Winter came early, blanketing Acorn Village in snow, turning the Whispering Forest into a white wonderland. Leon sat in Eldrin's cottage, poring over a map he'd bought from a merchant in Sarneth Town. His finger traced the path south— through the Whispering Forest, past Stone Ridge, to the southern edge, where Kael had found the camellia seeds, where the Shadow Folk were said to live.
Eldrin sat across from him, sipping herb tea, his eyes on the map. "The southern edge is not a game," he said, his voice serious. "Stories of the Shadow Folk aren't just tales. People have disappeared there— hunters, travelers, even Kael almost didn't return. The forest is older there, darker. Mist clings to the trees day and night, and the mountains hold secrets no one should uncover."
Leon nodded. He knew the risks. But he also knew that the southern edge held more than danger— it held herbs that grew nowhere else, camellia groves that could provide endless oil, answers about Kael's journey. He'd grown stronger in the year since he'd woken— smarter, more skilled, more confident. He was no longer the helpless child who'd stared at the river. He could heal, he could build, he could survive.
"I'll be careful," he said. "I won't go alone. Isabella wants to come— she's good with plants, and she's brave." He paused, then added, "I'll take Kael's journal, your healing salve, the wooden raven. I'll follow the map, stay on the path, and come back before winter's end."
Eldrin studied him, his gaze sharp but warm. "You're as stubborn as Kael," he said, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "I know I can't stop you. But promise me this— if you sense danger, turn back. Your life is worth more than any herb or secret."
Leon promised. He spent the winter preparing: practicing his healing skills with Eldrin, weaving a sturdier basket for herbs, saving coins for supplies. He taught Isabella to identify safe herbs, to start a fire in the rain, to read the stars to find her way. She listened eagerly, her eyes bright with excitement— she'd always dreamed of adventure, of seeing beyond Acorn Village.
As the snow began to melt, signaling the end of winter, Leon stood in Eldrin's courtyard, looking south toward the Whispering Forest. The camellia trees were dormant, waiting for spring, and the wooden press stood in the corner, silent but ready. He thought of his first days in this world— confused, scared, silent— and smiled. He'd come so far.
Eldrin handed him a leather pouch: the healing salve, the wooden raven, a small knife. "Go," he said. "But come back. This village needs you. I need you."
Leon hugged him, then turned to find Isabella, who waited by the gate, her basket packed. Together, they walked toward the forest, the morning sun warming their faces. The Whispering Forest loomed ahead, vast and mysterious, but Leon felt no fear— only excitement, only hope.
The southern edge waited. Secrets waited. The world waited.
And he was ready to meet it.