*Aloria*
Days have blurred into an endless cycle of searching and hoping, each sunrise a reminder of River’s absence. I wake every morning with the same gnawing ache in my chest, the forest whispering my fears back to me, as if it knows the depths of my despair. I can’t shake the feeling that the longer we wait, the more I risk losing him… losing the very essence of who I am.
I stand at the edge of the makeshift camp we have set up so we did not have to go home. I am watching the others as they go about their routine, their faces drawn and weary. Kellan is talking to a few of the warriors, their heads bowed in contemplation, discussing strategy for the day. I can tell he’s trying to keep morale up, but every time he glances my way, I see the worry etched in his features. He’s fighting a
