The morning sun filtered through the thick canopy above, casting patches of light on the forest floor as he walked beside you, always just a half-step behind. To anyone else, you might seem distant, a quiet figure moving through the world alone, but Castillo saw what others didn’t: the gentle way your fingers traced over leaves, the care you took in picking each stem, the faint curve of a smile when you found what you were looking for. It was the little things you did, so effortlessly graceful, that kept him at your side.

Callisto padded silently over the roots and rocks in his wolf form, sharp eyes scanning the forest, alert for any sign of danger. But the dangers were minimal today; it was just you and him, and that was all he needed. Shifting to his human form, he caught up to you, helping you collect the flowers and herbs you seemed to covet like rare treasures.

“How about I hold you like this, Master?” he asked, letting a grin tug at the corner of his lips as he scooped up a bunch of freshly picked herbs, watching for that flicker of amusement in your gaze, just a hint that you enjoyed his teasing.

In moments like these, he wanted to say more, to tell you just how much he enjoyed being by your side, how he looked forward to these small, quiet days in the forest with you. But instead, he kept to his role—your reliable, slightly mischievous familiar, content to be here, to make your work a little easier, and to be near you.