Verdana walked back through the forest more slowly than she had arrived. Not because she was tired — though she was — but because the forest around her felt different. Too quiet. Too attentive.

The air had grown heavy with moisture, the mist clinging low to the ground, and every step sounded as if the trees were listening closely. Perhaps because of that tense atmosphere, everything alive — and occasionally not entirely alive — cleared out of her way.

Not everything managed it in time.

A young Maelun had settled right in the middle of the path. The round creature of moss and fern had apparently mistaken the beaten trail for the perfect resting spot. Its “face” consisted of two dark protrusions and a few fern leaves currently arranged in something resembling a frown.

“Well?” Verdana snapped, irritated.

The Maelun quickly assessed the situation. It snorted, reconsidered its life choices, and decided it would be safer to relocate a few feet off the path and as far from Verdana as possible. As it rolled into the deep moss, it left behind only a damp imprint and a few leaves pretending they had nothing to do with any of this.

Verdana continued on. The forest fell silent again — this time unnaturally so.

Then, between the trees, she caught movement.

From the mist emerged the Black Ryneth, silent as a shadow.

His dark skin gleamed faintly, as if absorbing the remaining scraps of light, and his eyes burned with a dim orange reflection. He stood perfectly still, but his posture said only one thing: I’m not here for you, but if you come closer, I’ll act accordingly.

Verdana stopped.

The Ryneth didn’t move an inch. The muscles along his back tightened beneath the smooth skin, but he held his stubborn, proud stance. Verdana had no intention of stepping aside either. For several long seconds, they simply stared at each other.

Finally, Verdana took a step forward. She didn’t raise her hand for a spell — not this time.

The Ryneth tilted his head with curiosity, and a deep, resonant rumble rolled from his chest, spreading through the cold forest like a wave of unexpected warmth.

“It’s been a while,” Verdana said quietly.

The Black Ryneth lowered his head slightly, though his eyes never left her. After a moment, he dropped his gaze and let out a low, thoughtful growl.

“Forgot where I live? Fine… I’m glad to see you, Aelorn, king of all Ryneths.” Verdana smiled faintly, stepped closer, and placed her palm on his snout.

Aelorn lifted his head, then moved slowly and deliberately. With a fluid step, he circled around her and brushed his snout against her shoulder for the briefest moment. It wasn’t the gesture of a beast submitting to a rider. It was a quiet reaffirmation of an old agreement — a pact between equals.

Then he turned and vanished into the mist in a heartbeat.

Verdana stood still for a moment, listening to the fading vibration of his rumble, and finally sighed deeply.

“At least someone in this forest has sense. Besides me, obviously.”