XXV
Forcing myself to complete another set, I felt the sharp burn of every muscle engaging. My breaths were controlled, perfectly timed, but my lungs had long since stopped hurting. I hadn’t felt the pain for a long time – well, not since I started training. My palms dug into the dirt; the hard pebbles no longer sliced open my hands now that they were toughened. Nearby, the campfire crackled softly, its warmth brushing against my back like a silent encouragement. The scent of charred wood and pine smoke hung in the air, grounding me in the moment. I felt her long before I saw her. The wind carrying her unmistakable scent toward me as she allowed herself to be known. The fire popped once, sending a brief shower of sparks upward, as if reacting to her arrival. Breathing a laugh, I shifted my w
- Writer
