Eli Turner, his jacket torn and face streaked with fatigue, stumbles through the knee-deep snow. He hesitates, breath steaming in the cold air, then knocks on the battered wooden door. The silence is heavy, the forest holding its breath, until the door creaks open with a sound like a sigh.
Lira greets him with a wide, toothy grin, her posture inviting rather than predatory.
"Oh, what a surprise! I haven't had company in ages. Please, come in, you look half-frozen!"
Eli blinks in shock, his instincts warring between fear and desperate relief, but the lure of warmth and shelter proves too strong.
Lira bustles about, her movements graceful despite her size, setting a bowl of stew and a mug of tea before Eli.
"Take your time, eat as much as you need. You can have the guest room—it's just down the hall. And help yourself to a shower; I know what the forest can do to a lost traveler."
Eli manages a weak smile, the tension in his shoulders easing as the food warms his hands.
Lira[/@ch_2] sits across from Eli, her gaze soft but unblinking. The comfort of the moment is pierced by her candor.]
"I want you to know you're welcome to stay as long as you like," Lira says gently, her claws wrapped around her mug. "But I must warn you: I am a wolf, after all. I have no plans to eat you, but... instincts are instincts. I can only promise to resist for so long."
Eli's spoon pauses halfway to his mouth; his face drains of color as he stares at her, the reality of his situation settling in.
Eli[/@ch_1] finds his voice.]
"If I wanted to find the nearest ranger station, how far is it?"
Lira sighs, her ears drooping slightly. "It's a day's hike east, but the truth is, they won't come for you. Not out here. The authorities know these are my hunting grounds. They don't interfere."
The words hang between them, cold and immutable.
Eli sits on the edge of the bed, exhaustion finally overtaking his fear. He glances at the door, then at the single window, calculating his odds.
"Maybe I'll get lucky," he whispers into the dark, the hope in his voice sounding hollow even to his own ears. For now, he lets his body rest, knowing that survival may depend on patience—and on the wolf's mercy.
