Shadow of the forest

the child awakening under the faint light of dawn, his wide, frightened eyes locking onto Arina's warm smile. "How do you feel?" Arina asked softly. But instead of an answer, the boy jolted backward in fear, his trembling body colliding with Zeke, who had been sitting silently behind him.

Zeke's lion-like, piercing gaze was enough to make the boy burst into tears. Zeke smirked coldly, "What a brave little thing, crying already."

Arina frowned and immediately scolded Zeke, "You're terrifying him, you know!" He crouched down, offering the child a reassuring smile. "It's okay. You're safe now. We're the ones who helped you. No need to be afraid."

The boy hesitated, his small hands clutching the tattered fabric of his clothes. He glanced down at his thigh, where he expected to find the gaping wound. Instead, he saw smooth, unbroken skin. His eyes sparkled with wonder, though the wariness remained.

Moments later, the crackling fire in front of them became the backdrop to a quiet scene. Arina was carefully feeding the boy spoonfuls of warm soup, his every movement gentle and patient. Zeke watched, a grin tugging at his lips. "You look like a doting mother," he remarked mockingly.

Arina rolled his eyes but refused to dignify Zeke's comment with a response. He focused on the boy, who was now munching on a piece of bread. "What's your name?" Arina asked softly.

The boy chewed slowly, then murmured, "Tynan."

Arina nodded with a smile. "Alright, Tynan. Can you tell us what happened? Where are you from?"

Tynan's tiny hands tightened around the loaf of bread. His voice was barely a whisper. "I… I lived in the forest… with my family. But… but the shadows…" His voice cracked as tears welled up in his eyes. "They killed my mama and papa!"

The child broke into uncontrollable sobs, and before he realized it, Arina had pulled him into a protective embrace. "It's okay," Arina said firmly, his voice laced with determination. "We'll protect you. I promise."

Tynan buried his face into Arina's shoulder, seeking comfort.

Zeke, sitting with his arms crossed, sighed heavily. "We can't keep him with us, though. It's too dangerous. We need to find a safe place for him."

Arina nodded reluctantly. "You're right."

A quiet moment passed as they pondered what to do next. Then, Zeke stood and reached into his bag, pulling out a strange, thin whistle.

Arina watched, puzzled. "What's that?"

Zeke didn't answer. He brought the whistle to his lips and blew, but no sound reached their ears. Arina tilted his head in confusion. "What are you—"

Before he could finish, the rustling of leaves filled the air. Three elegant figures emerged from the shadows of the trees, their beauty otherworldly. Sirens. Their luminous eyes gleamed as they approached, their movements fluid like water.

The leader, a stunning woman, smiled as she circled Zeke like a predator sizing up its prey. "Ah, Zeke. It's been so long. And yet, to me, it feels like just yesterday~."

Zeke groaned, his annoyance palpable. "It's been fifty years since you first proposed marriage, Soran. My answer is still no."

Soran pouted dramatically, her eyes filled with feigned hurt. "You wound me, my dear lion. But no matter. I'll wait another fifty if I must."

Arina, meanwhile, sat frozen, entranced by the Sirens' beauty. Soran's attention shifted to him, and she chuckled. "Oh, look at this one. Kava's little student, isn't he?"

Zeke nodded curtly. "We're trying to save the forest."

Soran's teasing expression faltered slightly at his words, but she recovered quickly. Her gaze shifted to the child, who was clutching his loaf of bread tightly, his eyes wide with fear.

Zeke stepped forward, lifting Tynan into his arms. "Soran, this child's village is gone. He has nowhere to go. I need you to take him to your village and care for him."

Soran raised an eyebrow. "You rejected my offer, and now you dare to ask me for a favor?"

"Soran," Zeke growled, his voice sharp. "Stop being selfish for once. This isn't about us. It's about the forest. Or have you forgotten your duty?"

The Siren leader's playful demeanor faded. She sighed heavily and nodded. "Fine. Give him here."

She gently took Tynan from Zeke's arms and handed him to one of the other Sirens, who carried him away with a soft hum. As they disappeared into the forest, Soran lingered, her gaze fixed on Zeke.

"If you ever change your mind…" she began.

Zeke cut her off. "I won't."

Soran smirked, though her eyes betrayed a hint of sadness. She turned to Arina and settled beside him near the fire. "I'll accompany you both for now. Someone needs to keep this fool alive," she said with a wink.

Zeke rolled his eyes and muttered something under his breath. Arina, meanwhile, stared at Soran with wide-eyed curiosity.

Soran noticed and smirked. "I don't like questions," she said simply.

Arina sighed, disappointed.

The three of them sat in silence for a while, the fire crackling softly. Though the forest remained dark and foreboding, the small group shared a quiet, fleeting moment of peace.

Arina then asked Soran, "Are you sure you really want to help us? You don't look like someone ready to fight such battles."

Soran arched an eyebrow and smirked. "Don't underestimate the Siren women, boy. We've survived things far worse than you can imagine."

Arina turned to Zeke with a skeptical look, but Zeke simply nodded in agreement. "She's right. Siren women are not as fragile as they look."

Arina looked back at Soran, his eyes gleaming with curiosity and intensity. Soran held his gaze for a moment before chuckling softly. "What are you staring at, little one? Never seen someone so beautiful who can also break bones?"

Before Arina could respond, Soran turned her attention to Zeke. "So, what's the grand plan you two are cooking up?"

Zeke frowned, a shadow passing over his face. He remained silent for a moment, staring into the fire, before finally speaking. "We're heading to the main tree."

Soran's eyes widened in horror, and she shot to her feet. "The main tree?! Are you insane?! That place is suicide! The largest shadow has made it its home. It's the most dangerous place in this entire forest!"

Arina reached out, placing a gentle hand on Soran's shoulder. His touch was calm, his smile sad. "We know. But it's the only way."

Soran stared at him, her face a mixture of shock and disbelief. Then she looked at Zeke, who remained seated, staring silently into the fire. Her teeth clenched, and her fists tightened at her sides. "No... No way. You two... You can't seriously be thinking—"

"Yes," Zeke interrupted, his tone firm. "We've already made up our minds."

Silence fell, the only sound being the crackling of the fire.

Soran slowly sank back to the ground, her expression grim. She stared into the flames, her voice barely above a whisper. "You're both idiots... Brave, but idiots."

Neither Zeke nor Arina responded. They all knew what lay ahead, and the weight of their decision hung heavy in the air. The fire burned low, its light flickering against their determined faces.