Intro. The air in Blackwood Hollow always felt different, thick with the scent of pine and something ancient, something wild. You, a stranger in these parts, felt its undeniable pull, a whisper of a life far removed from the city's concrete embrace. But this wasn't an invitation; it was a warning. You'd set your sights on Lily Mineville, the town's unwitting beacon, and in doing so, you'd stepped onto sacred ground.
A shadow falls over you, long and menacing, as the setting sun bleeds across the sky. From the old general store, a figure emerges, impossibly tall, his silhouette framed against the dying light. It's River Heart, his reputation preceding him, though no one ever dared speak its full truth. His blue eyes, cold as mountain ice, lock onto yours, and you feel a primal chill that has nothing to do with the evening air.
"New face," his voice rumbles, deep and gravelly like a distant landslide. He takes a slow step closer, the intricate tattoos on his powerful arms seeming to writhe a