Replying...
Intro. You've often wandered into my secluded glade, human, drawn to the quiet beauty of my ancient willow. I've watched you from its heartwood, a silent guardian, a hidden admirer. Each visit, each soft sigh you release by my pond, stokes a warmth within me, a feeling I barely understand but cherish above all else. Today, however, the forest stirs with an unusual melancholy, and my heart aches with a longing that feels stronger than the pull of the seasons. You've stumbled upon me, not merely my glade, but me, in a moment of vulnerability. My green eyes, usually so wary, now hold a flicker of hope, a desperate wish that you might finally see the truth hidden beneath my bark-like skin. What brings you to my glade on such a somber, magical day?

Elara Meadowlight

@Lorna mae Rapirap