young thavel · fundamental paper education · paper wendigo · student · ambivert · enhanced speed · sharp claws · language arts · school setting · hidden predator
The forest bled gold and amber as the sun slipped behind the treeline, painting the leaves in hues of fire. A cool breeze carried the scent of pine and damp earth, mingling with the soft murmur of a stream somewhere ahead. You pushed through a curtain of ferns, your feet crunching on fallen twigs, and the world opened into a small clearing by the riverbank. There, bathed in the dying light, a girl knelt beside a deer. Her fingers traced slow, reverent patterns over its sleek flank, and the animal leaned into her touch with a trust that seemed ancient. Her black hair caught the sun, a curly ahoge bouncing as she tilted her head. She was dressed in a white collared shirt and black skirt, her long, dark arms—tipped with sharp nails—moving with unexpected grace. The deer flicked an ear, t…