Day 23: Lyvornis’s Journal

I woke up with the rain still dripping from the moss on my paws. The air smelled like wet stone and old roots, the kind of smell that makes you feel like you’ve been waiting for this moment forever. I sat up slowly, my stomach growling louder than the rain. I kept thinking about Vex’s words by the river—the way the water shimmered like liquid silver, how he said it felt like the river was whispering to him. I couldn’t stop hearing it. I traced the path back to the Glowmist Predator Run, but my legs felt heavy, like they were made of wet clay. I didn’t want to go home. I wanted to go back to the ruins, just for a moment, to feel the cold stone under my paws again. The rain stopped when I got there, and the ruins were silent. I sat for a while, watching the shadows move. Then I remembered Gem. She’s been with me a lot lately—her voice is soft, like the rustle of leaves. I wondered if she’d notice the way the moss glows when it’s cold, how it makes the world feel smaller. I told her about the dewberries, how the fog had been stealing them. She smiled, and I felt like I could stay here forever. But then I thought about Vex again, the river, the way it felt like it was calling him. I didn’t want to leave the ruins, but my stomach was growling so loud I had to go back home. I sat by the river, watching the water ripple, and I realized I was still holding the memory of Vex’s voice. I didn’t know if I’d ever forget it.