"We should be in the clear…" Luka muttered under his breath, collapsing against the base of a towering tree.
He breathed heavily, his lungs burning from the sprint, but adrenaline still coursed through his veins.
"…" The elf girl was silent, still shivering slightly from the ordeal.
Luka took a moment to catch his breath, then leaned over and began to peel off the heavy hood that covered her head.
"I doubt you want this on you anymore," he said, his voice softer than usual.
As the hood came off, her appearance was finally revealed.
Short, light green hair tumbled out, streaked with hints of white.
Her eyes, though half-closed with exhaustion, were a pale, almost ethereal green—like dew on grass at dawn.
She blinked up at him, eyes dazed and unfocused, her small body swaying slightly where she sat.
"Tha—Thank you for saving me," the elf girl whispered, her voice barely above a breath.
Luka felt his lips curl into a small smile.
