Can I heal?

As time passed, she came to the realization that her radiance and brilliance were not constant, but rather dependent on specific circumstances.

She also noticed that intense emotions such as sorrow, fear, and agony would cause her to glow, and every time she shed tears, tiny creatures would emerge from them.

After numerous days had gone by, she found herself surrounded by a multitude of these little creatures.

Her hair was peculiar as well, seemingly autonomous and unpredictable. It would float in the air, sometimes shining and sometimes not, as if it had a mind of its own. She had no control over it whatsoever.

Whenever she bent down to pick something up, her hair would swiftly snatch the object and hand it to her.

But whenever she commanded her hair to do something, it would act as if it couldn't hear her.

Whenever she attempted to style her hair in braids or any other way, her hair would playfully slap her hand away, as if it felt insulted by her attempts. She found amusement in this and often laughed, believing that her hair had a mischievous personality.

Having given up on finding her family due to a lack of assistance and the fear she instilled in others, she made the difficult decision to remain in the forest.

She believed that staying in the forest provided a sense of security and hoped that one day someone would come to her aid, someone who wouldn't be afraid of her, but rather believe in her and help her reunite with her family.

To create a comfortable living environment, she built her house in the heart of the forest, hidden from sight to avoid any potential destruction. Although her house may not have had a pristine appearance, she exceeded her own expectations by using wood and leaves to construct a home that resembled a treehouse.

She adorned the house with flowers, designed large windows for ventilation, and crafted a delicate yet beautiful staircase adorned with vines. The entrance to her house was charming and welcoming.

Her father, a gardener, and florist, had imparted knowledge about plants and trees to her from a young age, equipping her with the skills to work with wood.

She sustained herself by eating fruits from the trees and occasionally pilfering food from hikers. Clothing, a thermos, a nail cutter, baskets, and various other items became her acquisitions from unsuspecting passersby.

She found delight in the thrill of stealing, often envisioning herself as the protagonist in a movie, skillfully swiping items while remaining hidden from the hikers.

Having observed human nature closely, she made great efforts to avoid and conceal herself from them throughout the years.

(Three years later)

Living in the forest for three years, Maya acquired numerous survival skills, gradually overcoming her fear of the dark.

She now had around a hundred Minizs accompanying her, and their presence seemed to bring her a sense of contentment.

It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that she had become the ruler of the forest. Animals understood her whistles and commands, even without verbal communication. She had become one with them.

The forest was home to a variety of creatures, including bears, tigers, deer, and other animals. Among them, a particular wolf stood out due to its intimidating appearance, bearing a scar on its face. This wolf would occasionally howl at Maya, which always saddened her.

"Hey there, buddy! Have I ever harmed you? Why are you so angry with me?" Maya would react strongly, observing the wolf's expression. Though hurt, she didn't dwell on it too much, for she had come to understand that animals possessed their own personalities.

She extended an offering to the wolf, saying, "Here, take this," as she presented a piece of fish she had recently stolen from a hiker.

However, the wolf rejected her gesture, ignoring her completely and walking away. Maya sighed and reluctantly let go of her feelings of hurt.

Throughout the years, she had also noticed that she sang a song or melody she had never heard before in her life. She had no idea when or where she had learned it, yet she was intimately familiar with every detail.

Singing brought her great joy, and the music itself was pleasing to her ears, heavily influenced by Celtic culture.

This remained one of the unanswered mysteries in her life.

On a beautiful day, as she hummed her song while walking through the woods, she stumbled upon a wounded rabbit, teetering on the brink of death.

As she crouched down, contemplating what to do for the helpless creature, one of her hair strands appeared before her face, reached out toward the rabbit, and wrapped around its neck.

Maya was perplexed by this unexpected turn of events but kept a close eye on her hair's actions. As her hair strand encircled the rabbit's neck, both Maya's body and hair began to emit a radiant glow.

Simultaneously, the glow spread from the rabbit's neck to the rest of its body.

Witnessing this extraordinary phenomenon, the rabbit opened its eyes and darted away as if nothing had happened. Maya was left in awe, astonished by what she had just witnessed.

"Oh my... Can I... HEAL?" Maya exclaimed, her mouth agape in astonishment.

With each passing day, she became increasingly aware of her extraordinary abilities. At first, comprehending her mystical nature was challenging, and believing that she possessed the power to heal others seemed nearly impossible.

However, everything she had experienced thus far had led her to believe that anything was possible and that she was no longer ordinary.

Consequently, whenever she encountered injured animals, she began using the same method to heal them. This brought her immense joy and a profound sense of purpose in aiding others.

Maya possessed a compassionate heart and numerous other qualities unbeknownst to her.

Being an empath, she would be moved to tears upon witnessing others' suffering, feeling their pain deeply. Likewise, she would experience happiness when she saw someone joyful.

Her innocence was evident, which made her parents fearful of letting her venture out alone, as she could easily be deceived. However, Maya knew she was far more intelligent than others her age.

She possessed a lively personality, alternating between being talkative and observant, paying close attention to her surroundings.

Furthermore, Maya possessed the ability to heal herself and breathe underwater, granting her the capacity to travel significant distances by sea.

Yet, she chose to remain in the forest, feeling secure within its confines. She feared what might happen if she encountered other humans on the other side of the ocean. What if they noticed her and proved to be more dangerous than factory workers?

Additionally, lacking a map and precise knowledge of her location, finding her way home seemed impossible. She had no control or options in this matter.