Three days later - Edge of the Elves' Encampment
Morning mist wove between the trunks like pale smoke, clinging low to the forest floor. Lumberling stepped quietly toward the secluded edge of the goblin village, where the trees grew denser, shaped subtly by elven magic. A hush hung in the air, thick and reverent, an unspoken boundary no one crossed lightly.
He halted beneath a makeshift arch of woven branches, then moved forward without hesitation.
In the clearing ahead, Aurelya stood among a few elves, her golden hair catching the diffused light. She was the first to notice him. Her eyes narrowed slightly as she crossed her arms, amused.
"Well, well. The strange human returns," she said, a playful smirk tugging at her lips. "You always show up near trees. Is that a habit of yours, or just part of your charm?"
Lumberling exhaled through his nose, unfazed. "Lady Vaenyra," he called, ignoring Aurelya's jab.
