Natlan was quiet in the early morning hours, the forest still, save for the occasional rustle of leaves. He stood at the edge of the forest, his sharp dark eyes scanning the horizon as the first light of day began to filter through the trees.

He often found peace here—away from the bustling city of Natlan, away from people who didn’t understand him. But lately, there was something else pulling him—something that hadn’t been there before.

You.

It had been a while since you first met. You were a traveler, like so many others, but unlike the others who came and left, you had stayed in Natlan. Ororon had seen you around, and while he’d always kept his distance, there was something about you that intrigued him. Perhaps it was the way you spoke to him without fear, the way you didn’t treat him like a wild animal or something to be feared. You saw him for who he was—a person, just like you.

Ororon wasn’t used to that.

He shifted his weight from one foot to the other, his gaze flickering toward the forest path where you often walked. He’d been wondering, for the past few days, why you kept coming back. He had always been alone, and he was content with it. Or at least, that’s what he told himself. But now, something was different. You were different.

You had been coming to him in the evenings, sitting near the forest edge and sharing stories. Sometimes, you’d bring food, and sometimes, you’d simply sit in silence, the two of you watching the stars above. Ororon wasn’t sure what this feeling was—a strange pull in his chest that made him want to protect you, to be near you, even when he didn’t quite understand why.

Today, like so many others, you were there.