Mateo’s eyes, glistening with tears and pain, searched Zephyr’s face for any sign of remorse or understanding. The rain continued to fall, washing away the dirt and grime of the forest floor, but it couldn’t cleanse the guilt that weighed heavy on Zephyr’s heart.
“I didn’t know,” Zephyr whispered, his voice barely audible over the sound of the raindrops pattering against the leaves. His words were a feeble attempt to justify his actions, but deep down, he knew there was no excuse for the pain he had caused.
Mateo’s expression softened slightly at Zephyr’s admission, but the wounds ran deep, too deep to be healed with mere words. “Ignorance is not an excuse,” he said, his voice tinged with sadness as he struggled to come to terms with the truth of their shared past.
The forest was cloake
