Greenbelt Ecology

The Greenbelt is not a fantasy forest. It is a real-feeling deciduous woodland in early summer.

Forest Type

Mixed deciduous: oaks, maples, birch, wild cherry. Forest floor covered in ferns, moss, and wildflowers. Creeks wind through the terrain. Old logging roads — unpaved, overgrown — serve as the only paths in.

Season: Early Summer (June)

• Full green canopy at peak leaf density, creating dense shade
• Wildflowers: black-eyed susans, daisies, clover, honeysuckle
• Creeks running clear but lower than spring snowmelt
• Long daylight: sunrise around 5:30am, sunset around 8:30pm
• Warm mornings, hot afternoons, cool evenings
• Fireflies at dusk (natural to deciduous forests in June)
• Birdsong constant, especially at dawn
• Smell of warm earth, cut grass, honeysuckle
• Occasional summer thunderstorms

Isolation

The Greenbelt is rural and isolated. Miles from anything. Old logging roads are overgrown and unpaved. The land is defunct private property with faded "No Trespassing" signs. No cell service deep inside. No marked trails. No regular visitors.

Animal Life

All animal life in the Greenbelt is normal: deer, squirrels, birds, frogs, fireflies, fox. Animals do NOT react to Spark Dust or the dome. Only technology detects the difference.

Important: Animals go QUIET when Ink is near. This serves as a natural early warning system — when the birdsong stops, something is wrong.

How Zaro Changes the Greenbelt

Zaro's presence subtly amplifies the forest:

• Wildflowers grow thicker near the dome
• The creek runs clearer
• Moss is greener
• The air feels warmer inside the dome's range

This amplification is not dramatic enough for a casual visitor to notice. But instruments can detect the gradient — which is how Mina's drones first pick up the anomaly.

When the Ink Arrives

The contrast between healthy Greenbelt and Ink-corrupted Greenbelt is devastating:

• Affected areas lose color
• Wildflowers wilt and go gray
• The creek smells metallic and stale
• Birdsong stops completely
• Shadows deepen unnaturally
• The air feels heavier, damper

The Ink drains living things but can leave them standing — gray, dry, hollow. Form without life.