Run: 2026-02-17-01KHMMFM67E640JCNRWT7RT4SE

The Fae Grove felt different at night. The air itself seemed to thicken, turning cloying and heavy as Aurora stepped through the ancient standing stones that marked the boundary. Moonlight filtered down through the canopy of leaves, casting the clearing in a silvery glow that made the wildflowers seem to gently sway and shiver, as if in a phantom breeze. Aurora pulled her jacket tighter around herself, feeling a prickle of unease. She couldn't quite put her finger on what felt off, but something had changed since the last time she'd been here. The familiar grove now felt... strange, unsettling. Dangerous, even. Her heartstone pendant, usually a reassuring warmth against her chest, now felt cool to the touch. Aurora glanced down at it, watching as the deep crimson gem pulsed with a faint, wavering glow. She frowned, running her thumb over the smooth surface. Was it her imagination, or did the light seem weaker than before? A rustling in the undergrowth made her head snap up, eyes narrowing as she scanned the shadowed trees. Nothing moved. The air was thick with silence, save for the distant chirping of crickets. Steeling her nerves, Aurora pressed on, making her way deeper into the grove. The packed dirt path was familiar under her boots, the towering oaks and flowering bushes a comforting sight. But the longer she walked, the more tense she became. The grove was alive with subtle sounds that set her on edge - a branch creaking, leaves rustling, the snap of a twig underfoot. Every noise made her flinch, her heart hammering in her chest. She couldn't shake the feeling of being watched, of unseen eyes tracking her every move. When she reached the clearing at the heart of the grove, Aurora paused, taking a slow, steadying breath. The massive standing stones stood like silent sentinels, their surfaces etched with faint, ancient runes. This was the center, the place she had come to... but why, exactly? The reason eluded her, lost in the growing unease that gripped her. Glancing around, Aurora took in the sight of the wildflowers, brilliant bursts of color in the moonlight. The grove was beautiful, as always, yet something about it now seemed off, somehow unnatural. The flowers appeared to sway and shiver, petals rustling even in the stillness. Goosebumps prickled along Aurora's arms as the hair on the back of her neck rose. Slowly, she turned, scanning the tree line. Nothing. Just the shadows, shifting and swaying. Shadows that seemed to... move with purpose. Breath catching in her throat, Aurora took a step back, eyes narrowing as she focused on the treeline. There - a flicker of movement, just at the edge of her vision. Something was out there, watching her. Waiting. Her hand drifted to the heartstone pendant, fingers curling around it. The gem pulsed weakly, its glow now barely visible. Aurora's brow furrowed as she glanced down at it, mind racing. What did it mean? Was the stone losing power? Was that connected to the unsettling change in the grove? A twig snapped, far too close for comfort. Aurora whirled, searching the darkness, but saw nothing. Her pulse thundered in her ears, breath coming in short, shallow gasps. She was no longer alone. Something was out there, in the trees. Swallowing hard, Aurora took another step back, putting some distance between herself and the encroaching shadows. Her heel hit the base of one of the standing stones, and she reached back to steady herself, fingers tracing the ancient runes etched into the surface. The stone felt... warm. Warmer than it should be, given the chill in the air. Brow furrowing, Aurora glanced over her shoulder, pulse quickening as she realized the entire standing stone was suffused with a faint, crimson glow - the same color as her heartstone pendant. Dread pooled in the pit of her stomach as she looked back towards the trees, the shadows now seeming to creep closer. The grove was alive with movement, branches shifting and leaves rustling, but she couldn't make out what was causing it. Her pendant had lost its glow, the stone now cool and inert against her palm. Something was very, very wrong. Jaw set, Aurora shifted her stance, ready to run at the first sign of danger. But just as she tensed to move, a sound reached her ears - a low, rumbling growl that sent a chill down her spine. It was close, much too close for comfort. Swallowing hard, Aurora turned towards the sound, breath catching in her throat as her gaze landed on a pair of glowing, amber eyes, peering out at her from the shadows. They blinked once, slowly, before vanishing back into the darkness. Aurora's heart pounded in her chest as she stared at the spot where the eyes had been, mind racing. What was out there? Some kind of animal? No, the eyes had been too... intelligent. Too predatory. Gripping the pendant tightly, Aurora slowly backed away, every instinct screaming at her to run. But she couldn't bring herself to turn her back on the darkness, not with that unseen presence lurking just out of sight. The shadows seemed to press in around her, the grove growing darker with each passing moment. Aurora glanced up at the sky, searching for the moon, but the canopy of leaves had grown thick, blocking out the silvery light. A shiver ran down her spine as she realized she was now enveloped in inky blackness, surrounded by the menacing presence that had made its home in the once-tranquil grove. Breath shaking, Aurora steeled her nerves and took a step forward, determined to face whatever was out there. But as soon as she moved, a low, rumbling growl reached her ears, closer than before. She froze, heart pounding, and strained her eyes, desperately searching the darkness. There, at the edge of her vision - a flicker of movement, a flash of amber eyes. Watching. Waiting. Aurora swallowed hard, mind racing. She had to get out of here, had to find a way to escape this oppressive, predatory darkness. But as she tensed to run, a new sound reached her ears - a deep, guttural snarl, so close that she could feel the vibration of it in her chest. Whirling, Aurora stumbled backwards, heart leaping into her throat as she caught a glimpse of a massive, shadowy form emerging from the trees. Adrenaline surging, she turned and fled, lungs burning as she raced down the path, the relentless pursuit of the unseen creature spurring her onward. The world had shrunk to a narrow tunnel of moonlit trees, the darkness closing in around her. Branches snagged at her clothes, thorns drawing blood, but she pushed on, driven by pure, primal fear. All the while, the low, menacing growls echoed behind her, a constant, chilling reminder that she was not alone. That something was hunting her.