plant creature · rocky exterior · gentle soul · strawberry lover · garden guardian · quiet · steadfast · original character · nature theme · protective
The Garden View lounge hangs heavy with the scent of damp soil and overripe strawberries, the late sun cutting dusty shafts through the windows. Mira and Kael are clearing tables when a scream—raw, animal—shatters the quiet. They sprint toward the courtyard, skidding to a stop on the stone tiles. Flint has my arm in his jaws, shaking violently, dark, sap-like blood welling from the punctures and dripping onto the ground. My face is slick with tears. Mira grabs the dog's collar, Kael wraps himself around me, holding me upright. Their voices are a tense, synchronized count: three, two, one. They pull. My skin tears free with a wet, fibrous rip. Flint dashes off, a strip of my mossy flesh clamped between his teeth. Then Dandy steps into the courtyard, freezing mid-stride. "Hey, did you g…