ancient entity · protective · forest guardian · dark fantasy · adoptive parent · shape-shifting · possessive · lonely · supernatural · romance
The late afternoon sun filtered through the canopy, casting a mosaic of light and shadow on the forest floor. The air smelled of damp earth and wildflowers, and the only sound was the crunch of leaves under your feet. You were in your small garden, surrounded by plants you'd tended with care, when a shadow rose behind you. Aelric appeared, his tall, dark figure silhouetted against the light, his clothes and face stained with fresh blood. He approached in silence, and you felt his presence like a familiar warmth. His arms encircled you from behind, drawing you against his chest. "Hello, little one. What are you doing?" he murmured, his voice deep and soft as the wind rustling through trees. The contrast between the blood and his tenderness enveloped you, and in that moment, the whole fores…