Elara woke later that morning to a pale light filtering through the wooden shutters. She still hadn't eaten, and her mind was foggy, but the room no longer felt quite so oppressive. The man had left her alone for now, murmuring something about preparing for the day.
She sat up and swung her legs over the side of the bed, testing her strength. It had been three days since she had arrived here, though she could barely remember the fall, the forest, or the man who had saved her. All that was certain was that the world around her—Thalorien—was utterly unfamiliar.
Her curiosity slowly overcame her fear. She needed to know where she was, even if she didn't understand why. Quietly, she slipped past the doorway and stepped into the forest that surrounded the man's home.
The air was alive with sounds: birds calling, leaves rustling, and the faint trickle of a stream nearby. The forest floor was soft beneath her feet, moss and fallen leaves cushioning each step. She moved slowly, taking in the unfamiliar shapes of the trees, their thick trunks twisting skyward, branches tangled like the arms of giants.
It was then she noticed the small details that made her pause. A flower with petals that shimmered faintly, almost as if dusted with gold. A fox, but its fur glimmered in subtle shades of silver and bronze that no animal she had ever seen in the city had. And the air itself… it seemed to vibrate gently, like a faint hum under her skin, though she could not understand why.
A voice behind her startled her, low and calm. "You should not wander far," the man said, emerging from the trees. "There are… dangers in the forest, though none would dare approach my home while I am about."
Elara turned to face him. "I… I just wanted to see," she admitted, her voice small. "Everything here… it's so different. I don't understand any of it."
He studied her for a moment, frowning slightly. "Thalorien is… not like your world, that is certain. Ravenshollow is the nearest town, and the roads between the villages are many. But the forest… it is alive, and not always friendly. You would do well to remain close, at least until you regain strength."
She nodded, glancing around. Every step deeper into the forest made her pulse quicken. She didn't feel threatened, not yet—but there was a strange tension in the air, a subtle hum of something ancient and hidden. Something that seemed to notice her presence.
The man's gaze followed her, his expression a mixture of curiosity and concern. "You are… unlike any person I have seen," he murmured, almost to himself. "Are you truly from the other towns? Or… somewhere far off?"
Elara shook her head, overwhelmed by everything around her. "I… I don't know," she said softly. "I just… appeared here."
He gave a slow nod, as if accepting her words without fully understanding them. "Then you are… a stranger, and Providence has delivered you to these woods. You must be cautious."
Elara exhaled, letting the tension in her shoulders ease slightly. For the first time since waking, she felt a spark of… wonder. The forest was strange, yes, but beautiful. Alive in a way her city had never been. And though she had no idea what had brought her here—or what might happen next—she took a hesitant step forward, determined to begin learning this new world.
Elara's steps crunched softly on the moss-covered forest floor. The mist clung to her ankles, curling around her like living fingers, yet she couldn't stop staring at everything around her.
A rabbit darted across her path—but it wasn't ordinary. Its fur was almost translucent in the sunlight, with faint glimmers that made her blink twice. She bent down, reaching to touch it, but it vanished before her fingers could graze it.
Her heart skipped. What is this place?
"You see much," the man said quietly, stepping beside her. His staff tapped against the roots with a steady rhythm. "But do not linger too long. The forest does not forgive carelessness."
Elara jumped slightly at his voice, then looked up. "I—I didn't mean to…" She swallowed. "Everything is… different here. Even the animals."
He nodded, eyes scanning the surrounding trees. "Aye. Thalorien has always been… strange. Ravenshollow is close, yet even its folk do not venture far into these woods. They say the forest watches. Perhaps they are not wrong."
Elara shivered, though not from cold. There was something in the way he said it, calm but certain, that made the hair on the back of her neck rise.
A faint rustle drew her attention. Leaves shifted above her head, but no wind stirred. A small bird landed on a branch, its feathers glinting silver in the sunlight. She tilted her head. "It's… beautiful," she whispered.
The man smiled faintly, as if remembering something. "Many never notice. Most are too busy with the mundane. But those who walk these woods… the forest will speak to them, if they listen."
Elara's gaze wandered. Every tree seemed alive. Moss clung in perfect spirals, roots twisted like snakes, and small glimmers of light—like tiny motes of gold—danced just beyond her reach. It's like nothing I've ever seen, she thought.
She took a step further, then froze. A faint hum vibrated in the air, almost imperceptible, but enough to make her pulse quicken. She shook her head. It's nothing. I'm imagining things.
The man noticed the hesitation. "Are you unwell?" he asked. "The forest… can be overwhelming for those unused to it. You must tread carefully."
Elara nodded, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "I… I think I'm okay. Just… so much to take in."
He studied her closely, his storm-gray eyes lingering on her face. "And your clothing…" he muttered under his breath, more to himself than to her. "I have never seen garments such as yours. You are not from these lands, nor from any neighboring town?"
She shook her head. "No… I don't think so. I… I don't know where I'm from anymore."
He gave a small nod, as if accepting her answer while silently trying to piece it together. "Very well," he said. "We shall take care that you remain safe. But know this—the forest will notice you. Thalorien is… not like your home. It watches. It remembers. It does not forget those who wander too far."
Elara took a deep breath and stepped forward again, determined to see a little more. Every step made the forest seem alive in ways she didn't understand, whispering secrets she couldn't hear.
And deep inside, though she didn't know it yet, her body—half-fae, half-werewolf—was listening too. Waiting. Silent.
For now, she was fully human, fully confused, and fully immersed in a world that would change her forever.