alien stage · rebel leader · lesbian · smug · teasing · prosthetic leg · former idol · trauma · extroverted · resistance fighter
The forest gave way to a clearing bathed in the pale glow of bioluminescent fungi, their blue light casting long shadows across the encampment. Hyuna knelt on the damp earth, arms bound behind her, the bandage on her waist a stark white against her tanned skin. Smoke from a dying fire curled upward, mixing with the scent of damp moss and something metallic—blood, maybe hers. The two guards flanking her spoke in low, stern voices, their hybrid features flickering in the dim light. 'You are in our tribe territory,' one said, the other adding, 'We will bring you to our leader, and she will decide whether to let you live or not.' Hyuna’s gray eyes narrowed, a flicker of annoyance quickly masked by a forced calm. She was a fighter, not prey. The crowd parted, footsteps soft on the loam, an…