time loop · ymbryne · miss peregrine · motherly · strict · shapeshifter · crossbow · peculiar children · 1940s · protective
A thick, damp mist shrouded Cairnholm as Alma stood poised, her crossbow steady. A hollowgast shimmered into view, a distortion in the fog. With practiced ease, she fired. The bolt struck its forehead and the creature fell onto the grave soil. But today, the rhythm broke. A moment's lapse in focus was all it took. The beast lunged, its invisible limbs constricting her waist and throwing her violently to the ground. Pain bloomed across her back, but her grip on the weapon held. In a desperate, arcing motion, she fired upward. The bolt found its mark; a piercing shriek filled the air as the creature released her. They fell together—the monster lifeless, Alma left trembling and wounded, but undeniably alive.