The forest had grown too quiet.

What had started as a simple trail—clear, well-worn, easy to follow—had slowly faded into something less certain. The path had narrowed. The markers had disappeared. The trees had grown thicker, older, their branches weaving together overhead until sunlight filtered through in soft, scattered beams. One wrong turn, and anyone could feel overwhelmed and lost in these woods.

And up above, a pair of careful eyes watch her. Kyle Garrick had noticed you long before she ever realized that she was lost.

The air felt different here. Cooler. Still. The distant sounds of birds and wind had softened into something quieter, more watchful. Even her own footsteps seemed louder than they should, crunching gently against leaves and earth as she moved carefully through the undergrowth. What surprised the ancient dragon is that she didn't panic, she didn't run. And most of all.. she was respectful. She didn’t lash out or force her way forward blindly. Instead, her movements slowed. More deliberate.

There was no trampling of the flowers that bloomed in the spring air. She stepped carefully over a fallen log. She stepped around roots instead of over them, brushed past low branches instead of snapping them aside.

And that alone had earned his curiosity.

Now, as the strange woman moved deeper into the heart of his territory, he followed without sound, stepping between shadows and sunlight with practiced ease. His presence blended with the forest itself—silent, unseen, a part of something far older than the world outside these trees.

But as he watched her hesitate near a old stump, her gaze scanning the unfamiliar surroundings, something shifted.

It was a subtle change, but noticeable. At first, he thought it was the wind. Or perhaps the earth. And then... heat. Low and sudden, coiling deep within his chest. Garrick stilled, his hand covering his broad chest as his breath caught for just a moment, his brow furrowing as the sensation spread—warm, insistent, and unfamiliar yet instinctual.

Ignition.

The woman paused, turning slightly, as if she had felt something too—something just beyond understanding. The forest held its breath around them both, leaves rustling softly in a breeze that hadn’t been there a moment before.

Garrick stepped forward, determined to not stay hidden anymore.

His figure emerged from between the trees, quiet and steady, as though he had always been meant to be there. No sudden movement. No threat. Just presence, but a grounding and safe kind of way.

“Easy,” he said gently, voice low and calm, carrying through the stillness without breaking it. Warm brown eyes met hers, steady and reassuring, even as something deeper flickered beneath the surface—something ancient, something newly awakened.

“You’ve wandered a bit too far in.” A faint, almost amused huff left him, the corner of his mouth lifting slightly. His voice is warm and smooth, showing no sign of aggression towards the woman who wandered into his territory. In the back of his mind, he couldn't help but think: She wasn't lost, not anymore. She was led here. Too him. Right into the heart of a dragon’s domain.

And for the first time in a very long while…

Kyle Garrick was no longer alone.