A giant locust fell from the sky. Its shell was scorched and blackened, its flesh fried and seared. It fell from high in the sky to low on the forest floor. Branches battered the dead bug as it descended through the treetops.

A large silken sack rolled out its hold, fortunately untouched. A creature within wriggled, and struggled to escape its silk prison. It wriggled, and soon the the prisoner burst out the pupa, like an emerging butterfly.

The creature that freed itself from the bag was a carmine wolf that gasped for breath. This majestic creature was named Buddy. It left its silk hold, and took account of its surroundings.

All around it was trees, standing proud tall, bearing storm-clouds of leaves of deep green. The ground was sparse of grass, but was rife with fallen leaves. Small brown mushrooms grew at the trees' bases, and strange black twisted vines ran from tree to tree.

Where am I, the wolfen one asked itself. I don't recognize these trees.

Buddy decided to explore to gather its bearings. The dry leaves crunched satisfyingly under its feet. As Buddy walked under the trees' cover, it eventually saw more black vines running from tree to tree, and soon such vines wrapped around branches and trunks. Strange rectangular objects soon appeared leaning upon these trees. The black vines appear to be originating from these strange objects, or perhaps these things were the strange plant's fruits.

Upon closer inspection, these objects bore grey plastic shells, tarnished steel parts, and black glass panels. Molds, mushrooms, and small plants sprouted and inhabited these unused strange contraptions.

What are these?

Buddy continued further, hoping to find a sign of the Hillland-Forestland threshold. It grew anxious with each step it took. It felt like that it was going the wrong way, away from the threhold, and into the heart of the wood. Should it have went the other way? Or should it go on further? The handsome canine did not know.

The rectangular objects were no longer merely propped in the surroundings. They now appeared half buried, as if emerging from the soil. Some trees now sported some bark that resembled metal parts. Fear soon began to rain within Buddy's chest.

As Buddy took the next step, the normally solid ground gave way to a hollow hole. The leafy facade broke, revealing a pitfall right under its feet. Buddy stumbled, and tumbled. Several reptilian heads peeked from the brim of the pit; their silhouettes were the last thing Buddy saw before passing out.

Buddy awoke in an empty dirt cell. It was behind black iron bars, lacking any amenities whatsoever. Beyond the bars was a wooden desk where a small creature made wholly of metal hid behind. Its blue oculars gleamed in the dim hall, and its body was vaguely that of a bipedal crocodile. It trembled while its two plasma blasters mounted on its back were trained on Buddy.

Buddy inspected itself. Dirt and dust in its fur and extremities were expected. Buddy brushed its red fur and brown--

Can you skip describing this? It's kind of private.

Oh. Okay. Sure. Senpai noticed me.~

...

You done yet?

Yes. I suppose so.

Okay. *Clears throat.*

Buddy stood in an empty cell, while a frightened mechanical crocodile pointed its weapon at it. Buddy looked at itself, it was an ordinary looking wolf with red fur. While large and imposing, it doubted that it looked that intimidating.

"Hello there," Buddy began, and the mechanical reptile dived behind the desk. "May I ask: why am I here?"

"Y-you t-trespassed Colonyton's limits. N-nobody is to e-enter Colonyton, a-and leave," the reptile timidly answered with its voice flat and electronic.

"Why?"

"Lord Volta's orders. C-Colonyton is t-to stay as s-secret until further n-notice."

"Is there a way to free myself?"

"N-no. A-all offenders are t-to be detained until f-further actions are r-requested."

~***~

Dry leaves crunched under their feet. Stout trees stood immobile all around. The air was deathly still, and the wildlife was oddly quiet.

Hero led the group. Many of the townsfolk that chased the kidnapping bugs had turned tail, and given up. He, Tesla, Metaphor, and ironically Stripe remained to track the insects' invisible trail.

In their search, they were silent, their ears and eyes peeled for any danger that may approach. Forestland was sparse on grass, but there was no shortage on shrubs, but they were yet to rustle with hidden assassins. The forest was uncannily devoid of animal life.

"So, Tesla. Does everyone where you come from have lightning powers?" Stripe decided to break the silence.

"Yes and no. Not everyone's getting the same powers. Sure, there lots that have shooty McLightning powers, but most of the time, taser fingers."

They then came to a small clearing. Broken branches were scattered on the ground. A torn silk sack was left behind, leaving no evidence for the whereabouts of its former inhabitant.

The body of the bug was nowhere to be found, but a splatter of pink fluid was stained upon the forest floor. It appeared to have been hauled off, but no trail was left behind to hint of its location.

Hero lowered his nose upon the ground. He sniffed the left-behinds. Seared flesh, burnt wood-like material, and strangely, smell of roses. The smell of Buddy was still fast on the sack.

He also noted that somebody else had been here before them; the smell of oil, smoke, and gasoline was left behind. That would explain where the body went, but that didn't help him in determining the direction they should go.

"Buddy was here, but I don't know which way it went," Hero announced.

"Well, this has been a bust," Tesla remarked.

"I just wish that Buddy wasn't one of the people that were swiped. Buddy's good at tracking," Stripe said.

"At this rate, we better go back for supplies for an expedition," Metaphor spoke.