THE PALADIN

The sun dipped low on the horizon, casting long shadows through the dense forest. Aric, a towering figure clad in gleaming armor, paused beside a moss-covered boulder. His keen blue eyes scanned the underbrush, alert to every rustle. Though the villagers whispered tales of fear about him—his intimidating stature and reputation for combat—here, in the embrace of the woods, he felt a sense of belonging.

A sudden whimper broke the serene hush. Aric's heart quickened as he knelt beside a trembling wolf, its leg caught in a cruel snare. The creature's fur, once lustrous, was matted with dirt and blood, a stark contrast to the beauty of its wild kin. Aric extended a gentle hand, his fingers brushing against the wolf's coarse fur. “Easy now, friend. I’m here to help.”

The wolf's fearful eyes darted to him, but the pain and desperation eclipsed its instinct to flee. Aric carefully released the trap, the mechanism clanging shut with an unsettling echo. He cradled the injured leg in his hands, feeling the wolf's muscles tense beneath him. “You’ll be alright,” he murmured, his voice a calming balm against the forest's deepening shadows.

As he tended to the wound, a sense of purpose swelled within him. This moment, small yet profound, reaffirmed his commitment to aid those in need, even when the world often cast him as a monster. He bandaged the wolf's leg with strips torn from his cloak, crafting a makeshift support. The wolf let out a soft growl but did not resist.

Suddenly, a figure emerged from the trees—a cloaked woman, her silhouette framed by the fading light. The air thickened with tension as Aric straightened, instinctively placing himself between the wolf and the stranger. “Who are you?” he demanded, his voice low and steady.

The woman stepped closer, revealing piercing green eyes that seemed to pierce through the veil of twilight. “A friend or foe, depending on your choices,” she replied, her tone laced with an edge of mistrust. “You help the beast, but can you be trusted?”

Aric's brow furrowed. “I mean no harm. This wolf needs aid, just as anyone does. Can you say the same for yourself?” He couldn’t shake the feeling that this encounter was no coincidence.

Her lips curled into a slight smirk, a mix of skepticism and curiosity. “It’s rare to find a human who cares for the creatures of the wild. Most would have left it to suffer.”

“I’m not like most,” Aric said, a hint of pride creeping into his voice. “I’ve seen too much suffering to ignore it.” He glanced down at the wolf, now resting more comfortably against his side, and then back to the woman, sensing the weight of unspoken stories behind her guarded expression.

As he examined the wolf, he noticed a flicker of spirit in its eyes, despite the pain. “I’ll call you Thorn,” he said softly, brushing his fingers along the wolf’s flank. “You’re a fighter, aren’t you?”

The name hung in the air, and for a moment, it felt as if the forest itself held its breath. Thorn let out a quiet whine, as if acknowledging the bond being forged between them.

Suddenly, the distant howl of a wolf shattered the stillness, a haunting call that echoed through the trees. The woman stiffened, her gaze sharpening. “We should move. Darkness carries danger.”

Aric nodded, his instincts urging him to trust her warning. Together, they stepped into the encroaching shadows, Thorn limping beside them. The forest, once a refuge, now seemed filled with unseen threats lurking just beyond the trees.

As they walked, Aric couldn’t shake the feeling that this mysterious woman held answers to questions he hadn’t yet formed—a flicker of hope amid the un

certainty that lay ahead.