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Hayze
With my feet planted firmly on the forest floor, I watched Arlet’s every move. The moment I stepped out of the shadows, the game changed. I had broken protocol—Monsters for Hire wasn’t in the business of introductions. We worked best undetected. Yet here I was, exposed.
Arlet returned to her work, but her demeanor had shifted. The lines of her body, once tense with an unknown fear, now relaxed slightly with the knowledge of my presence. Her focus was sharper, her movements through the forest more confident. It was as if knowing a pair of unseen eyes belonged to a guardian rather than a threat freed her from some weight I hadn’t realized she carried.
Why did I trust her? It wasn’t just her resilience that struck me—it was that innate sense of trust she seemed to emanate. A trust that pulled at me, compelling me to step into the light. A Talos didn’t have such lapses in judgment, but then again, Arlet wasn’t your typical human.
She knelt by a stream, collecting samples with hands that were steady despite our recent encounter. The way she treated each vial with care spoke volumes about her dedication to preserving these lands.
“You will tell no one about me, are you?” My voice cut through the silence between us.
Arlet paused, a small smile playing on her lips before she replied without looking up. “And risk them thinking I’m insane? No, your secret’s safe.”
I chuckled at her pragmatism.
She continued her work, and I observed from a respectful distance. She’d glance over her shoulder at me—a silent acknowledgement of my presence.
It was during one of those moments that she stumbled upon an illegal poacher’s trap hidden beneath a pile of leaves. Fury ignited in her eyes—a fierce protector of nature’s sanctity.
“Damn it,” she muttered under her breath as she worked to dismantle the snare.
“Need help?” I offered.
Arlet shook her head. “No, I’ve got it.” And true to her word, she did—her fingers deftly unhooking and unwinding until the trap lay harmless on the ground.
As she stood and surveyed the area for more threats to the wildlife she so loved, something akin to pride swelled within me. This human was remarkable in ways I hadn’t expected when I accepted this assignment.
The forest seemed to hum with life around us—the chirping of birds, the rustling of leaves in the wind—yet all my senses tuned to Arlet. She moved with purpose now, eyes scanning for any other dangers lurking unseen.
She spoke little as we continued through the woods together; neither did I. Words seemed unnecessary when actions spoke so clearly.
The sun dipped lower in the sky, casting elongated shadows that danced around us as if celebrating this unusual alliance between human and Talos monster. For a moment, I allowed myself to forget my solitary existence and bask in the companionship that working alongside Arlet provided.
As we headed back toward her cabin with dusk approaching, there was a quiet understanding between us—a partnership formed not out of necessity but out of mutual respect and an unspoken promise to protect what mattered most.
The cabin loomed ahead, its windows glowing warmly against the encroaching night. Arlet strode ahead, her steps surer now that she was back on familiar ground.
“Come on,” she called over her shoulder, “I don’t bite. Much.”
I hesitated, surprised by the invitation. Entering her space crossed an invisible line, but curiosity—and something I couldn’t quite name—drew me forward.
The interior of the cabin was cozy, a stark contrast to the wildness of the forest we’d just left behind. Arlet hung her jacket and gestured to a chair at a small wooden table.
“Sit,” she instructed as she busied herself with setting a kettle on the stove. “I could use some insight from someone who knows these woods better than I do.”
Perching tentatively on the edge of the offered seat, I watched her movements. The kettle whistled with readiness as she poured two mugs of tea and set one in front of me.
“So,” she started, wrapping her hands around her own mug, “tell me about yourself. What’s it like being... you know, not human?”
I pondered the question for a moment before answering. “Different,” I said finally. “There’s a lot I’m still learning about your world.”
She nodded, taking a sip from her mug. “And your abilities? You said you can call up the elements?”
I could sense where this was going—her researcher’s mind piecing together how my talents might serve her work.
“Yes,” I replied cautiously. “But why do you ask?”
Arlet set her mug down and leaned forward. “I’ve been studying patterns in local wildlife behavior. There are anomalies I can’t explain—shifts in migration routes, unusual foraging patterns... If you can really sense the elements, maybe you’ve noticed something I haven’t.”
