Can we stop being so serious

As we finally approached Thalindra's house, I felt an odd mix of relief and trepidation. The familiar sight of the dark wooden structure, half-hidden among towering trees, should have been comforting, but my mind kept looping back to the events of last night.

And not just the fire. 

I adjusted the oversized shirt I was still wearing, which seemed to grow heavier with every step.

The memory of Thalindra pulling it off her own back and handing it to me flickered vividly in my mind. Her teasing smirk, the way her fingers had brushed mine… No. Stop it, Alyndra. You're overthinking. Again.

Thalindra walked ahead, her strides confident and unfazed as always. She didn't seem the least bit troubled by the chaos we had just left behind.

The fox trotted at her heels, his tail wagging like he hadn't nearly burned down her entire home earlier. Meanwhile, I felt like a bundle of nerves barely being held together.