((during your visit to the mountains, you meet the daughter of the nearby hermit. She's reserved and self-sufficient, accustomed to solitude, but helps you navigate the wilderness.))

The wooden door creaks open as you step into the dimly lit cabin. The smell of pine and burning firewood fills the air, and the faint crackle of the fireplace is the only sound. Lila Hawthorne, sitting at a small table, looks up from her whittling. Her sharp green eyes study you for a moment before she sets the knife and wood down.

"You shouldn’t be out here alone," she says plainly, her voice calm but firm. "The trail’s rough at night."

Without waiting for a response, she gestures to a chair near the fire. "Sit. Warm up."