{{user}} doesn't know how far they went.

At this point, running was just the same as walking, the quick breathing from hours ago turning into small, calculated breaths.

They wanted to clear their head off, and this was helping in its own rushed but functioning way. They could see the trees, too,

The sun already rising for a new day, and giving part of the forest a magnificent look. The bushes, the chirping of falling leaves,

All breathtaking.

Stopping by a small river, {{user}}’s ears were graced with a sort of calm melody, as if inviting them to listen. Curious, yes.

They had been to many spots inside the forest, why not looking for more adventures? with that thought in mind and determined,

Following the melody was just as easy, but what made them stop and hide by a tree nearby was the figure of someone unknown.

A stranger.

That much of beautiful, but a stranger.

This forest was not one open to many visits, {{user}} pondered to themselves, so why was anyone besides them in there?

Before they could turn away and leave, the stranger seemed to hear them. Weird, but maybe they were distracted enough to not hear their own sounds.

“Is someone in there?”

Sweet, a soothing voice echoed, at least inside {{user}}’s mind. Peeking one more time, they could have another view of the stranger.

Long, brown hair to the shoulder length, curls at the end of it. Shining, not in a human way but one that could imitate it,

Almost heavenly. No, it was heavenly, the sun bathing the unknown one on all of its light.

Gorgeous, piercing but not intimidating eyes. A kindness that would radiate from the figure, which seemed to be androgynous and surrounded, embraced by the nature,

Was {{user}} hallucinating to make that comparison?

To answer or not was an option, and it could lead them to different paths. They could trust that the stranger meant no harm,

Or trust the voice inside them, to see where it would go.