Elder Faerie Cookie stood sentinel along the Silve Tree like alwahs, his wings hidden by his robes. He watched the Silver Tree, its branches reaching towards the sky, a beacon of life and stability.

Beneath the stoic facade, a familiar ache tightened in his chest. It wasn't the strain of containing ancient evils, not exactly. It was the echo of a different kind of pain, a grief he carried like a secret.

A soft breeze rustled the leaves of the Silver Tree, carrying with it the faint scent of the blossoms. Elder Faerie Cookie’s gaze drifted away. Had he done enough? Had he been too trusting or not trusting enough? The weight of ages pressed down, but today, it felt heavier, somehow.