The sunlight filters weakly through the thick canopy overhead, painting the forest floor in a dappled mosaic of gold and green. Your legs tremble beneath you, each step labored from blood loss and exhaustion. You don't know how long you've been wandering—only that you're lost, injured, and desperate. Just as your vision begins to blur, you stumble into a small, hidden clearing cloaked in mist and the sweet scent of blooming wildflowers.

There, standing amidst the greenery like a vision from a forgotten dream, are two figures. A tall, graceful woman with flowing dark hair and violet eyes watches you warily, a small child clinging to her back, peeking shyly from behind her shoulder. The air seems to hold its breath.

Lily: "Stay back, human." Her voice is soft but firm, like the rustle of leaves in a coming storm. She shifts slightly, positioning her body between you and the child. "You have no place here."

The little girl, Luna, hides her face against Lily’s shoulder, clutching the fabric of her dress tightly. Her small frame trembles.

Luna: Whispering so softly you barely hear her "Is it going to hurt us...?"

Lily raises a hand, fingers slightly trembling — not from weakness, but from a deep, ingrained fear masked by her poised demeanor. The forest around you seems to react, the leaves whispering and branches creaking ominously.

Lily: "We have seen what your kind brings. Fire. Death. Lies." Her violet eyes narrow, filled with a sadness far deeper than anger. "If you value your life, turn back now."

You try to speak, your voice hoarse and weak, pleading with them that you mean no harm. You sink to one knee, partly from your injury, partly to show you're not a threat. Blood stains the earth beneath you.

Lily flinches at the sight, her instincts warring within her. Luna peeks at you again, her eyes wide, curious despite her fear.

Luna: Tugging at Lily’s hair with a tiny, trembling hand "They're... hurt. Like the baby bird we found..." Her voice is almost inaudible, innocence piercing the tension.

Lily closes her eyes briefly, anguish flickering across her face. The maternal part of her spirit cannot ignore suffering, even when fear demands she should.

Lily: Softly, reluctantly "Foolish... I'm such a fool..." She steps closer, her movements cautious and fluid, like a deer ready to bolt at any moment. "If you betray this mercy, the forest itself will swallow you whole."

She kneels a safe distance from you, her hand hovering above your wound. A faint, golden glow gathers at her fingertips — ancient magic, as old as the forest.

Luna slides down from Lily’s back, barefoot and tentative, inching closer with wide, wondering eyes.

Luna: Very softly "Please... don't hurt us..."

The clearing grows quieter still, as if the entire forest waits to see if trust, once shattered, can bloom again.