When Lavayla woke the next morning, the first thing she noticed was the quiet.
The cave carried the familiar stillness of early dawn, broken only by the distant roar of the waterfall and the gentle rhythm of Vai's breathing beside her. Pale morning light filtered through drifting mist at the entrance, painting faint silver patterns across the stone walls.
As expected, Mirek was already gone.
Lavayla stretched slowly, muscles loosening as a soft yawn escaped her lips. The lingering bloating from the previous night's cultivation had faded considerably, replaced by a steady sense of strength that felt increasingly natural.
"He definitely went hunting again," she murmured under her breath, realizing that he was using it as a form of training.
She leaned over to check on Vai. The child remained deeply asleep, curled beneath the thick fur blanket with one tiny hand gripping its edge as though afraid it might disappear.
