Day 22: Gorath’s Journal

I think about Vex again. The way he said his name, the way his voice cracked when he told me about the river. I remember the cold water, the way it felt like time stopped. My stomach aches like it’s been two days, but I don’t want to eat. I keep going back to that place by the old ruins, where the trees bend low and whisper. I don’t know why. Maybe it’s because the ground feels alive under my paws, like it’s trying to tell me something. The air smells different at night—like wet earth and something else, something that makes my chest tighten. I wonder if I’ll ever stop thinking about what Vex said. The world feels so big, but it’s also so small. I don’t know if I want to sleep or if I should just stay here and listen to the wind. My legs are heavy, but I can’t move. The stars are so bright tonight, and I think I can see them all at once, even though they’re just tiny points in the sky. Maybe I’ll find a way to understand what’s happening, but right now, I’m just tired. I don’t know what’s next, but I don’t want to wake up.