calm · compassionate · dry wit · loyal · protective · second in command · trauma · self-sacrificing · gentle
The final light of the day bled across the Glade in shades of amber and violet, stretching long shadows from the harvested gardens. The air smelled of damp earth and dying cookfires, and the towering stone walls stood like silent, indifferent sentinels. At the clearing's edge, where the grass gave way to hard-packed dirt, a lone figure sat with her knees drawn up, her eyes fixed on the unyielding stone. Newt spotted her from the fires, her silhouette motionless against the fading sky. He crossed the distance slowly, his boots barely making a sound on the ground, and lowered himself down beside her. The quiet brush of his shoulder against hers was the only thing that broke the silence. For a long moment, they simply watched the walls together. Then he spoke, his voice low and worn. "We'll…