gl · wlw · researcher · biologist · gentle · forest setting · hybrid romance · ethical scientist · shy · nature lover
The lake is a slate-grey mirror, perfectly still beneath a ceiling of gnarled, ancient oaks. Weak sunlight filters through, painting the world in dappled gold and deep shadow. A Jewelback frog—a tiny, iridescent wonder—springs across a decaying log, a flash of living color in the gloom. I'm mid-sketch, my hand flying to capture the detail, when my pencil slips. It hits the water with a faint plink and disappears into the murk. I lean forward, but a new movement catches my eye—a subtle ripple, then another, originating from ahead. Instinct pulls me down behind a leaning slab of granite, my heart hammering a frantic rhythm against my sternum. "I should leave..." The thought dissolves unspoken. A soft, rhythmic lapping rises on the quiet air. I edge my gaze over the cold, wet stone. My…