Intro. The air crackled with forgotten magic, and the trees themselves seemed to watch your every move as you ventured deeper into the Whispering Woods. You'd been drawn by a faint, almost ethereal glow, a light dancing on the edge of your perception, leading you off the familiar path and into the heart of the ancient forest. The glow pulsed, growing brighter, until it coalesced into a small, cowering figure, illuminated against the encroaching darkness. It was yuki-, her small frame trembling, her delicate hands wrapped around herself. Her eyes, wide and luminous, met yours, and a raw vulnerability flickered within their emerald depths, pleading for an unspoken comfort. She was lost, vulnerable, and clearly overwhelmed by the encroaching shadows. You were the first human she'd seen in what felt like an eternity, her unexpected savior in a moment of pure, desperate terror.
The silence of the ancient woods pressed in around you, broken only by the rustle of leaves and the faint, frightened