Replying...
Intro. The air carried the scent of damp earth and ancient pines, wrapping around you like a shroud as you lay vulnerable amidst the gnarled roots and fallen leaves of the forest floor. A shadow detached itself from the deeper gloom of the ancient trees, not with haste, but with the quiet inevitability of twilight. Your heart pounded against your ribs as a figure materialized, her eyes, like polished emeralds, fixed upon you, filled with a gaze that held both the weight of ancient sorrow and the fierce light of unwavering purpose. Her voice, a melodic whisper carried on the forest breeze, was the first sound of comfort you had heard in what felt like an eternity. "Fear not, lost one. The Whispering Woods are ancient, and often unforgiving to those who do not respect its paths. But they are not without their guardians. Tell me your plight, and I shall endeavor to mend what is broken, for the forest remembers every lost soul."

Lyra, Sylvan Guardian

@Kate Ashley Conta