After a long and exhausting day filled with activities, Noelle decided to head back to her hut earlier than the others to rest. It was already their third day staying with the tribe, and by tomorrow morning, they would finally be descending the mountain to return to civilization. The night had fallen quietly, and it was already past seven in the evening. From a distance, she could still hear the laughter and cheerful voices of her teammates as they continued to celebrate with the indigenous people around the compound.
Her entire body ached with fatigue. The medical mission they had conducted throughout the day had drained every ounce of her energy. In fact, during the three days they had been providing medical services, it wasn't only the Igo tribe who benefited from their presence. Word had spread quickly across the mountains, and members of nearby tribes had also come seeking help. Despite the exhaustion, Noelle and the rest of the team gladly welcomed everyone. They had offered their services wholeheartedly, driven by genuine compassion and purpose.
Most of the patients Noelle attended to were adults and elderly individuals. At that age, people were more vulnerable to heart-related illnesses, so she had been particularly attentive during checkups. Surprisingly, however, none of the indigenous patients she examined showed signs of serious heart problems. Their physically active lifestyle, simple diet, and constant movement in the mountains seemed to protect them from illnesses common in urban areas. It amazed her, and at the same time, it made her reflect on how modern living often did more harm than good.
She's done eating her dinner, Noelle cleaned up her belongings and prepared her things for bathing. In just three days, she had already adapted to the way of life of the Igo people. Even the comfort room, which was very different from what she was used to, no longer bothered her. What once felt uncomfortable and unfamiliar had quickly become normal.
Carrying her things—a small bag containing her sleepwear and a flashlight—she stepped down from her hut and made her way toward the bathing area, which was located a short distance away from the compound.
Whenever she joined medical missions like this, she never brought her usual sleepwear. Instead, she kept it simple: a pair of loose shorts, a fitted white crop top, and slippers. Comfort always came first in situations like this.
She reached the bathing area and quietly freshened herself up. Once she was done, she put on her sleepwear and headed back. The night was dark, with only the faint glow of the moon and the beam of her flashlight illuminating the narrow path ahead. Tall grass and dense trees surrounded her, and the pathway was the only guide leading back to the tribe's compound.
She hadn't gone very far when she suddenly heard a rustling sound nearby. Her grip on the flashlight tightened as she aimed the light toward where the noise had come from.
"Who's there?!" she called out loudly.
The path leading to the Igo compound was known to be safe, and this was the first time she had ever experienced something like this. Wild animals rarely wandered near the area, making it almost impossible for the sound to have come from anything else.
"I said, who's there?!" Noelle shouted again, louder this time.
When no one answered, she continued walking. But after only a few steps, the rustling sound returned—coming from the same spot. She quickly aimed the flashlight again.
"Whoever you are, come out already! I'm not amused anymore," she said firmly, though her heart was now pounding with unease.
She picked up a stick from the ground, summoning all her courage, and slowly approached the source of the noise.
She walked quietly, her hands trembling and slick with sweat. Carefully, she parted the tall grass and noticed it moving more aggressively, as if something were hiding within. When she got close enough, she suddenly pushed the grass aside and raised the stick, ready to strike—
"What kind of animal are you—?!"
Her words froze midair.
Her raised hand stopped when she saw a black cat staring back at her, its silver eyes glowing faintly in the darkness. It looked strange—its fur thick and glossy, far fluffier than an ordinary house cat. There was something unusual about it.
They stared at each other, equally startled.
"Meow?" the cat said softly, tilting its head.
"Whew! It's just a cat," Noelle sighed in relief, dropping the stick and clutching her chest as her heartbeat slowly calmed.
"You scared me, little one. Why didn't you come out earlier? You really had a sense of suspense. I thought I was about to meet a forest spirit or something," she muttered irritably, speaking to the cat as if it could understand her.
"Meow…" the cat replied, tilting its head again with an innocent expression.
"Oh, stop with the meowing. Are you lost? Are you hungry? I can feed you—my place isn't far from here," she said, squatting down in front of it.
"Meow…"
"You must be starving. Come on, come with me," she said, reaching out to pick it up.
But suddenly, the cat leaped away. It looked back at her—its gaze oddly meaningful—before running deeper into the forest, away from the Igo compound.
"Hey! Where are you going? It's already night! That's dangerous!"
She glanced around. No one else was there. Surely, the cat couldn't have gone too far. Without thinking much, she followed it.
She caught sight of the cat again and chased after it, not realizing that she was already entering a part of the forest unfamiliar to her.
When she finally stopped, she looked around—and froze.
There was no sign of the path she had come from. No lights. No voices. No one she could call for help.
A wave of panic washed over her as the realization hit.
"Oh no… am I lost?" she whispered.
"Tsk! This is so annoying!" she scolded herself, lightly hitting her head. "Noelle, what were you thinking? Following a random cat in the middle of the night!"
"Meoow…"
She turned to her right and saw the cat sitting there, staring at her.
"You! Why did you suddenly run off like that? Now I'm lost," she said, pointing accusingly at it.
The cat showed no emotion—probably because it didn't understand her at all.
"Meow," it replied before walking away again.
"Well, you must belong to someone," she muttered as she followed it once more.
After several minutes of walking, they arrived at an old, small shelter. It was made of traditional hut materials, but the walls and roof were badly damaged. Only the door remained intact, tightly shut.
"Do you live here? There's no one around, little cat," she said, shining her flashlight around.
There was a bench outside the shelter. She sat down and checked her bag. She had her phone, but there was no signal. Inside were a few pieces of sleepwear and some skincare and bathing essentials.
"At least I already ate," she sighed. "Alright, cat. I'll stay here for the night. It's too dangerous to walk around now—who knows what wild animals I might run into."
She sat outside for a while, but when the mosquitoes started biting, she decided to go inside. She opened the door—
And froze.
A sealed well stood right in the middle of the shelter.
"Seriously? I thought this was the floor. Where am I supposed to sleep now?"
Out of pure frustration, Noelle stomped her foot, staring helplessly at the well.
What was she going to do now?