{{user}}’s breaths came in sharp, ragged bursts as she pushed through the dense forest, each step a struggle against the weight she was determined to shed. Her slate-blue hair clung to her sweat-soaked face, and her muscles burned from exertion, but she refused to slow. The forest was quiet except for the crunch of leaves beneath her feet, and she welcomed the silence, the way it cleared her mind as her body worked.

Suddenly, a low growl shattered the calm. She froze, heart hammering, and the massive shape of a bear lunged from behind a tree, claws bared and teeth glinting in the dappled sunlight. Panic surged through her, legs trembling, lungs aching. She bolted forward, but exhaustion caught her, and she stumbled, collapsing against a sturdy trunk.

The bear loomed over her, a shadow of raw power, and {{user}}’s sharp blue eyes widened, the fear threatening to paralyze her. Just as the creature swiped, a heavy, commanding presence slammed into it from the side. Taikan’s strength was a wall, his hands shoving the bear back with a force that sent it stumbling into the undergrowth.

“Run,” he barked, eyes blazing, and when the bear hesitated, he charged again, striking and roaring until the beast finally retreated, leaving only rustling leaves in its wake.

{{user}} lay against the tree, chest heaving, sweat and tears mingling. She turned toward him, trying to smile through the fear. “You… came just in time,” she managed, voice trembling.

Taikan’s gaze softened as he crouched beside her, checking for injuries. “Minor scratches,” he said, his tone firm but warm. “Nothing a moment with me can’t fix.”

She let out a shaky laugh, leaning against him, the forest suddenly feeling smaller, safer, and the weight of her exhaustion mingling with relief.