing with every step. The wooden markers at the path's entrance are decorated with painted symbols-old charms said to keep travelers safe beyond the vilge's borders. Ruby barely gnces at them as she passes.

  Her mind is already far ahead, lost in the thrill of her adventure.

  I can't believe I'm really doing this! She thinks, giggling aloud. Her heart races with pure excitement. She skips a few steps, then spins in pce, arms outstretched as the forest swallows her whole.

  The familiar sounds of the vilge fade behind her, repced by the whispers and creaks of the woods.

  The path is well-worn at first, with sunlight streaming down through the canopy in golden beams. Fern-covered trunks tower above her, their bark dark and damp from the night's lingering dew. The scent of moss, pine, and wet earth fills the air.

  Ruby's ears perk at every new sound.

  A flutter of wings-she looks up, eyes wide. A pair of bright blue birds flit from branch to branch, their feathers fshing like bits of sky.

  "Ooooh!" She gasps, craning her neck to watch them. "I bet they're... um... forest-sky-birds!"

  The birds vanish into the leaves, and Ruby giggles to herself.

  She takes a few more steps before something rustles to her left. She freezes mid-step, her ears swiveling towards the sound.

  A bush shivers. Ruby's heart leaps with excitement. Is it a fox? A deer? She wonders. Or maybe-her eyes go wide-a monster?!

  Her hand creeps down towards her belt, not realizing that she forgot to bring a dagger with her. Her eyes open wide in pure panic.

  The bush shakes again while Ruby carefully watches the bush.

  Suddenly, a chubby white rabbit jumps out of the bush. It's eyes widen while staring at her.

  Ruby blinks. "Oh."

  The rabbit bolts, disappearing into the undergrowth. Ruby bursts into ughter, falling onto her back and staring up through the patchwork canopy of leaves.

  "I'm so good at adventuring," she says proudly, still giggling.

  Ruby sits up, brushing stray leaves from her hair, still chuckling from her 'rabbit ambush.' The cool earth beneath her feels soft and damp, and the sunlight dances through the leaves like tiny golden fairies.

  This forest stuff is easy, she thinks, grinning proudly. I already found a wild animal. Adventuring level: expert.

  She pushes herself to her feet, when-

  Rustle.

  Her ears swivel towards the sound again. Just beyond a patch of ferns, a tiny white shape moves.

  Ruby gasps softly, eyes going wide.

  The fluffly little bunny from before peeks out from beneath a bush, its ears twitching. It's fur is snowy white, except for a light brown patch over one eye.

  It's adorable.

  The bunny hops forward, nose wiggling as it sniffs the air.

  Ruby's tail swishes excitedly. "Hiiiiii, little bun-bun," she whispers, dropping into a crouch. "Are you lost?"

  The bunny tilts its head, its round eyes locking onto hers.

  Then it hops away.

  Ruby gasps dramatically. "Wait!"

  Without a second thought, she takes off after it, feet pounding across the forest floor.

  "Come back, fluffy friend!" she calls, giggling as she weaves between trees, dodges low branches and jumps over roots.

  The bunny zigzags through the undergrowth, but Ruby stays close, ughing breathlessly as the world around her becomes a blur of green and brown.

  Suddenly, the bunny vanishes beneath a fallen log.

  Ruby skids to a stop, panting, eyes scanning the area. "Hey! Where'd you go?"

  Silence. Only the distant caw of a bird somewhere overhead.

  She drops to her knees, peeking under the log. No bunny. No sign of it anywhere.

  Huh. She thinks to herself. Ruby stands up slowly, brushing off her knees. The giggles are gone now, repced by a curious frown.

  She turns around.

  Trees.

  She turns again.

  More trees.

  The path is gone. The vilge is gone. Everything looks the same, no matter what way she faces.

  Ruby's tail droops. Her heart skips a beat.

  "...Oops."

  Ruby stands perfectly still, turning in a slow circle as she scans the endless forest around her.

  Okay, No big deal. She thinks to herself.

  Sure, the path's gone. But she's on an adventure, and that means she's an adventurer. Adventures get lost all the time, right?

  She pnts her hands on her hips and nods to herself. "Alright, I just gotta go west." She turns to face what feels like west. It looks west-y enough.

  She licks a finger, and holds it up, like she has seen hunters do. The breeze brushes across her skin, carrying the scent of pine and damp moss. She has no clue what that means, but it feels very official, so she pretends it helps.

  She points confidentiality. "That way! Definitely West."

  With a satisfied nod, she marches forward, her tail swishing with determination.

  Ruby_Foxgirl