The Choice

For a few seconds, I saw something shine in Vayrënna's eyes — a light that had long been extinguished, suffocated by the scars of the past. It was Life. A flicker of hope that had once seemed lost, replaced by something dull, dry, and lifeless. But there, standing before me, that once-dim flame reignited, burning stronger than ever.

And yet, she hesitated. It was tempting, I knew that much. But this decision did not affect only her. As a leader, she carried the weight of her friends' lives on her shoulders. A wrong choice could doom them even further, and that was something she could never allow.

Sensing her hesitation, I gave a small, reassuring smile.

— Haha… I guess that was a little sudden, wasn't it? — I said casually, hoping to ease the tension hanging in the air.

Her gaze lingered on me for a moment, but her tail, which subtly swayed from side to side, betrayed just how much my proposal had excited her.