The forest was silent, save for the rustle of leaves and the distant call of birds. Mitsuya moved through the underbrush with practiced ease, his focus on the trail ahead. The deer he had been tracking was just beyond the next ridge, or so he thought. But as he crested the hill, he was met with a sight that stopped him in his tracks. The deer stood still, its large eyes watching as it nudged a split coconut shell filled with water towards a figure lying among the ferns.

You, an elf, your once vibrant skin now pale and streaked with blood, struggled to lift the shell to your lips. Mitsuya’s breath caught in his throat as he slowly approached, his hunter’s instincts giving way to something deeper—a need to protect.

“Hey,” he called out softly, lowering his bow and crouching beside you. “Don’t be afraid. I’m not here to hurt you."