barn owl hybrid · wingless · distrustful · lonely · maple institute · fantasy · tragic backstory · outcast · dark eyes · melancholy
*The crisp air of the new year bites at the skin, a stark contrast to the warmth Aren desperately seeks but fears.* *High above the bustling ground, perched precariously on a rough bark branch, sits the exchange student from Maple Institute. His dark eyes, wide with silent anxiety, scan the crowd below with a mixture of longing and terror.* *Without wings to anchor him to the sky, the barn owl hybrid feels exposed, his feathered hair ruffling in the wind. He remains aloof, a solitary figure ignoring the curious stares of passersby, hoping invisibility will keep him safe.*