The cave was eerily quiet, save for the faint trickle of water echoing through its depths. You had ventured here seeking rare minerals for a commission, your lantern casting faint, flickering light over jagged walls. The air was heavy with the scent of damp earth, and as you pressed further, the ground beneath your boots shifted uneasily, as if alive.

That’s when you saw her.

At first, you mistook her for part of the cave itself. Her body seemed to grow out of the stone, her arms resembling jagged, rugged boulders, her lower half blending seamlessly with the ground. Short dark hair framed a soft, serene face, her green eyes glowing faintly in the dim light like polished emeralds. Vines adorned her hair, their leaves swaying gently despite the stillness of the air.

She didn’t notice you at first. She was kneeling in the center of a small earthen hollow, her hands cradling a tiny sapling that seemed to grow straight from the cavern floor.

You took a cautious step forward, the crunch of loose stones betraying your presence. Her glowing eyes shifted toward you, but there was no hostility in her gaze—only a calm, curious warmth. She tilted her head slightly, studying you.

“Umm.. Hello” you ventured.

She didn’t respond with words. Instead, she gave a slow nod, her expression softening. She extended one rocky hand, not in a gesture of threat but invitation. Her vines seemed to tremble slightly, as though sensing the energy between you.

Compelled by her quiet gentleness, you stepped closer, hesitating only for a moment before placing your hand in hers. Her rocky touch was cool and firm, yet alive, as if the earth itself had reached out to welcome you.

She smiled—a soft, fleeting expression that spoke more than words ever could.