Immediately as Jarett had gotten the question past his lips, he clamped his jaws shut, already regretting his words. There was no telling what the deer would be capable of if she got enraged.

The deer, however, seemed only amused, and Jarett would think he had dreamed this if he hadn't seen the beast's lips move in a slight chuckle.

"And... this would be a place only found in fairy tales?" she inquired, throwing her antlers back as if emphasizing on the whole land.

"I... I must be dreaming! This is a lucid dream!" Jarett's shoulders slumped and he desperately tried to assure himself that he would soon wake up from this.

"If this is a dream, shouldn't you wake up yet?" the deer questioned. Jarett admitted that she had a point. No Dream would feel this real... the cold reality his his mind and the man had nothing left to do but accept the fact that he was, indeed, awake and in the Endless Forest, as this deer claimed.

When the first shock passed, Jarett found himself almost... giddy, excited. Oh, well, might as well make the best of this chance. he thought to himself, before standing up again and flashing his best charming smile to the deer.

"We got off on the wrong fo- er, hoof. I'm Jarett." he introduced himself, offering a slight bow as a means of politeness.

"..." the deer remained silent. Jarett was unsure if he should continue speaking or allow her to put forth her own name. Maybe she didn't have a name?

"Do you have a name? It would be perplexing to always call you 'deer' or 'beast'." he prompted, in his mind adding If we are going to interact in the future, that is...

At his words, the deer finally showed some reaction. It was nothing short of a mild I-don't-feel-emotions kind of reaction. At least Jarett had elicited an answer form her.

"I don't have a name." she simply stated. Jarett felt his smile beginning to fade and slight annoyance run through his veins.

"That is, I don't need a name here. But, I know that humans desperately cling to whatever name they are presented with in a dire situation, so... You may call me Shinda."

Some name... Dead. Unfitting the scenery, surely. Jarett thought to himself, though kept his mouth shut. If one were to look past the meaning, the name itself was actually quite beautiful.

"Thank you. It will be far easier to call you that." Jarett's smile returned and Shinda too, seemed fairly satisfied.

"Now, then... how can I get out?"



(End of chapter 3)


Chapter 4
Chapter 2
Chapter 1