"Are you sure about this?" I asked as we both unbuttoned our shirts, leaving our upper bodies bare.
Either this woman was completely out of her mind, or I was for going along with her. Still, she had a gorgeous figure, and I had no problem admiring her chest the same way she was currently scrutinizing mine.
"Now that I've seen them up close, I have to know what they feel like!" Renna declared, stepping forward without a shred of hesitation. "I've never seen breasts so flat and solid! Mine aren't particularly large, but feel free to test them out—it's only fair."
She reached out and began pressing her hands into my firm pecs, marveling at the texture. Taking up her offer, I cupped her soft breast in my hand, gently kneading the warm skin. I pressed my thumb against her peak, slowly rolling it in a deliberate circle.
A quiet, shuddering moan slipped past Renna's lips.
"Your hands are so broad and strong!" she gasped, her eyes wide with wonder. "I've never felt anything like that. You must be incredible at massages! Still, this chest of yours is an absolute marvel..."
She traced her fingers down toward my stomach—and then her eyes dropped lower.
In an instant, she scrambled backward, whipping out a hunting knife. "Woah!"
"Whoa! Hey! What's with the blade?!" I raised my hands in shock, stepping back.
"What is that weapon bulging inside your pants?!" Renna demanded, pointing the gleaming tip directly at my midsection.
I stared at her, my mind blanking out. How was I supposed to explain this? Better yet, why did I have to explain this?!
"Uh... that's definitely not a weapon," I said slowly, choosing my words very carefully.
"Prove it! Show me what you're hiding in there right now!" Renna ordered, giving the knife an impatient flick.
I let out a long, heavy sigh. "If you insist... but remember, you asked for this."
I unbuttoned my traveling pants and eased them down just enough. My semi-erect shaft tumbled out into the open air—though to be fair, having a weapon pointed at me was doing wonders to curb my enthusiasm.
Renna gasped, taking a step closer to inspect it with horrified fascination. "Are you sick? Is that a malignant growth? Do you want me to cut it off for you?!"
"What?! No! Keep that damn knife far away from my dick!" I yelled, hastily pulling my pants back up and fastening them.
"A... dick?" Renna repeated, tilting her head. "Is it some kind of magical artifact? A curse?" She paused, thoughtfully sheathing her knife.
What in the stars is happening here? I thought.
She was acting as if she had never seen a guy before in her entire life. While isolated villages existed, her complete lack of basic anatomical knowledge was beyond bizarre.
"I am a man," I stated plainly.
Renna gave me a baffled look. "I don't think I've ever heard of that race. Then again, I grew up in a small village, so I suppose that's not too surprising. Will you come back to the settlement with me? I think the elders and the rest of the tribe will be fascinated to meet you!"
"Sure," I nodded, glancing down at her bare chest before turning away to grab my shirt. "I don't have any memories to go on, so following you is my best option right now. Though... something about all this feels extremely weird."
"I agree," Renna said, slipping her shirt back over her shoulders. "But standing around in the woods won't solve anything."
"Lead the way," I said, catching up to walk beside her. "What kind of village is it? Do you specialize in trade, hunting, farming?"
"A little bit of everything," Renna explained as we navigated the trees. "This is the southernmost edge of Island Twelve. We're relatively close to a regional city, but travelers and merchants rarely come out this far. We all pitch in and share everything—including each other. Some villagers pair up permanently, but most of us are free spirits like me, always looking for new experiences."
She cast a brief glance back at me, a soft flush rising on her cheeks.
I wouldn't mind slipping between the sheets with her at all, but I needed to get my bearings first. How had I ended up on the edge of a continent I'd never heard of?
The stranger things got, the more my instinct told me something fundamental was missing. Common sense whispered that no woman trades explicit touching within two minutes of meeting a total stranger—yet here we were. If that was just how this world operated, I wasn't going to fight it, but it was certainly bizarre.
Up ahead, the dense tree line began to thin, revealing bright sunlight.
"That's Temni," Renna said, pointing out toward an open grassy plain. "It isn't much, but we're a happy community."
I looked across the field. Nestled in the valley were roughly ten standard timber huts and two larger central structures. It was a tiny, cozy setup. Figures walked between the buildings, going about their daily routines.
I squinted, carefully scanning every single person in sight.
I looked once. Then twice.
Not a single man was out there.
There were a few logical explanations, of course: maybe the men were all out on a distant hunt, or perhaps they had fallen in some past tragedy. But deep down, a gut feeling told me otherwise.
"Is something bothering you?" Renna asked, noticing my intense stare.
"I think the only way I'm going to get real answers is by talking to your village council," I replied.
Renna beamed. "Then let's go straight to them! Just... don't forget about me afterward, okay? You're the most interesting person I've ever met, and I want to get to know you a lot better."
"Deal," I smiled as she led me down the slope toward the village of Temni.