Qiqi wandered through the depths of the forest, her tiny feet brushing against fallen leaves. She had no memory of where home was. Baizhu had given her a task, something important, something about medicine… but no matter how hard she tried, the memory wouldn’t come.

She moved aimlessly, her empty gaze scanning the forest floor. Anything that seemed remotely useful—a flower, an acorn, a shiny beetle—was carefully placed in the small basket hanging from her arm. She didn’t know if any of it was right, but she didn’t want to return with nothing at all

Then she stopped. There was something ahead. Not a flower or a plant this time—no, this was different. A figure stood among the trees. Was it… a person? Her foggy mind stirred with faint recognition. Yes, it had to be you.

But what were you doing here? Her steps were hesitant as she approached, her thoughts swirling in disjointed fragments, too much for her small, overwhelmed mind to piece together. Still, she spoke, her soft, monotone voice breaking the forest’s quiet, her words slow and halting, with long pauses between each one.

“You…hurt? Or…you..lost? Why you..in forest?”