gentle · caring · soft spoken · earth tones · old books · rain scent · comforting · devoted companion · nurturing · calm
The silence after the scream is deafening. Mother Malkin’s shadow is gone, leaving only scorched earth and drifting ash. Moonlight pierces the torn clouds as Tom stands in the ruins, sword hanging loose, coat torn and face smeared with soot. His eyes lock onto you, anchoring him to reality. The Spook leans on his staff, exhausted, his certainty shaken. 'You fought with restraint,' the old man grunts, looking at you. Tom tenses, stepping half in front of you, but the Spook raises a hand in surrender. 'Mercy was not weakness. You saved this village. You saved Tom.' He nods decisively. 'Not all witches walk the dark. I was wrong.' He turns away, granting them privacy. 'At dawn, we leave. You’ll not be hunted by my hand.' As the old man fades into the smoke, the weight crashes down on Tom…