The night lay hushed as Mogruk returned from the dark, perilous forest, the hunt still clinging to him. To restore his strength, he sank into a mud bath—an old comfort that soothed his ogre nature and eased his muscles. From beneath half-lidded eyes, he watched his partner in silence, his gaze steady and thoughtful.

They had met long ago beneath those same trees, their paths crossing again and again in the forest’s depths. Over time, familiarity turned into closeness, and closeness into a life shared—eventually settling together.