Just as a hand grabbed Lys’s shoulder, he jerked hard and spun around, fists up, ready to fight. His body tensed, heart hammering in his chest.

  A woman stood there.

  Seeing the woman, he instantly recognized her from Lys’s(original) memories. She was his neighbor, the one who lived two huts away. She was wearing a simple, thin nightdress, nothing fancy, nothing too revealing, just something comfortable for sleeping. Her hair was loose and a little messy from the wind.

  She looked surprised at his reaction, then smiled gently.

  “Lys? It’s me, Aunt Lira. Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.”

  Lys lowered his fists, breathing out in relief. His shoulders dropped. The spooky feeling vanished instantly.

  “Aunt Lira… gods, you scared me half to death,” he said, laughing a little shakily. “I thought someone was following me.”

  She gave a soft, apologetic laugh. “I was just coming back from checking on my sister’s house. I saw you walking and wanted to say hello. You looked like you were in a hurry.”

  Lys rubbed the back of his neck, still feeling his heart slow down. “Yeah… it’s late. I didn’t expect anyone else out here.”

  Lira tilted her head, studying him with kind eyes. “You’ve been through a lot lately, haven’t you? First the fever, then those wolves… and now you’re out at night. Be careful, okay? Even if the village feels safe, the nights can be strange sometimes.”

  Lys nodded, finally relaxing completely. “I will. Thanks, Aunt Lira.”

  She smiled warmly. “Go on home. Your mother and sister are probably waiting. Good night, Lys.”

  “Good night.”

  She walked past him toward her own hut. Lys watched her for a second, then continued the last few steps to his door. The spooky feeling was gone, replaced by a quiet chuckle at himself for being spooked for nothing.

  ------

  He pushed open the door of the hut and stepped inside. The moment the warm light from the oil lamp touched his face, the cold, spooky feeling from the dark road melted away. The familiar smell of dried herbs and the soft crackle of the small fire in the hearth wrapped around him like a blanket.

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  He was home.

  Mira was the first to notice him. She jumped up from where she was sitting near the table and hurried over, her eyes full of concern.

  “Brother! You’re back.” She looked him up and down quickly. “Is everything okay? You were gone for so long.”

  Lys closed the door behind him and gave her a tired but genuine smile. “Yeah, everything’s good. The deal with Sara went well.”

  Mira’s shoulders relaxed a little, but then she frowned and stepped closer. “Then why are you soaked with sweat? Your shirt is sticking to you. Did something happen on the way?”

  Lys rubbed the back of his neck, feeling a bit embarrassed. The night walk and the sudden scare from Aunt Lira had left him more worked up than he realized. “It’s nothing. Just from walking fast. The road was dark, and I didn’t want to stay out too long.”

  Mira didn’t look fully convinced, but she didn’t push. Instead, she reached out and gently touched his arm. “You really need to be more careful. I was worried the whole time.”

  From the hearth, Elara turned around with a warm smile. She was stirring a pot of simple vegetable stew, the smell filling the small hut and making Lys’s stomach rumble with hunger.

  “Come, both of you,” Elara said softly. “Sit at the table. I kept the food warm for you. You must be hungry after such a long day.”

  Lys felt his chest loosen even more. The gentle tone of his mother’s voice, the way she always took care of them without making a big deal out of it, it was exactly what he needed after this strange night.

  He nodded. “Thanks, Mom. I’ll be right there.”

  Before sitting down, Lys slipped out the back door again. The small fenced area behind the hut was dark, but he knew it well by this point.

  He went to the well, pulled up a fresh bucket of cold water, and splashed it over his face and neck. The icy water shocked his skin and washed away the last traces of sweat and tension from the walk home.

  ‘It was JUST a neighbor,’ he reminded himself as the water ran down his chest.

  He dried his face with the edge of his shirt and went back inside. The moment he stepped through the door, the warm glow of the lamp and the smell of food welcomed him again.

  Elara and Mira were already sitting at the small table. Two bowls of steaming stew and pieces of bread were waiting for him. Mira had even poured water into his cup.

  “Come sit, honey,” Elara said, patting the spot beside her. Her voice was soft and full of love. “You look tired. Eat something warm.”

  Lys sat down between them. Mira immediately pushed the bread closer to him. “Here, eat this first. You walked a lot today.”

  He took a piece and dipped it into the stew. The simple food tasted better than anything he could remember. The three of them ate together in comfortable silence for a moment, the only sounds being the clink of wooden spoons and the soft crackle of the fire.

  Elara looked at him with gentle eyes. “You really did a lot today. Bringing those pelts, helping with the cleaning, and then going out again at night…you really matured a lot in just a few days. I’m so proud of you, Lys.”

  Mira nodded, chewing her bread. “Yeah. Just… next time, tell us before you go into the forest, okay? We get scared when you’re gone too long.”

  Lys swallowed his food and smiled at both of them. The warmth in their voices, the way they cared without asking too many questions, it slowly washed away every bit of the creepy feeling from the dark road.

  “I will,” he promised. “I’m sorry for worrying you.”

  Elara reached over and gently squeezed his hand. “We’re family. That’s what we do.”

  They ate their dinner mostly in silence after that.

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