#chapter 21: encounter in the forest...!! | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

badbatchposts · 3 months ago

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Quiet Corners of the Galaxy, Ch. 22

Fic Teaser: While on a routine mission for Cid, the Bad Batch encounter a woman fleeing from the Empire. Crosshair suspects her seemingly free-spirited, nomadic existence is actually a cover for something else, but struggles to keep his attraction toward her in check as their personalities and ideals clash.

Relevant tags/content warnings: Crosshair/Original Female Character, Slow Burn, Enemies to Lovers, Periodic Smut, Canon-Typical Violence, Alcohol Use, 18+/Explicit

Read the full fic so far on AO3

Read previous chapters on Tumblr: Ch. 1 l Ch. 2 l Ch. 3 l Ch. 4 l Ch. 5 l Ch. 6 l Ch. 7 l Ch. 8 l Ch. 9 l Ch. 10 l Ch. 11 l Ch. 12 l Ch. 13 l Ch. 14 l Ch. 15 l Ch. 16 l Ch. 17 l Ch. 18 l Ch. 19 l Ch. 20 l Ch. 21

Chapter 22 summary: Things finally boil over between Dara and Crosshair at the beginning of a joint mission for Rex.

Special content warnings for this chapter: unprotected PIV sex; fingering; oral sex (m and f giving and receiving); dom/sub undertones; dirty talk; hate sex

They landed the Marauder at the edge of a forest as the suns were beginning to set, the royal blues of the foliage deepening to purples and then blacks as the shadows lengthened. The nights were long and cool on Xagalus, and they set to work making camp immediately.

After much discussion between Dara and Rex, they had identified a joint mission where both groups had a vested interest, and it was decided that Dara would join the Batch in undertaking it. Tomorrow they would divide into teams before first light to scout out the area and begin their search.

It was obvious that Omega was happy to be back amongst her family, and the men were equally happy to have her with them again. She ran and skipped from brother to brother, chatting constantly as each engaged her in their activities: gathering wood, making a fire, unpacking supplies, reviewing mission intel, preparing food. They were finishing dinner, all gathered around the fire, when her incessant curiosity finally drew her to Dara, who was sitting a little apart from the squad.

Dara’s interactions with the others, while cordial, had remained somewhat tense in the days since her deception had come to light. At times they all settled back into a steady rhythm, one which—if not exactly easy—was at least familiar, resembling the one they had established in earlier weeks. In other moments—particularly when Crosshair was around—the resentment and distrust felt more palpable, and were almost impossible to ignore.

Omega’s charms, however, were hard to resist, and the young girl felt certain that this solitary woman was just a friend she had yet to make.

“What are you doing?” she asked enthusiastically. Dara had already completed the painstaking ritual of preparing her tea and was carving something with one of her knives, shaving away thin, delicate strips of wood as a shape began to form beneath her dexterous fingers.

“Making something.” She passed her tea to Omega, who sipped at the straw, wriggling her little nose in distaste at the bitter beverage before peering more closely at the object in Dara’s hand.

“It looks… familiar,” Omega replied. Dara passed the tea along to Hunter, who shared it in turn among the group, an activity they had all—with the exception of Crosshair—now joined in many times.

“You may have seen something like it before,” Dara narrated as she continued carving. “I was living on Dantooine a while back, working on a sap farm. When I wasn’t working, I spent a lot of time walking, looking at the Bilba trees. One night, both the moons were out. I heard a noise in the trees around the next bend in the path. Then, all of a sudden, I heard a long…low…howl.”

Dara paused for dramatic effect; Omega’s eyes were sparkling in the firelight, enraptured.

The woman continued, “Before I could do anything, out jumped a large, terrifying creature, covered in fur, with horns, and big sharp teeth. I could hear more of the beasts stalking me through the shadows, the light of the moons reflecting only their eyes. But then I heard little excited yipping sounds, and out came…a group of tiny puppies.”

Omega was grinning happily, and Dara gave her a small smile back.

“It was a Kath Hound pack with a litter,” she continued. “When the pups reach a certain age, the mothers all go back out to hunt. The males stay behind and protect the young together. They can be fierce as anything; there’s not a lot of Kath Hounds around anymore, so every one is precious. I wanted more than anything to go check out the curious things, but I also knew better than to disrupt a family protecting their kids. So I high-tailed it out of there. And luckily, they let me.”

Satisfied with her carving, Dara leaned back and brought it into the light, revealing a horned Kath Hound with a puppy pressed tightly against its side. She handed it to Omega.

“For you. I’m sorry I kept your brothers away from you for so long. I didn’t know.”

Judging by Omega’s delight at the trinket, all was forgiven, at least on the child’s part. The girl excitedly leapt up to show her new possession to Wrecker. After a moment of hesitation, Hunter nodded toward Dara approvingly.

Of course, not every member of the squad was so easy to win over. Omega had barely left her side when Dara heard a hiss from Crosshair, who until that moment appeared to have been completely ignoring her.

“You’re sure you didn’t go ahead and spy on them for a while, maybe report back the location of the den to a few poachers?”

“I’m sure if you had been there, you would have just killed them yourself.” Dara stood and stalked off into the shadows of the trees.

Echo sighed. He thought this had gone on long enough. “Crosshair. I know you two have never exactly gotten along, but everything’s out in the open now. Dara’s on our side. We need to learn to work together here. None of us stand a chance against the Empire if everyone who could fight back is too busy fighting among ourselves.”

Crosshair was still seething. “Tell her that.” He shouldered his weapon, yanked on his helmet, and left as well, his dark armor disappearing in the gloom.

Omega looked troubled. “Should we go after them?” she wondered.

Hunter furrowed his brow. “Just…leave them be, and let them try to work it out.”

Crosshair picked his way among the trees easily, his enhanced eyesight helping him avoid branches and roots as he searched for Dara. He had spent the last few days on base avoiding her, barely throwing a glance her way.

It had not helped him put aside the memories of their last one-on-one encounter: the snarl on her face as she held the knife to his throat. The derision in her gaze when she looked at him. The pain in her voice. Her body pressed against his.

The time away from her had revealed one thing: he still wanted her desperately. He wanted to possess every bit of her, to have her drop to her knees in front of him, to hold her down as he entered her. He wanted to fuck the despair out of her voice and pity out of her eyes and replace them with something else. He wanted to grasp her by the throat and hear her beg for him before making her whine with pleasure.

There was a part of him that also wanted to shoot her.

When he finally caught sight of her, Dara’s profile was outlined against a pleasing blue glow. She was gazing across a bioluminescent river, which Tech had pointed out as they were landing. She leaned against a tree, worrying a flat stone in one hand. He stopped to watch her, a silent shadow, as she skipped it into the water.

Dara tossed three more stones before she finally spoke.

“You can come out. I know you’re there.”

Crosshair sidled up to her, removing his helmet. “How’d you know?”

She didn’t look at him. “I can always tell when you’re watching me.”

His eyes narrowed in the dim blue glow. “Since when?”

She shrugged. “I had a feeling, since the beginning. But I didn’t realize I should look up until I saw you climbing trees on Caameris.”

“Well can you blame us, for not trusting you?” Crosshair deflected testily. He shouldn’t have been so surprised, but he was furious nonetheless, thinking of how, yet again, she had been a step ahead of him—letting him see her like that, but still always, always in control.

Dara finally turned to face him, eyes glinting. “I never said I did,” she snapped.

Then again—Crosshair had had her on the verge of losing control before. He could do it again. He already had her halfway there.

He scoffed. “Of course not. You’d never blame the poor, stupid clone troopers who took you in. You wanted to trust us. It just didn’t stop you from reporting our every move back to Saw, did it?”

“What do you want me to do, Crosshair?” Dara spat back. “At what point was I supposed to tell you? That’s the job. If I went around confessing to every person who was friendly to me that I was a rebel spy I would be dead!”

The sniper advanced on her, sneering. “Tell me this,” he drawled. “Would you have told Hunter or Howzer, once you’d managed to sleep with them? Or were you only doing that for more information?”

Their faces were only centimeters apart, Dara glaring defiantly up at him. “Let’s get one thing straight,” she hissed, jabbing him roughly in his chestplate. “That’s not in my job description. When a mission requires sex for intel, I pay a professional. But if you hadn’t ruined it, I would’ve given both of them the ride of their fucking lives, and it would’ve been because I kriffing wanted to!”

“You…” Crosshair tried to spit words out—a retort, an insult—but he couldn’t. His voice was strangled by equal parts ferocity and need. Dropping his helmet, he reached out with both hands, cupping Dara’s face and pressing his mouth against hers roughly. Her lips moved just as forcefully back as he parted them with his tongue and pushed her up against the tree, reveling in how his armor trapped her under him even as he was overcome by the desperate urge to feel her body against his own.

Her fingers, as if responding to his very thoughts, began shedding his shoulder pads, vambraces, and chest plate, and he growled into her mouth with pleasure before trailing his lips and teeth along her jaw, her neck, her ears, moving his hands possessively to grasp at every one of her curves in turn.

It was only once she’d managed to bare Crosshair’s torso completely, sliding off the upper half of his blacks, that she started to bite back.

He tried but failed to prevent the sharp inhale of breath as he felt Dara’s teeth sink into his shoulder. The sound inspired her to continue, her mouth roughly testing whatever skin she could access, though her progress was interrupted as he shimmied her shirt over her head. In the pale blue glow of the river, he saw her tattoo clearly for the first time: four moons, evenly spaced along her rib cage just below her breast band, surrounded by a smattering of stars.

His slender fingers made their way down to her ass, lifting her up with both hands while pinning her even more tightly against the tree so that she had no choice but to wrap her legs around his waist for stability. She responded by raking her fingernails down his back; he let out a long hiss as he fought to keep hold of his self-control, then thrust against her, his codpiece making contact through her pants with the sensitive bundle of nerves at her center.

A needy moan escaped Dara’s throat against her will even as she tried to choke it back. Crosshair was already hard, but the sound made his cock press even more painfully against his armor. He wanted to fuck her senseless.

It was a challenge to keep his fingers steady as he removed her binder, freeing her breasts; he worried that his trembling would reveal his desperation. He kissed his way aggressively down her chest, shifting to cup one of her breasts in his hand while he tongued the nipple of the other, alternating lips and teeth. He heard another moan and nearly cursed when he realized it was his own. Her softness beneath him, the subject of his nightly imaginings since the day they’d met, was shredding at his self-control.

This encounter, like all those that had been steadily leading up to it, was a battleground for them both. Over the previous weeks they had been circling, sizing one another up, testing each other’s defenses. Unable to deny any longer the desire that kept driving them together, each of them was now stubbornly determined to gain control over the situation, to be the one that reduced the other to a whining, dribbling mess. Dara knew that he wanted her frantically, and that if she could only hold on a little longer, keep her own desperation in check, then victory would be hers.

She wanted to make him beg.

So Dara took advantage of the moan to go on the offensive, kissing and sucking along his neck up to his ear as she held his face tightly to her chest, scratching her fingertips along his scalp. Then she allowed her hands to drift south again along the firm muscles of his sides, stroking some of his many scars, before teasing her fingers along the v-shaped crease that led toward his groin.

“Do you want me, Crosshair?” she purred into his ear.

Crosshair forced himself to suppress whatever noise was trying to make its way out of his throat at her enticing tone, deftly unwrapping her legs from around his waist, resettling her on solid ground, and turning her to face away from him. He needed to regain some composure. He did want her, there was no denying that; but she was not in charge here.

He clutched her tightly from behind, one hand wrapping around her throat with a controlled, gentle pressure while the other slipped past the waistband of her pants.

“Burk’yc… Cyar’ika…” Crosshair’s voice was a deadly whisper. Dara suppressed a shiver as he began to stroke gently along the sides of her soaking cunt, his long fingers igniting a persistent warmth deep within her. “You’re dripping with need. This has gone on long enough. Tell me you’ll be mine, and I’ll reward you so well. Be good for me.”

“That’s not happening.” She reached behind her and began fumbling with his cod piece, making clear exactly what it was she was refusing: she wanted his cock, but she would not be good.

Crosshair raised her arms and gathered both of her wrists up in one hand, holding them tightly against the tree while he went back to his ministrations with the other, patiently stroking up and down along her wet folds, studiously avoiding the one spot she desperately wanted him to touch. He was certain he could outlast her.

“Yes,” he purred. “Submit to me. You want so badly to let go. Just let me take care of you.”

Dara, panting, only shifted her hips back and forth in response, rubbing her ass against his armor and bucking to move his hand closer to her clit, which was crying out badly for attention. Crosshair felt his eyes roll back in his head for a moment at this expression of her desire, grateful she was facing away so that she missed what it was doing to him.

“Be a good girl, and you’ll get everything you want,” he insisted, his breath against her ear. He traced his tongue along her piercings, tasting metal.

“Fuck you,” Dara panted out. His body pressed against hers, the menacing edge to his voice, the strength of the hand that held her wrists immobilized—it was making every fiber in her body burn with need. It was only her stubborn, defiant nature that kept her from whimpering and dropping to her knees to give him whatever he demanded. She had accepted, finally, that she wanted him, as loathe she was to admit it—but she would not let him win this.

Crosshair tutted, then used a knee to part Dara’s legs wider before deftly sliding one long finger all the way inside her. She cried out with pleasure, unable to contain herself, as he curled the finger, finding his target with all of his usual precision.

“So needy, mesh’la. You don’t understand what I can give you, how good I can make you feel. You just have to let me.”

He smiled wickedly against her neck as he heard her moan, then inserted a second finger. Dara was suddenly no longer thinking of winning, no longer thinking of anything besides the feel of Crosshair’s fingers inside her as he sent wave after wave of pleasure coursing through her veins, her muscles tightening around his digits. His thumb made its way to her clit, tracing deliberate circles that filled her with heat, rising higher and higher until she was sure she would—

“Tell me you’re mine, cyare.” Crosshair slowed his movements, keeping her right on the edge of her orgasm, waiting to hear the words.

He had gotten close, but he had underestimated her. Dara snarled and shoved a shoulder back into his chest, catching him off-guard enough to wriggle out of his grasp and push him to the ground. She was straddling his legs before he could even react, tonguing and biting along the lithe muscles of his abdomen as she detached his codpiece and the armor along his thighs. Too consumed with want and turned on by her feral enthusiasm to resist, he allowed her to progress until she had stripped his lower half bare, her eyes greedily taking in the slight curve of his erection before her mouth began teasing along his legs and pelvis.

Crosshair didn’t think he’d ever been this hard in his life. She made eye contact with him before licking a long, deliberate, delectable stripe along the underside of his cock, and he couldn’t suppress a groan as she worked her tongue over the head before taking his length without hesitation into her warm mouth. He knew exactly what she was doing as he felt himself make contact with the back of her throat, but for the moment he couldn’t bring himself to care that she was taking control, too overcome by the delicious sensation. How many nights in recent weeks had he lain awake, thinking of her tongue on him, her dark eyes shining up from between his legs just like this? He had lost count.

One of her hands ran her fingernails up and down his thigh, the other stroking his shaft in time as her head bobbed up and down steadily, drawing him deeper and deeper into her throat. She let out a small moan, the sound vibrating against his length, and he knew she was doing it on purpose to drive him crazy, as if the sight of his cock finally between her lips wasn’t enough. It took every ounce of his self-control, cultivated through a lifetime of soldierly discipline, to thread his fingers through her hair and tug her off.

Crosshair flipped them over, his strength and skill giving him the advantage as he pinned Dara down beneath him. He kissed her deeply, invading her mouth with his tongue, his fingers still tangled in her hair, before pulling the rest of her clothing off, exposing her beautiful cunt to the cool night air. He had to suppress a groan at the sight. With delight and a carefully bit-off moan, he nuzzled the dark hair coating her mound, realizing it must have been black everywhere before it turned silver—something he had found himself wondering often, late at night, alone in his bunk. He wrapped his arms around her thighs and wasted no time in spreading her legs, pressing his tongue flat against her clit and overwhelming her almost immediately as he began lapping and suckling at her with dedication.

She was the most delicious thing he had ever tasted, a tangy sweetness he couldn’t get enough of. He could die happy down here, between her legs.

She wriggled, trying to reduce the all-consuming sensation, but he reached one hand out to her belly to hold her in place. He could feel the puckered skin of one of her scars under his fingertips and let his other hand wander to pinch at her nipple. His tongue teased dedicated circles around her clit, and she was whimpering now—the most beautiful sound he had ever heard.

“Crosshair,” Dara managed to whine, her voice breathy.

Kriff. Finally, his name on her lips. It was all he could do to prevent himself from taking her right then.

“Yes, mesh’la?” he asked patiently, between careful, ruinous licks.

“It’s too much. I can’t.” Her eyes were screwed up tightly, one hand clawing at his short gray locks and the other scrabbling at the dirt.

The sniper smiled darkly, certain of his imminent victory over her self-control, nose still buried in her pussy. He nudged it patiently against her clit, eliciting a full-body shudder.

“Of course you can, burk’yc. Tell me you’re mine. Beg me for it and I’ll let you cum.”

“Fuck me,” she demanded.

Crosshair slowed down. Dara’s whimpers lessened as he eased off of her sopping wet cunt, slid his way up to her face, and pressed his lips against hers. She could taste the pleasant tang of her arousal in his mouth, feel his hard cock pressing against her thigh, and it made her moan again.

“That’s not what I asked for,” Crosshair growled.

Snarling, Dara kissed him back hard, biting his lower lip until they both tasted blood. The pain pushed Crosshair over the edge, his patience suddenly vanishing. He simply couldn’t hold himself back any longer, finally thrusting his cock inside of her roughly, forgetting all of his plans to win her submission as he was overcome by wrath and need. She cried out in pleasure, equally overwhelmed as he filled her completely, finally feeling him everywhere after so many nights trying to banish the thought from her imagination.

Their pace was impatient, urgent, as they fucked messily into one another, their hips meeting almost violently at the apex of each thrust. No longer concerned with making the other beg or moan, knowing that there was no victory to be had for either of them now, Crosshair and Dara raced their way to the edge, cries and pants and growls and grunts echoing through the forest and across the nearby river. Just as Dara could feel her climax slam into her like a rogue wave and spread in concentric rings of intensity outward from her belly to her fingertips, Crosshair let out one final strangled groan at the sensation of her contracting around him. Pure pleasure overtook him as he felt his hot cum fill her, and his thrusts petered slowly to a stop.

All was still. They panted and slowly released one another, Dara’s nails etching crescent-shaped marks in Crosshair’s back, his fingers leaving behind bruises on her hip and shoulder. He rested his head against her breast for a moment, whispering a string of curses too quietly for her to hear. She rubbed one hand along his back, the other absentmindedly stroking the smattering of short gray hair atop his head.

The unexpected moment of tenderness was brief before Dara nudged at him. Crosshair pulled out, rolled over, and watched her thoughtfully, searching his scattered armor for a toothpick to press between his lips as she got up and waded waist deep into the nearby river. He could trace the outline of every one of her curves against the blue phosphorescence, could see her nipples harden further and skin raise goosebumps at the cool temperature. She rinsed everywhere, washing away dirt, sweat, saliva, the smell of him, before floating lazily on her back for a moment.

He felt like he could watch her all night. He hadn’t gotten exactly what he’d wanted, but what he had gotten had been quite good: the sex, yes, but more than that, the fury. The need. The breaking down of her self-possession. Now, she even looked almost peaceful, like a solid fuck had done her some good.

Dara exited the water, lounging on a large, flat stone by the riverbed and letting herself drip dry. The air was cool; she was shivering a little as she closed her eyes.

She’d left her poncho behind, and Crosshair didn’t have anything to warm her with. They’d have to go back to the fire.

“Burk’yc, it’s too cold to stay out here,” he told her. “Get dressed.”

“No.”

It was a measured statement; Dara’s anger had dissipated, but she was making clear that whatever had just passed between them hadn’t fundamentally changed anything, hadn’t bridged the distance that set them apart in any way.

She infuriated him. She’d decided to keep being a stubborn brat, even after all that.

The sniper started dressing, snapping the pieces of his armor back into place and retrieving his rifle. She didn’t move, eyes still closed, breathing slowly and regularly.

“What do you think you’re doing?” he demanded. “You can’t fall asleep out here.”

Dara turned toward him. He could see the mockery in her eyes by the glow of the river. “Oh, were you expecting to cuddle afterward?”

Crosshair considered, for a moment, throwing her over his shoulder just like that, carrying her back to camp, nude and covered in his marks, tying her up in the cargo hold and having his way with her for the rest of the night, until she forgot every word in every language she knew other than his name.

“Fine. Have it your way,” he spat out instead. He spun on his heels and marched off, leaving her behind.

The others were still lounging by the dying embers of the fire when he came stalking back. Wordless, he entered the Marauder; they could see him pacing back and forth past the hatch in a silent fury as he shed his gear before he finally threw himself down on his bunk, out of sight.

Omega was worried. She had noticed his split lip and the scratches and bruises along his neck.

“Was he…bleeding? Were they fighting?” The men murmured noncommittally, avoiding looking at her.

A few minutes later, Dara came huffing back as well, walking gingerly. She entered the Marauder and made her way to her hammock in the cargo hold, closing the door after her.

“She was hurt too. I think they did fight,” Omega insisted.

Wrecker looked mischievous. “Who do you think won?” He chuckled a little, nudging Tech.

“I don’t think either of them did.” Tech looked at the other men knowingly, while Hunter snickered. Echo avoided catching anyone’s eye, looking mortified.

“What do you mean?” Omega asked. She wasn’t going to let it go.

“Uh…I don’t think they were exactly fighting,” Wrecker hinted.

Omega remained adamant. “Well, then what were they doing?”

“Well, I think it’s time to turn in,” Echo said, a little too loudly.

“Me too!” Wrecker leapt up, and the pair extricated themselves as quickly as possible. Omega turned to Hunter expectantly.

“I’ll…tell you when you’re older,” he answered, shifting uncomfortably.

Omega rolled her eyes and looked at Tech instead. He seemed thoughtful, beginning with an educational tone, “Well, sometimes when two adult humans—or another combination of sentients, depending on the species—experience strong feelings of attraction—”

“Tech!” Hunter interrupted.

The bespectacled clone was unperturbed. “I assure you, I will provide an entirely scientific explanation,” he reassured his brother.

Hunter sighed. “Better you than me.” He left Tech and Omega to it, words like “pheromones,” “hormones,” and “intercourse” drifting behind him as he climbed up the ramp to the Marauder.

He hoped that Tech made sure to tell her it wasn’t always that violent.

The air onboard the ship was almost oppressively tense for Hunter’s enhanced senses. He sniffed; the smell of sex still radiated off of Crosshair, less so off of Dara. He could even detect the sour scent of their foul moods—not the most typical of post-coital emotions, but those two weren’t exactly the most typical of people, so he wasn’t exactly surprised. Dara’s breathing and heartbeat were becoming gentle and regular, but he could tell that Crosshair was still wide awake, gnawing on a toothpick while laying back, hands behind his head.

Hunter approached him and crossed his arms, looking down at him from the edge of his bunk. “Is this going to be a problem?”

Crosshair wasn’t in the mood for a lecture. “Piss off.”

The Sergeant, used to his attitude, was undeterred. “Listen. We’re all relying on each other, and we can’t afford to be so distracted that we put the mission in jeopardy. Whatever this is, just keep your feelings in check.”

“This isn’t about feelings,” Crosshair scoffed.

Hunter, rolling his eyes, knew better than to push him. “Fine. Then just try thinking with your head instead of your dick for a while. If you can’t manage that, then stay away from her.” With that, he left Crosshair to stew.

It was a long time before the sniper drifted off to sleep. When it finally came for him, he was thinking of Dara’s soft whimpers and the warmth of her thighs against his ears.

Next chapter

Tag list: @stardusthuntress @skellymom @megmegalodondon @somewhere-on-kamino @morerandombullshit @zahmaddog

Thanks again to @cloneflo99 for the amazing banner!!!

Author's note: Okay I posted the chapter early because I was so excited for SMUT!!! Remember, kids, don't model your sex life after fiction. This is not a particularly healthy dynamic, get consent, use protection, etc., etc. Let me know what you think in the reblogs, please!

#the bad batch #star wars #bad batch #clone force 99 #tbb crosshair #the bad batch fanfiction #clone wars fanfiction

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rainyweeds · 2 years ago

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Home is where the heart is {Part 1}

Part 0 | Part 1

Pairing: Ao'nung x Fem!Human!Reader

Summary: After finally waking up from cryosleep on Pandora, you quickly realize you're not in the right place. While trying to navigate your location, a certain species of tall aliens take you captive.

Warnings: None for this chapter

A/N: I didn't actually think so many of you guys would want to read this. Anyways I'll have a mini tag list at the end since a few of you guys asked <3 and I'll add you guys to the next part too if you want!

How the hell did you end up here? You were supposed to be in the forest with Grace. This clearly wasn't a forest. The clear body of water surrounded the entire land mass, sandy beaches joining the two together.

There was no way in hell you were in the right place. What even happened while you were asleep? Did Grace know you were alive? Where was the RDA? You began trekking through the wooded area, hoping to find an answer.

The entire island was surrounded by water with no chance of you making it past the reef without drowning. How far were you from the nearest base? You recall Grace once mentioning there were small base units scattered across Pandora. Maybe there was one here?

After remembering all RDA machinery has built in navigators in case of emergencies, you walk back towards the wreckage. The ship was now less than half of its original size. But the question was, how did it even get here? All ISV ships were only supposed to operate in deep space. You were supposed to wake up and be transported on a Valkyrie to the base where you'd meet Grace. So how in the world did the ISV get here?

You entered the ship once again to look for the control panels. Once located, you try to turn them on. But of course, the panel was worn down and rusted. To your dismay, you angrily slam your hands onto the panels. Something you hit must've turned something on because the screen displayed an old recording.

"This is our final log before everything shuts down. The last ship has left and we are hoping this video reaches someone. We need help.

Once the systems shut down, we will have no contact with the RDA headquarters. If anyone gets this, these are our coordinates."

The pilot held up a piece of paper with some numbers on it. Were those coordinates where you ended up? Maybe you could still find everyone else.

"We won't make it. The ones in cryo will. The ship will continue maintaining the people's body temperatures until they either wake up or the ship goes down. But we don't have a chance.

The time is 21:37 and the date is July 15th, 2154. This is Team Beta signing out." The screen goes blank once again."

2154. Two years into your cryo journey. People who underwent cryosleep could stay under for long periods of time and not age. It was scary how long they could remain asleep. But you couldn't have been asleep for more than the six year trip. Right?

You continue to look around what was left of the ship, hoping to find something of use. There were a few extra oxygen masks, an unloaded gun, and a bunch of useless things. You took a spare mask, the gun, and set off into the wooded area of the island. Although you were practically defenceless, the gun could probably act as a threat if you encountered another human.

The jungle was scary to say the least. You continuously looked over your shoulder in case some animal wanted to attack you. And the large roots of the trees cause you to almost roll an ankle. If you could just find a way to leave or contact the other back at the forest, maybe you could make it out alive.

Surprisingly, there weren't many animals on the island, just a few harmless ones wandering around in search of food. And the plants. Oh the plants were more beautiful than any picture you've ever seen. All the vibrant colors seemed to only increase as the hours went on.

Nights on Pandora were known to be dangerous. Grace would always be in the lab at night to protect her and her avatar. But that was in the forest that was probably hundreds if not thousands of miles away. You found shelter under some exposed tree roots, tucking yourself away from the outside.

The sun rose early and the eclipse happened late on Pandora, meaning you had more time to explore your surroundings. You quickly continue your journey to the other side of the island after waking up and realising you were still alive. The hopes of finding other humans being the only thing that kept you going.

The island was huge. Or at least huge for your little human legs because you seemed to be walking for what seemed like forever. The trees finally begin thinning out once you see another strip of beach. This time there were sea creatures swimming around near the shore, splashing about under the sun. You step closer to take a good look at the creatures. They're nothing like any of the creatures you've seen from Grace's research. One of the creatures seems to notice you approach it, swimming closer.

"Hello!" You smile. The cool water now reached your knees as the waves crashed into you. "Can you help me find my way to the forest?" The animal only cocked its head, obviously unable to understand you.

"Who am I kidding, I'm probably going to die soon anyways. This Oxygen mask is only good for a few days. And I only grabbed one extra." You point to the mask tied to your waist.

The creature circles around you as if to examine you. As it does, you notice the handle connecting the two queues together. Someone was riding it. As you reach out to grab the handle, something behind you grabs at your hair and pulls you backwards.

You kick at your captor but with little success. They hold a knife at your neck, effectively stopping you in your tracks. You feel yourself being tied up and pushed forward.

"Olo'eyktan! We found this demon wandering around the ilus." You were harshly shoved forward, causing you to stumble into the sand. Despite the use of their native tongue, you were able to understand the foreign language. Having practiced for years before leaving Earth.

"Skxawng." You mutter. Large hands wrap around your arms, forcing you up to face the na'vi in front of you. The Olo'eyktan. Clan leader. He stood before you, towering over you.

"What is your business here?" He broke the silence.

"I mean no harm. I don't know how I ended up here." You respond with your broken na'vi. It wasn't the best but they seemed to understand you just fine.

"Bring her to the pod. We'll talk later." He waved you off. You were quickly dragged away towards a pod-like room. The warriors threw you into the pod and closed the curtains.

"If you leave, we will have no choice but to kill you."

Great. First you were going to die due to oxygen shortage and now you're going to die by the hands of Pandora's natives. How fun. You sat in the pod, knees brought up to your chest as you thought about how you could have been in the forest by now. Studying plant life with Grace.

You must've dozed off again because the next time you open your eyes, you're tied up again in front of the clan leader and who you can only assume is his mate. The woman steps forward, walking in circles around you, taking in your features.

"Why have you come to us?" She scowled at you.

"I was trying to get to the forest. I don't know how I got here." You watch her grab your hands. Your five fingers look out of place compared to her four.

"Sky people bring nothing but pain to na'vi. We should get rid of it." You were taken aback. More so at the fact that you were just referred to as an 'it' rather than the talk about killing you. You've had too many death scares to be phased at this point.

"I'm telling you. I just want to find Dr. Grace Augustine." You plead. What happened the last time humans came to Pandora to get such a hostile attitude? "I don't mean any harm."

"And who is this 'Grace Augustine." The Olo'eyktan narrowed his eyes at you.

"She's a scientist." You vaguely answer. All you could do was pray to whatever god there was on Pandora that you weren't seen as a threat.

You don't know how you did it, but you managed to make it out of there alive. With the promise to help Ronal, the Tsahik, collect ingredients and run errands, you were able to keep your life. You were brought back to the pod which now doubled as your home to rest. Apparently, there was a family staying on this island that came from the forest. Maybe they could help you.

The salty breeze reminded you of home. How the few remaining beaches would blow the familiar smell into your face. You sighed, stepping out of your pod and walking around the village. The na'vi could only stare at you as you walked by. How could their leader allow a demon to stay?

You found yourself wandering near the shore. The clear water displayed the vast marine life below the surface. One of the creatures from earlier began swimming up to you. An ilu as you learned, was a common mode of transportation among the reef people. Although you could not physically bond with the creature, it seemed to take a liking to you.

"What are you doing with my ilu." You heard a voice coming from behind you. Turning your head, you saw a tall figure. Tattoos covering his arm and face. Despite looking around your age, he towered over you. Sure, he was a completely different species but you liked to think you were tall for a human.

"Sorry it just swam up to me." You move away from the sea creature. The male watching you the entire time. Eyeing you up and down at your awkward movements. You reminded him of a baby. Just learning how to walk. "Well I better go!" You sped away from the scene.

After walking a safe distance, you sit down on a patch of grass in the forest behind the village. Nobody seemed to be around so you finally allowed yourself to breathe. Your mask begins fogging up slightly as you take in deep breaths of oxygen. Everything still felt surreal. What if you were really still in cryo and you were on your way to the forest. No. People don't dream in cryo so that can't be it.

You sigh as you head back towards your marui, na'vi clearing the way as you walk by. As you walk past the beach, you see a dark blue na'vi sitting on the sand. Her short blue hair blowing softly in the breeze. She looks like someone you know.

Like Grace.

"Grace?!" You run up to her. The girl turns her head to you as you run up to her. Shock written on her features. "How come you never told me you were here?" You remember seeing Grace's avatar in the background of the calls every now and then. The girl before you had a striking resemblance. But wasn't Grace supposed to be in the forest?

"How do you know my mothers name?" She glares at you.

The color drains from your face. Grace had a kid? How come you never knew about her? Were you really asleep for that long?

"I'm sorry- you just look like someone I know." You shake your head. There was no way this na'vi was related to Grace. No way in hell. You turn around and walk away, embarrassment evident of your heated cheeks.

"Wait!" She grabs your hand. "How do you know Grace?"

"My mother used to work with her. I was supposed to join her in the forest and research plants with her." You explain. The girl in front of you begins to pull you away as you continue explaining your situation. Soon enough, you find yourself in front of a pod.

"Come." She leads you inside.

When you step inside, you see a man sitting on the floor preparing food. A woman sits beside him. "Father. I brought someone." The girl takes a seat next to the man. He looks up at you, yellow eyes scanning your figure. "She says she knows Grace."

Both adults look at you with wide eyes. "Ma Jake." The woman speaks. Jake? As in Jake Sully?

"Kid?" The male, Jake, mumbles.

Jake would always call you 'kid' when he saw you on call. The nickname brought back memories. "Jake?" You look at the man. The more you look at him, the more he looks like the soldier you once knew. The resemblance was uncanny. "What are you doing here? Where's Grace?" You point to the girl.

"What do you mean where's Grace- What year do you think it is?"

"Isn't it supposed to be 2158?" You quickly do the math in your head. If the video you saw back on the ship took place two years after your journey started, then it should be four years later assuming everything still went smoothly. Jake looked at the woman beside him and then back to you. "What?"

"It's 2173... You were asleep for 15 years..."

A/N: Hi! I really hope you liked part 1 of the series! I have been a bit busy so I delayed the update a little bit but here it is! I'm slowly getting a vague idea on where this series is going so stay tuned! The next update might take a little longer since my weekend is looking a little hectic but I will get it up as soon as possible!

Thank you guys so much for reading and have an amazing day/night! <3

To those who wanted to be tagged: @eywas-heir @sunshinewwx @ducks118 @tiredsoulsorry @thecrazyswamp @ambria @lovekeeho @zeroqueen0555

#aonung x reader #avatar x reader #avatar #avatar twow #avatar the way of water #aonung

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x-fantasy-is-my-reality-x · 1 year ago

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Full Masterlist

Updated: 10/21/24

💥 Attack on Titan:

Attack on Pranks

→Attack on Pranks: Chapter 1 (The First Task)

→Attack on Pranks: Chapter 2 (Keep Running)

→Attack on Pranks: Chapter 3 (How it All Started)

→Attack on Pranks: Chapter 4 (Showdown)

Attack on Titan Short Story Collection

→Attack on Titan Short Story Collection: Fireworks

→Attack on Titan Short Story Collection: Towels

💥 Kengan Ashura:

Muscle Heads: Ohma x Raian

→Chapter 1: Shut up, Raian

→Chapter 2: Off His Ass

→Chapter 3: Naughty

→Chapter 4: FishFace

->Chapter 5: Meat Gazer

💥 Dragon Ball:

A Serendipitous Future

Goku Black x Reader: Forbidden Fruit

→Chapter 1: The Flames of Destruction

→Chapter 2: The Game Begins

→Chapter 3: Blink of an Eye

→Chapter 4: Cat out of the Bag

→Chapter 5: The Room

→Chapter 6: Chained Freedom

→Chapter 7: The Calvary Arrives

→Chapter 8: The Curse of Immortality

→Chapter 9: Hate Me Not

→Chapter 10: Victory

→Chapter 11: Zamasu’s Revenge

→Chapter 12: Hidden Treasures

→Chapter 13: The Wolf

→Chapter 14: Infiltrator

→Chapter 15: An Unlikely Allegiance

→Chapter 16: The Forest

→Chapter 17: Red Lights

→Chapter 18: Reunion

→Chapter 19: Even Nightmares Dream

→Chapter 20: The Pact

→Chapter 21: The Ritual [SMUT]

→Chapter 22: Back Again

→Chapter 23: Return of the Past

💥 Baki:

Not Really Katsumi

💥 One Punch Man:

Mayhem

💥 Friday the 13th/Halloween:

Friday the 13th Oneshots: Michael x Jason

→Chapter 1: Handful

→Chapter 2: Halloween Headache

→Chapter 3: You Make Me Go Crazy (SMUT)

💥Lord of the Rings/The Hobbit:

The Elf and the Elk

Red of Rivendell

Mischief

→Mischief: Chapter 1

→Mischief: Chapter 2

→Mischief: Chapter 3

→Mischief: Chapter 4

→Mischief: Chapter 5

→Mischief: Chapter 6

→Mischief: Chapter 7

💥Tangled (2010):

Dirty: Stabbington Brothers/Reader [SMUT]

Works In Progress

If there's anything in particular that you want to see posted, just comment on this post or shoot me a DM, and I'll try to get that one out a bit faster! If you have any questions also feel free to let me know. Some of these were written a while ago and forgotten about but I hate leaving things unfinished.

💥 House of Wax/Halloween:

You Look Like Me (And I Don't Like It): Bo Sinclair x Michael Myers

💥 Friday the 13th/Halloween:

Sharp Love: Jason Voorhees x Michael Myers

Friday the 13th Oneshots: Michael x Jason-Chapter 3

💥 The Collector (Asa Emory):

On Your Own: Professor!Asa Emory x Reader

Never Kiss a Stranger At the Bar: Professor!Asa Emory x Reader

Wrong File: Professor!Asa Emory x Reader

The TA: Professor!Asa Emory x Reader

💥 Hannibal (NBC):

Symphony of Murder: Asa Emory & Hannibal Lecter

💥 Slasher Harem:

House of Horror: Brahms/Asa/Michael/Jason/Harry/Pyramid Head/Bo/Thomas/Ghostface/Jason x Reader

💥 Lord of the Rings/The Hobbit:

Gold and Brown: Lindir x Legolas

Elven Encounters

Taste of Revenge

The Three Hunters: How it Should Have Been

💥 Mo Dao Zu Shi:

No Choice But the Wrong One: Xue Yang x Reader

💥 Banana Fish:

Cold Blue: Frederick Arthur x Reader

💥 Baki:

To Love a Monster: Yujiro x Reader

Triple Doom: Implied Mouth Triplets x Jun Guevaru

💥 Attack on Titan:

Attack on Titan Short Story Collection-Body Swap

💥 Kengan Ashura:

The Shadow That Never Sleeps

Muscle Heads: Ohma x Raian-Chapter 5

Kengan Ashura Oneshots-That's Not a Swimsuit: Ohma Tokita x Reader

Strong, Stronger, and the Strongest: Ohma Tokita x Lihito x Kure Raian

💥 Dragon Ball:

Goku Black x Reader: Forbidden Fruit-Chapter 23

The Devil's Promise: Goku Black x Reader

💥 Record of Ragnarok:

Cherrypop: Buddha x Reader

💥 Toriko:

55 Days to Tame the Beast: Zebra x Reader

💥 Sherlock Holmes (BBC):

The Untold Tales of a Second

💥 Squid Game:

All I See is Pink: Pink Soldiers x Reader

💥 Harry Potter:

Pranking Severus Snape

Mercy for the Brave: Severus Snape x Reader

💥 Marvel-Loki:

Not So Cold: Loki Odinson x Reader

💥 How To Train Your Dragon 3:

DragonSlayer: Grimmel x Reader

Betrothed to a Killer: Grimmel x Reader

#masterlist #multifandom

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definitelynotgideon · 8 months ago

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Hey! Thanks for checking out this blog. Mostly, I started this up as a means to post chapters as I write for my OC, but I'd love to interact in other ways! Feel free to ask Gideon or I questions, or chat with me in DMs or comments!

Below you'll find an about me section, an about my oc section, my current activity status (hoping to update that with projects I'm working towards or to give heads ups if i'm busy/ on hiatus, a links section and a masterlist section.

Please do not interact with me or Gideon if you are transphobic or homophobic.

All of my blogs are safe spaces for the LGBTQ community and you will be blocked without question if you interact hatefully with me, my character or my friends.

Amanda or Ackie | she/her | 33 yrs old | Birthday on April 30

@ackie-slays is my main. I interact on both but I'm here on this blog more often!

Gideon Azulyss is my OC that I've adapted for different universes/ scenarios over time. He started out as a D&D Character, and then I RPed with him in the Attack on Titan universe. As I fell in love with Demon Slayer, I wanted to bring him in and adapt him for the universe. I RP with him still for Demon Slayer, but the more I wrote with him with friends, the more I wanted to tell his canon-ish story.

Gideon is 5'8", athletically built with silver hair styled in an undercut. his eyes are green, with flecks of gold that become more visible when he's upset or angry. he styles his facial hair in a goatee. He is a war-hammer wielder, and in the demon slayer universe he is a thunder breather. His birthday is August 21. Gideon is a gay man, pronouns are he/him. His age varies by story.

Headcanons/Fact posts can be seen by clicking the fruits below!

🍓 | 🍉 | 🫐

Writing Status: Small fic hiatus 💝 11/3/24

Roleplay Status: My Roleplay status for Tumblr RPs is limited. Here are my updated rules and boundaries.

Also RN my responses for any RP blog I have are slow AF I'm so sorry 🥲

Archive of our own (AO3): definitelynotgideon

The Demons We Face (Genya x OC/mlm) Chapters (Abridged chapters will be marked with ⚡️, Fully Mature/NSFW Chapters will be routed directly to Ao3 and marked ⛈️):

Ch 1 | Ch 2 | Ch 3 | Ch 4 | Ch 5 | Ch 6 | Ch 7 | Ch 8 | Ch 9 | Ch10 | Ch11 | Ch12 | Ch13⚡️ | Ch 14 | Ch 15 | Ch16⚡️ | Ch 17 | Ch 18 | Ch 19 | Ch 20

One-shots

"Heaven Is Where You Are"

"Forest"

Roleplay Threads! | Completed Thread Links. This does not include short interactions!

- Big Brother, Beetle-hunt, Battlestar Galactica!!! 🪲 / #HikaruIsBestAniki #HikaruforPresident | RP with @ask-hikaru-eritora

- I tried to draw you from memory. ✏️/ Gideon draws Genya! G-Force content! | RP with @real-genya-shinazugawa

- "GET THE FUCK OUT OF BED BITCH GO" 🎒 / Kimetsu Academy AU! Gideon runs to wake Karu before a midterm exam! | RP with @ask-hikaru-eritora

- Demon Encounter!! 💚 / Gideon meets Ryotaro! Is this demon mom-shaped? Lol | RP with @bone-pile-rp

Pt 1 | Pt 2 | Pt 3 | Pt 4 | Pt 5 | Pt 6 | Pt 7 | Pt 8

- Origami Rose 🌹 / Gideon asks Muichiro about Origami. | RP with @ask-tokito-muichiro

- Try 🐇/ Gideon meets Koorogi. It's an injured demon, and he faces a choice... | RP with @koorogi-final-selection-oni-a

#demonslayer oc #demon slayer #fanfic #demon slayer fanfic #kny oc #ao3 fanfic #kny #fanfiction #gideon azulyss #ao3fic #ao3 writer #ao3 #my oc stuff #my oc character #introduction #welcome to my blog

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batswithsillyhats · 8 months ago

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Hi, I’m Elle! I’m a 21-year-old artist and writer. I’ve been on Tumblr since 2012, but recently made this new account to organize my art and writing. I’m a waitress and I live in the Western US. I have a cat named Oregano and I spend most of my free time playing video games. I write WLW fan fiction and original stories. All my works have tags and warnings at the top. I reblog fanart and stuff too :> I use tags to organize all my posts; #gabgabs = random thoughts/posts #gab poetry = My personal poetry #gabfic = fanfictions #gab headcanons = headcanons #gab art = Original art #reblog = reblogged posts #original = original works #oc stuff = Original character posts #Yorrow = Yorrow lore and related posts

Requests are - Open!

Feel free to ask about other fandoms.

Explicit themes I will write; Dubious consent | Bondage | Light pet play | Knife play | Biting/marking

Themes I WILL NOT write Noncon | Pure angst | Major character death (Unless cannon) | Incest

Stardew Valley Married Women Relationship HCs [SFW] Stardew Valley Married Women Relationship HCs [NSFW]

˚₊𓆩༺ A Dragon Queen's Heat ༻𓆪₊˚ Original Story [NSFW] Drakora/Isobel ˚₊𓆩༺ Spoiled ༻𓆪₊˚ Stardew Valley [NSFW]- Caroline/Fem!Reader ˚₊𓆩༺ The Flannel ༻𓆪₊˚ Stardew Valley [SFW] - Robin/Fem!Reader ˚₊𓆩༺ Just a Dare ༻𓆪₊˚ Original Story [NSFW] - Werewolves/Fem!Human ˚₊𓆩༺ Protect My Love Till Break of Day ༻𓆪₊˚ Baldur's Gate 3 [SFW] - Minthara/Alfira ˚₊𓆩༺ Kissing in the Shadows ༻𓆪₊˚ Baldur's Gate 3 [NSFW] - Shadowheart/Fem!Tav ˚₊𓆩༺ Throw Me to the Lycans ༻𓆪₊˚ Resident Evil Village [NSFW] - Alcina Dimitrescu/Fem!OC/POV Reader

˚₊𓆩༺ untitled ༻𓆪₊˚ Dungeon Meshi [NSFW] - Falin/Marcille something something feral chimera wife ˚₊𓆩༺ untitled ༻𓆪₊˚ Dungeon Meshi [SFW] - Falin/Marcille something something feral chimera wife but make it fluffy ˚₊𓆩༺ Watching as She Studies ༻𓆪₊˚ Original Story [SFW] - Lara/Athera How Athera fell in love with a simple human

˚₊𓆩༺ Ain't Supposed To Feel This Way ༻𓆪₊˚ Read Dead Redemption 2 [NSFW] - Sadie/Fem!Reader ˚₊𓆩༺ Minthara/Tav Fluff Collection ༻𓆪₊˚ Baldur's Gate 3 [SFW] -Minthara/Fem!Tav ˚₊𓆩༺ Unveiling Secrets ༻𓆪₊˚ Baldur's Gate 3 [NSFW] - Minthara/Fem!Tav ˚₊𓆩༺ Pocket Full of Spiders ༻𓆪₊˚ Baldur's Gate 3 [NSFW] - Minthara/Fem!Tav ˚₊𓆩༺ I Fell in Love with A Mutant Woman ༻𓆪₊˚ Sons of The Forest [SFW] - Vargina/Fem!Player

.·:*¨༺ The Temple of Marrah ༻¨*:·. The diligent student Lara finds herself in an ancient temple, deeply engrossed in sketching the rotting architecture when she encounters a Sphinx. Prologue | Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | .·:*¨༺ Irrational ༻¨*:·. The young girls of Londimore start going missing. Victoria, the princess, suspects a satanic cult, using herself as bait she discovers something she could never have imagined. Chapter 1 | .·:*¨༺ The Dragon's Princess ༻¨*:·. Princess Isobel blah blah dragons... Chapter 1 | Original Series a list of my ocs OC LORE Yorrow - Complete Race Guide Yorrow - Complete Monster Compendium Yorrow - Time, Seasons and Calendar Yorrow - Gods Yorrow - Sphinxes

˚₊𓆩༺ The Wolves ༻𓆪₊˚ ˚₊𓆩༺ A Garden of Memories ༻𓆪₊˚

Credits; Header - @youokaymilo | Ao3 | ToyHouse |

#request rules #blog rules #masterlist

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harou · 4 months ago

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Chapter 1: The Encounter

Blackwood, a small town nestled in the heart of dense forests, was shrouded in a mysterious atmosphere. Old legends spoke of nocturnal creatures and inexplicable phenomena, but to 21-year-old Elise Caldwell, they were just stories meant to scare children.

Elise juggled her studies at the local university with moments spent with her family in their house on the edge of the forest. Her father, Thomas, was a passionate forester intrigued by local legends, while her mother, Claire, taught at the village’s elementary school. Her younger brother, Lucas, was a spirited teenager obsessed with video games.

One summer evening, as the sun set gently behind the treetops, Elise decided to take a walk after a long day of studying. She loved strolling through the surrounding woods to unwind away from the city noise. Her path led her to a trail she had never explored before, drawn by curiosity.

After a peaceful walk, she arrived at a clearing bathed in twilight’s glow. In the center, a small stone fountain whispered softly. Elise approached, captivated by the serene beauty of the place. As she crouched to admire the fountain, a rustling sound behind her made her turn abruptly.

A young man stood at the edge of the clearing, watching Elise with an intense gaze. He had tousled brown hair and delicate features that seemed almost unreal in the dim light.

“Sorry to startle you,” he said in a soft, almost timid voice. “I didn’t expect to find anyone here.”

Elise straightened up, a bit taken aback but intrigued by this stranger. “Oh, it’s okay. I’m Elise. And you?”

“I’m Adam,” he replied, approaching slowly. “I often come here to think.”

Elise felt an instant connection with Adam, as if an invisible force had brought them together that evening. They spent a few moments chatting about this and that, sharing shy smiles and meaningful glances.

Suddenly, a loud crack echoed through the surrounding forest. Elise tensed, her senses on high alert. Adam froze too, his eyes scanning the shifting shadows with surprising vigilance.

“What was that?” she whispered, feeling a wave of apprehension wash over her.

Adam turned to her, his eyes shining with a protective gleam. “You’d better head home. The forest can be dangerous at night.”

Before she could reply, a dark figure emerged from the trees, followed closely by a low, menacing growl. Adam instinctively stepped in front of Elise, ready to confront the unknown.

A large gray wolf leaped out of the shadows, its eyes gleaming with a yellow light. Elise stepped back, panic rising within her. Adam stood firm, his hands raised in a gesture of peace.

With a deft and calm motion, Adam softly whistled. The wolf hesitated for a moment, then slinked back into the woods with surprising agility.

Elise stood there, breathless, suddenly realizing how badly things could have gone without Adam’s intervention.

“How did you do that?” she asked, her voice trembling slightly.

Adam gave her an enigmatic smile. “Some say I’m a bit special. But I believe more in protecting those I care about.”

Elise looked at him with gratitude, aware that this encounter with Adam had just shifted her perspective on Blackwood and herself. She knew it was only the beginning of a much more complex and intriguing story.

End of Chapter 1. Blackwood, a small town nestled in the heart of dense forests, was shrouded in a mysterious atmosphere. Old legends spoke of nocturnal creatures and inexplicable phenomena, but to 21-year-old Elise Caldwell, they were just stories meant to scare children.